Ever wanted to bring your artwork to life with a breathtaking reflection? Drawing reflections can be daunting, but with some care and focus, you’ll be rendering realistic-looking reflections in no time. Here’s how to nail reflections in your artwork.
First, pick your location. Where’s the reflection reflecting off of? A sidewalk? A lake? A stream? Imagine the setting to start properly setting reflective motion in motion.
Next, remember to square up. Draw horizontal and vertical lines to create a grid from the window, table, wet pavement, etc. Break the grid down into fuzzy boxes, then fill in the drawing with tiny dots and fast strokes.
After that is done, it’s time to dive into the tricks of the trade. For example, make sure to choose right tones and shades to get that realistic effect. Usually, you would go with a darker shade of color at the source and a lighter one on the reflection.
No reflection is complete without a touch of sparkle. To create this effect, use white acrylic to create little dots and random stripes over the reflection. For color reflections, simply brush the canvas with a darker color topped off with lighter and brighter shades, and voila!
Once you’re done, fluff up the reflection with white acrylic. Reflections are not static, so it’s important to replicate natural movements. Lick the paintbrush and wave it over the reflection to move the paint around and create chaos.
Ready for the next step? Here you go! Sharpen the edges for a neat finish to your reflection. Make sure to outline your reflection to make it stand out. You can do this by using a black ink pen.
Once you’ve outlined it and the edges are sharp, you now have to shade in the reflection. For this, you can use watercolors. Brush your palette with water and paint it into the reflection.
Finally, to add one final touch of realism, apply subtle gradients in the reflection. Reflective elements like the sun, moon, or stars should be replicated in the reflection itself. Use the same paintbrush you used to soften the reflection and make sure you begin from the outside edge of the reflection and not from the center.
Once you’re done, your reflection is ready for you to display. But don’t stop there! Practice different reflections in different scenarios and vary the materials you use for each of them.
Now that you’ve learned how to draw reflections correctly let’s get to it. Get to your sketchbook, select a scene that you would like to bring to life, conjure it up in your head, apply what you’ve been taught, and get those reflections into something breathtaking.
Configure the environment, make sure the grid is squared up, employ the right techniques, give it some sparkle and make it alive. Put those reflections to work and see the masterpiece in the making!
Pay extra attention to your paintbrush. Reflections need flourishes, so the best way to create them is with a delicate, light brushstroke. Key here is to go slowly and not rush. Ease your way around the reflection and make sure each stroke is as precise and detailed as it could be.
The sharpening of the edges is essential as well. To make sure your lines are neat and sharp, dip your brush in the paint before drawing a line. This will not only sharpen the edges, but it will also make sure that the outlines are strong and visible.
Adding gradients to your reflection is the very last step, and an equally important one. Dip your brush in the water, get it moist, then dip it in the paint. Draw along the edges of the reflection and witness your reflection turn into a breathtaking natural scenery.
Creating beautiful reflections can be a slow and tedious task, but with enough practice and patience, you will soon be able to capture amazing reflections in your work that will leave your viewers in awe. Keep at it and don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different angles and materials to render realistic reflections and soon enough you’ll be able to master the art of drawing reflections.
