How to paint shiny objects in Watercolor

A few years ago I read a tip on how to create different surfaces in aquarelle and it has really helped me. I had originally planned to do a more intensive post on some of the techniques on Thursday but since this Thursday falls on the sixth of December, I have a Nikolo and Krampus post due to come out on that day. So cultural and how-to posts are switched this week.

   As Friday's Vernissage is over I have been delving into Christmas themed painting this week. One of the things I have on my agenda this year are a few glass Christmas ornaments. These have highly reflective surfaces and can be somewhat challenging to paint.

   When a surface is painted in a harmonic, even coat with only limited changes in tonal value it appears soft or even velvety,

  In order to create the impression of shine, darker highlights can be added.

The darker that shadows, the lighter and brighter the rest of the object will appear. This can be seen in the green ornament at the top of the page. If the object already appears 'too dark', higher contrast can create the illusion of lighter highlights. I darkened this entire ornament to try to show how even when you feel like you may have added too much color to your painting it can be salvaged.

   Adding a variety of tones creates a more beautiful finished image especially if they are complimentary. A really dark shadow and small detailed lines make the surface waxy or shiny. This trick has come in handy when painting things like tulips which are shinier looking than other flowers.

   In order to make the surface reflective splotches of color can be added to suggest items in the room.

   I hope this simple trick is helpful to you in your own painting, or if you are not an artist gives you an insight into what you are seeing when you look at a shiny object in a painting. Do you have a favorite trick you use a lot? Or something you find particularly challenging? Let me know in the comments.

I post three times a week; Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. To get posts as soon as they are published click on the subscribe button at the top of the page or Follow by clicking on the follow button.