Painting “Galaxy Falls”

Introduction

Painting has been one of my favorite pastimes for the last seven years. During this time, I
have created both original and referenced work. For this painting, we will be using Tracie
Kiernan’s “Galaxy Falls,” for inspiration.

Image #1: Photo by Author

Materials

➔ Supplies
◆ 8x10 White Canvas
◆ Pencil/Colored Chalk
◆ Paint Palette/Plastic Plate
◆ Surface Protective Material/Sheet
◆ Easel (optional)
➔ Acrylic Paints
◆ Black
◆ White
◆ Umber
◆ Cerulean Blue
◆ Ultramarine Blue
◆ Violet
➔ Brushes
◆ Round Pointed Brush #2/0
◆ Round Pointed Brush #1
◆ Round Pointed Brush #2
◆ Round Pointed Brush #3
◆ Round Pointed Brush #5
◆ Filbert Brush #2
◆ Filbert Brush #4
◆ Filbert Brush #8
◆ Flat Brush #6
◆ Flat Brush #5/8
 Image #2: Photo by Author

Phase #1: Sketch

1. Turn your canvas to a portrait position.

2. Using your chalk or your pencil, begin to sketch the outline of the drawing.
a. If you are using a pencil, do not draw heavy dark lines. Use only thin light
lines. As long as your lines are thin, you can erase them and redraw them.
Don’t worry about tiny, light smudge marks; the paint should cover them.
3. Start at the bottom of the canvas. You will draw a straight horizontal line about
two inches from the bottom of the canvas. I prefer to use my fingers for
measurements, but feel free to use a ruler.
 a. To measure using your fingers, place your index, middle, and ring fingers
horizontally on the bottom of the canvas. Draw a small line above your
index finger. Do this to both sides of the canvas.
b. Then draw the straight horizontal line by connecting the small lines on
each side of the canvas.
c. This will be the pool below the waterfall.
4. Now, turn the canvas around, so the other 8” side is at the bottom.
a. Using the measuring process in Step Three, place four fingers horizontally
on the canvas and draw a small line above your index finger. Do this to
both sides.
b. This line will be a curved horizontal line with the curve arching toward the
top of the canvas. The peak of the curve should be no higher than six
fingers or four inches from the bottom.
c. This curve separates the sky from the scenery below.
5. Turn the canvas 180 degrees so that the waterfall pool is once again at the bottom.
a. We are now ready to outline the first waterfall.
b. Place three fingers vertically in the middle of the canvas. Draw a small
line beside your index finger and another one beside your ring finger. If
you are using a ruler, the middle of the waterfall should be about two
inches across.
c. Take each line and extend them vertically to the edge of the sky and the
edge of the pool. Do not connect the small lines here.
d. The lines should be slightly curved. The beginning and ending of the
waterfall should be about four fingers or three inches wide.
6. Draw a circle to the right of the waterfall to create the moon. This circle should
connect with the line dividing the sky and the waterfall. It should not take up the
entire corner.
a. You’ll notice in Image #3 that I have three short lines penetrating my
circle and two short lines on the left side. This is to help me judge distance
due to a vision impairment. Drawing these lines are optional.
7. Create the cliffs near the waterfall.
a. On the left side next to the pool, create a bumpy little line from the edge of
the canvas to the side of the waterfall. It’s approximately 1.5 fingers above
the waterfall pool if the fingers are held horizontally. If you are using a
ruler, the line should be one inch above the pool.
b. The next rock one the left is above the one created in Step 7A. This rock is
wider than the first one (4 fingers horizontally or 3 inches). The dividing
line is straighter and goes from the edge of the canvas to the waterfall.
 c. On the right side near the pool, create another bumpy line. However, this
line should be at an angle. The rock should be wider at the edge of the
canvas and narrower at the waterfall.
d. The last rock on the right side is directly above the rock created in Step
7C. It should have large bumps in it. This line should also be drawn at an
angle, where the rock should be wider at the edge of the canvas and
narrower at the waterfall.
8. Now we’re sketching the final waterfall.
a. On the left side, about two vertical fingers or 1.5 inches from the edge of
the canvas, sketch a line until it barely extends over the skyline. Then,
staying on the left side, sketch another line, two vertical fingers or 1.5
inches from the waterfall. The lines should be close together (less than an
index finger or ¾ of a inch apart). At the skyline, the lines will create a
peak. The peak may become unnecessary but it provides a little extra room
for mistakes.

Image #3: Photo by Author

Phase #2: Background

1. The Pool
a. Pour black paint onto your paint palette.
b. Using the flat brush #5/8, paint the outlined section of the pool black until
the section is thoroughly covered.
2. The Sky
a. We are continuing to use the flat brush #5/8 and the black paint.
b. Paint the outlined section for the sky black. Do NOT paint over the circle
for the moon.
c. When painting around the moon, use the round pointed brush #2/0 so that
the black does not accidently enter the moon circle.
3. The Pool: Part Two
a. Pour cerulean blue paint onto your paint palette.
b. Using the flat brush #6, paint the pool blue. Leave some black spots
shining through (2-3 on each side).
4. Clean your brushes with soap and warm water.

Image #4: Photo by Author

Phase #3: The Center Waterfall

1. You will need cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, black, and white.
a. Using the round pointed brush #1, paint the sketch line at the top of the
waterfall white.
b. Using flat brush #5/8, paint the entire waterfall black. You can use a round
pointed brush #2/0 to get more narrow spaces.
c. Wait until the black paint dries before continuing.
d. Using a flat brush #6, paint the waterfall with cerulean blue.
e. Before the cerulean paint dries, paint the top portion of the waterfall white.
Be sure to blend the blue and the white together.
f. Using white, paint two thin, curved lines down each side of the waterfall.
Fill the space between them with ultramarine blue. Blend all three colors
together so it transitions neatly.
 Image #5: Photo by Author

Phase #4: The Moon

1. You will be using white and ultramarine blue paints for this part. Pour small
amounts onto your paint palette or plastic plate.
a. Using the filbert brush #8, paint a wide curve from the right side of the
moon to the bottom in ultramarine blue.
b. We will continue to use the filbert brush #8 without washing it. Dip it into
the white paint. Now, paint the remaining space white. Remember to blend
the edges of the blue and white together so it transitions from one color to
the other neatly.
c. After the paint dries, take the same unwashed brush and paint the top
white to create more contrast.
2. Clean your brush.
 Image #6: Photo by Author

Phase #5: The Cliffs

1. The Cliffs
a. Pour a small amount of raw umber onto your paint palette.
b. Using raw umber and the filbert brush #8, trace your cliff sketch lines,
including the outline of the final waterfall. Only trace the waterfall lines
inside the cliff sections. You can paint the inside of the waterfall lines raw
umber too, but only paint a thin layer.
c. Once that is finished, paint the cliffs with raw umber, using only vertical
strokes. Only paint one coat here. If you use multiple coats, the cliffs will
become too dark. Do not cross your now painted sketch lines. Do each
section separately.
 Image #7: Photo by Author

Phase #6: The Splash

1. To create the splash at the end of the waterfall, you will need cerulean blue and
white.
a. Using a filbert brush #2, create fluffy little circles around the end of the
waterfall. Think of a fluffy cloud.
b. Using the same brush, add a hint of cerulean blue to the center of your
cloud and blend it softly.
 Image #8: Photo by Author

Phase #7: The Small Waterfall

1. Using a filbert brush #2, paint the inside of the waterfall lines on the cliff cerulean
blue. Only paint to the top of the cliffs. If the waterfall appears flat, you may
extend the blue into the sky.
2. After the blue paint dries, use a round pointed #2 brush to paint a small amount of
white to the top of the waterfall. The white should be thick at the top and then
make a thin curve to the right.
3. If your waterfall doesn’t look flat, you can paint the extra whitespace black now
with a round pointed brush #3.
 Image #9: Photo by Author

Phase #8: The Galaxy

1. The Stars
a. Put a thin layer of white paint on the bristles of a flat brush #5/8.
b. Hold the brush over the sky.
c. Flick your index finger on the tip of the brush. If your finger isn’t white,
you are not doing it right. This should cause little specks of white paint to
go flying everywhere, creating a natural distribution of stars and a mess.
2. The Galaxy
a. Drip a filbert brush #4 in white paint. Wipe the excess paint off on your
paint palette or plastic plate.
b. Then make a little cloud shape in the sky near the cliffs on the left and a
cloud near the top of the moon.
c. Using the same brush and ultramarine blue, repeat the process over the
newly formed clouds.
d. Repeat the process again with violet.

Image #10: Photo by Author

Congratulations! You’ve made a “Galaxy Falls.”