Chasing Waterfalls in Watercolor - 6 Tips for Painting Moving Water From Life

During my recent trip in the Great Smoky Mountains, I got to practice painting waterfalls "en plein air"! I'm sharing some tips from my journey!
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🎨 GUERRILLA SKETCHER SKETCHBUDDY Binder ➡️ www.artistsupplysource.com/pr...
🎨 Taylor Seamount Easel ➡️ www.etsy.com/shop/TaylorSeamo...
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📜 Strathmore Ready Cut Watercolor, Cold Press, 5" x 7", White ➡️ amzn.to/3Xwh9nb
🎨 Binder Clips ➡️ amzn.to/44kX05L
📜 Clairefontaine Fontaine Cold Pressed Watercolour Pad, Wirebound, 300 g, 12 x 18 cm, 12 Sheets ➡️ amzn.to/3pqN8J6
🎨 Empty Wooden Watercolor Palette Portable Mini Travel Watercolor Paint Box Square Tray ➡️ bit.ly/40xTGlW
🎨 Sennelier French Artists' Watercolor Set - Metal Pocket Box, Set of 12 colors, half pans ➡️ www.anrdoezrs.net/click-91101...
🖌️ Faber Castell Water-Based Marker Pit Artist Pen 101 White ➡️ amzn.to/43pSS3J
🖌️ Silver Black Velvet Voyager Travel Watercolor Brushes ➡️ www.dpbolvw.net/click-9110133...
🖌️ Biaelk Squirrel Hair Mix Steel Cap Artist Watercolor Travel Art Paint Brushes ➡️ bit.ly/3ZbJiiP
🥤 Metal Palette Cup, small ➡️ www.dpbolvw.net/click-9110133...
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- Editing Software: Adobe Premiere Pro
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[@Blick_Art]

If you do it right, moving water is one of the subjects that looks more natural and real in a painting than in a photograph! A photo of rushing water just looks like weird fog, but an artist can compress several seconds of motion into one distinct shape that includes the sound, smell, and feel of the subject.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Something I am just beginning to learn. :)

[@starr-starr]

Keywords here are “If you do it right “ 😂

[@Blick_Art]

@@starr-starr There's always a disclaimer, right? ;-)

[@jilliancrawford7577]

Very true! Motion blur from a camera seems to be different than how the human brain registers motion blur. I think it's because human eyes have the depth perception to allow us to see more surrounding information and not take motion blur too literal like a camera does, but I'm not a scientist or engineer to know for sure. It's just a guess. I do think this is why it can be hard to paint something that has movement without dozens of references of all the elements that are still so that the motion doesn't distort details and information.

[@Blick_Art]

@@jilliancrawford7577 We think that's a great explanation!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Wise tips my friend and I love the way you simplified your cascading water forms. Perfectly yummy!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks so much for stopping by, Steve! I feel like this trip was just the beginning of my journey to understanding how to paint moving water, but I'm all about it! We'll have to paint that waterfall in Greenville together some time...

[@mindofwatercolor]

@@EmilyOlsonArt let’s do! I hate that we missed it. Theres a whole gallery there of water falls and moving water to choose from.

[@bjdicandia6689]

I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit to our neck of the woods. It was refreshing to hear how excited you were. Now time to tackle my waterfall.

[@fuzzydragons]

7:58 that waterfall is gorgeous! would make so many paintings. great job getting the flowing water in your painting!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you so much 😀

[@terrilikens4975]

I'm glad you're highlighting my neck of the woods. Love your work. On the rock cairns, people should know that moving the rocks in these streams disrupts fish and other water creature breeding beds and is highly discouraged or forbidden.

[@veryberry39]

Yeah, I saw that and sighed.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Oh bummer!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

That's good to know!

[@jajakaborge]

Yay, your outdoor videos are my fav! Wow, what gorgeous hikes and waterfalls. Ah, thank you sooo much for the tips… especially the perfectionist reminder!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks for watching! Glad the tips were helpful!

[@missselfdestruct9651]

emily i just gotta tell you this. you are AMAZING at what you do. you walk us through each process in such a gentle and coherent manner that even beginners can follow them even if the results won't quite match your level lol. not only is your art stunning and a joy to behold but you seem like such a sweetheart too. i love the vibe you bring to the art table. one of my biggest achilles heels is my lack of patience and therefore creating artwork has been a bit of a drag and a love-hate-relationship for me but with the way you approach it you're making me want to take it on and actually pursue it more. thank you so much lady, you are a treasure!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

This comment made my day! Thank you so much!

[@rebeccalyons1327]

Thank you. I’m currently painting Mingo Falls from a recent trip’s photo. I can’t believe this showed up in my feed. I wasn’t searching for waterfall paintings.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

What TIMING!

[@nellkrams3698]

WOW!! What beautiful waterfalls! We don’t have any in our state, so I’m relying on you and Watercolor Mastery for my painting of them. I do hope someday to find one in a nearby state and paint it in person, in the meantime….there’s Watercolor Mastery!❤

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

I’ve been to the Tennessee part of the Smokey Mountains as a kid fishing 🎣 & camping 🏕. I don’t remember any gorgeous waterfalls, so I will definitely have to get back for another visit soon. Your trip & paintings are all amazing. Thanks for sharing this wonderful journey & the tips with us!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

What great childhood memories! Thanks so much for stopping by my channel!

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

@@EmilyOlsonArt You’re welcome 😉💕!

[@juliebrocklehurst-woods5247]

Great Smokey Mtns National Park is one of the top 10 locations for wildflower diversity. The flowers are astonishing in April/May.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

I'd love to see that someday!

[@joyceshields9156]

Love love love this! I’m primarily a photographer and prefer the fast shutter speed to capture the individual splashes rather than the slow shutter that turns everything soft and fuzzy. I’ve ‘shot’ numerous waterfalls in western NC, with the intent to paint later. I never have actually painted any. I’ve also never painted en plain air. I love yours! I also loved your awe and joy of the lushness of the mountains. I was recently on a road trip to the southwest and was equally awestruck by the colors, shapes, and austerity of the mesas, plateaus, etc.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Yes, with so much amazing beauty in the world it’s impossible not to be in awe!

[@Pixieshade]

I love chasing waterfalls. I live in south central KY close to TN border and there are hundreds of waterfalls add spring wildflowers and it is definitely sensory overload when trying to find that perfect spot to stop and paint. Us hikers like to keep moving see what beauty is further up the trail…lol Hope you come back again in the spring time. Smokey Mountains is the most visited park in the US.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

I’ll have to come back-there’s still SO much more to see!

[@msgail7232]

Deep Creek is a fantastic place to visit and paint. Bryson City is home to so many beautiful sites but Deep Creek is not as well known as many places in the Smokies so the crowds are not as bad. The Hemlock Inn is just down the road from Deep Creek so if you ever return, be sure to look them up for at least one night's stay (breakfast and dinner included-the best food ever!).

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks so much for the recommendation!

[@Belcih]

Beautiful video and the waterfall painting amazing 🎉❤

[@franceslazu1784]

Beautiful video!!❤

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

You are so kind!

[@stampinturtles]

I love waterfalls and painting them in watercolor.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

🙌🙌🙌

[@donnastrohmeier8739]

I absolutely love this lesson. Thank you for sharing your journey with us viewers. You did a terrific job! 🪶🏞️ Your paintings came out so wonderful.🙏

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Aw I appreciate that!

[@GONZOFAM7]

Oh how timely. I've been practicing waterfalls for a week. This is great.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

How serendipitous!

[@vupps]

Ahh, again at awe of your wonderful paintings, in spite of all the hurdles you had to pass along the way. You are so right about having to choose which subject to paint when you are surrounded by nature’s beauty! But picked the best ones and you captured it perfectly, even though you didn’t focus on being perfect! It still was a perfect painting to me!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you so much!

[@tattooyu]

I loved your collab with Steve from Mind of Watercolor. I visited Biltmore in 2021 during the peak fall weekend, and it was simply breathtaking. Too bad I hadn't really started drawing or painting then, but later I did create a watercolor of a pond from a photo I took!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Fall would be a GREAT time to visit! 🙌

[@lauraking1331]

What a wonderful series. Thank you so much for taking us along! Plein air is not about perfection - thanks so much for the reminder...

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jilliancrawford7577]

5:16 fellow Coloradian! Awesome!! I am glad I am not the only one who feels this level of interest for "vommon things like waterfalls"! I agree, the mountains are beautiful and not every state has such immediate access to the Rockies, but having mountains means you don't have things that aren't mountains... evergreens are everywhere here because trees that are sensitive to the changing seasons don't do very well in the chaotic weather. Pine beetle infestations can also create huge baldspots in forests and increase the dryness and risks of fire. The plains are beautiful but not always the most colorful of a landscape. I can get references for any mountain-themed art I could possibly want figuratively in my own back yard, but I can't get that same convenience for landscapes or wildlife that you'd find in a more humid ecosystem. Colorado is beautiful thanks to the mountains making it a rain shadow, but you can only find so many things that thrive in rain shadow ecosystems.

[@annevickers3307]

Fantastic! Thank you so much. I think painting waterfalls is one of most difficult aspects of painting nature scenes. I’ve tied dozens of times without success. Keeping the whites with the right amount of shade/color is still a mystery to me. Also, I appreciate you sharing your trip with us. I am a tar hill, so your perspective of our state is so appreciated.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@susanbeaumont9478]

I loved Great Smokies National Park when I bicycled through the southeastern States in my 20s. Your video brought back all its lush beauty and showed such an approachable way to paint a waterfall --and your encouragement! Thank you, Emily!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Aw I’m so glad!

[@Saahrish]

Oh my! So much beauty!!! Loved your paintings. Looking forward to the full length tutorials as I have never attempted waterfalls so I am exhilarated!!!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks so much 😊

[@meglh23]

It would be more to carry, but you can buy large umbrellas that attach to a tripod, a stroller, a golf caddy, etc.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

True! 😀

[@brianrogers3942]

Great video! I’m glad that your trip into GSMNP was a fun & rewarding one despite the rain. Your paintings were beautiful and captured the beauty and details so well!!

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

It was wonderful! Thanks so much for the nice comment!

[@hippopotamusbosch]

I was waiting to hear a TLC cover.

[@carrollwilson5169]

So beautiful, fantastic video 😍

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you very much!

[@Shuvah2Him]

EXCLLENT! FYI a lot of those climbing vines are poison ivy! Shared all over :

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thank you for watching and sharing!

[@davidhyder1632]

A temperate rainforest. More than five feet of rain a year.

[@JEBavido]

Wonderful! I have your problem- sensory overload!

[@Minishukla.]

Your tutorials are so amazing!! I have seen white horses, dogs and cats painting tutorials of yours. But please can you draw a white rabbit tutorial too. (American rabbit breed) I really wanna learn it. I don't know how to show shades and effects in white especially rabbit.I hope you'll try it. Pretty Please!

[@AmyGChicago]

Absolutely loved this! Quick question: what/where can I get those large magnetic binder clips?

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Glad you liked it! I got the clips from Cheap Joe's. www.cheapjoes.com/catalog/product/view/id/41406/s/cheap-joe-s-magnetic-bulldog-clips-2-pack/

[@AmberwingArt]

Emily, will you be attending PACE next year in the Smoky Mountains? I'm considering going, but right now they only have a couple of watercolor artists listed & I don't want to spend that much if it's going to mostly be for other mediums...

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

I’m not sure yet if I can go next year. It will be a great time!

[@AmberwingArt]

@@EmilyOlsonArt Were there very many watercolor teachers this year? I hope you can go next year!

[@dawnsantagata1755]

Can you provide more information or a link to the Faber Castell white pen you used to add details to the water.

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Sure! Sorry about that! Just added it!

[@att1933]

​@@EmilyOlsonArt This was a wonderful video. I have loved your videos of this adventure

[@dawnsantagata1755]

@@EmilyOlsonArt Thank you so much! I love your videos. Your approach keeps me relaxed and in the moment and most importantly you've taught me to have fun.

[@jixargenal]

I want to be your friend and paint with you outside 😭🤍

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

❤️🙌

[@mayuvalladolid5429]

I enjoyed watching your collaborating videos with The Mind of Watercolor and this trip. I became interested in watercolour because of an exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum. The Grand Canyon, a series by artist Tony Foster. Large format, I mean large: 6 ft wide and painted en plein air. If you aren’t familiar with him and his work, I highly recommend. youtube.com/@TheFosterMuseum

[@EmilyOlsonArt]

Thanks! I’ll check that out!