Dewdrops

Square

Dewdrops are a great way to add life to your painting, yet many painters don’t attempt them because of the mistaken belief that they are difficult. They are surprisingly easy to do if you follow some simple rules.

  1. Light Source
    The first step in making your dewdrops is to locate the light source. It’s vital that your light source is consistent with the rest of your image.


  2. Base Color
    Paint in the base color of your dewdrop. Use the median color of the leaf or petal: the color of the item without highlight of shadow. Be sure to either mask the highlight or leave it untouched.

  3. Shading
    The darkest part of the dewdrop is right under the highlight.

  4. Shadow
    The shadow is placed opposite the light source and should reflect the shape of the dewdrop as well as the angle.

  5. Highlight
    The highlight should follow the curve of your dewdrop. If you’ve masked your highlight, remove it now. If not, you can remove some color from the highlight area with an electric eraser or a sharp utility knife. You can also drop in a touch of white paint.

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