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"Painting the Breaking Wave"
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Author: Byron_Pickering, Contributing Editor

While the images in this article are part of a completed painting, this demonstration will center on the structure and contours of the basic breaking wave. The completed wave - including the breakover, transparencies, foam patterns and foamburst - is shown below as a guide to the finished composition.
Now that I have my composition in mind, I use a liner brush and any light blue color to sketch the outline of the painting. I've found that sketching my idea with as much accuracy as possible will insure the best results. If time permits, I allow the sketch to dry before continuing with the next step. If the sketch is dry, I know that I can always return to it if I lose my original composition (something I seem to do all too often!) Mixing a small amount of thinner with the color will hasten the drying time.
Although there are many ways to begin a painting, I usually start with the center of interest. Establishing a strong "identity" here prevents other areas of the painting from becoming distractions. In this painting, I want to draw the eye to the transparency as the focal point of the painting, so I'll begin by brushing in the colors on the face of the wave.
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