Color - Sunset Skies

This painting was taken from a photograph, but the colors were interpreted by many observations of sunlight at sunset.

1. A  simple line sketch to locate the horizon and landscape elements (trees, land, and water) is drawn on the watercolor paper to define the composition.
2. Mixtures of yellow, orange, red, and violet are prepared in the palette.
3. Paint the Sky.  Wet the paper with a clean brush to cover the sky above the horizon.  Paint a gradated wash starting with yellow and adding orange, red, and violet going from a light color to darker color from the horizon to the top of the paper.  Leave a spot of white paper where the brightest sunlight is located. 
4. Paint the Water.  After the sky is dry, Wet the paper with a clean brush to cover the water below the horizon to the bottom of the paper. Repeat the gradated wash of yellow, orange, red, and violet from the horizon to the bottom of the paper. Leave some white paper to indicate the reflection of the sun on the water. 
5. After the water is dry.  Mix a darker value to the same colors used in the sky and water and add the other landscape elements (trees, land, grasses, etc.