Day 8 – Dewdrops & Gloss

Highlights with Lifting and Masking

Technique level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: ~30 minutes

Objective:
Practice creating realistic dewdrops or shiny insect shell glints by preserving or lifting highlights. You’ll combine masking fluid or lifting techniques to capture the sparkle and form of moisture in nature close-ups.

Materials:

• Cold press or hot press paper
• Small round brush (size 4 or smaller), and a fine liner if using masking fluid
• Pigments: Try juicy mixes like Sap Green, Cobalt Blue, Quinacridone Gold
• Masking fluid (optional) OR clean brush & paper towel for lifting
• Optional: reference photo of dewdrops on a leaf, blade of grass, or petal

Steps:

1. Sketch Lightly: Draw 2–4 enlarged dewdrops on a surface—curved teardrop or oval forms resting on a leaf or petal. Add a gentle leaf curve for realism.
2. Reserve the Highlight:
   • Option 1 (Masking): Apply a tiny dot or curve of masking fluid to mark the sharpest highlight on each droplet.
   • Option 2 (Lifting): Skip masking and plan to lift highlights later with a damp brush.
3. Paint the Surface: Paint the underlying leaf or petal with a mid-tone wash. Let it dry.
4. Paint the Droplet: Inside each dewdrop shape, apply a slightly darker tone than the surface beneath it – this makes the drop look like it bends light. Add a shadow edge at the bottom, and a faint cast shadow outside the drop.
5. Lift the Light:
   • If using masking fluid, remove it and refine the white spot.
   • If lifting, use a clean, damp brush to gently scrub the highlight area while still damp, or after drying.

Focus:

• Keep highlights small and crisp – real dewdrops have pinpoint sparkle.
• Observe how the drop refracts the background and throws a subtle cast shadow.
• Practice restraint – too much lifting, and it turns into fog.

Bonus Tip:
Try placing a few dewdrops on different colored surfaces (a green leaf, a warm petal, a cool gray stone). It’s amazing how context changes the mood.