Observe the water’s shape, movement, and reflections
Sketch the main forms lightly
Choose a limited color palette
Paint the background first
Block in the base water color
Add darker tones for depth
Add lighter tones for reflected light
Paint ripples, waves, or surface texture
Blend edges where water is soft or calm
Keep reflections horizontal and slightly distorted
Add highlights sparingly
Increase contrast near focal areas
Refine details in the final layers
Let some areas stay simple for realism