3312 The Falls
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

Powerful cascading waterfalls rush through massive rocky formations surrounded by soft mountain grasses, colorful wildflowers, and distant evergreens beneath a misty sky. In this intermediate water mixable oil painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this dramatic Colorado Rocky Mountain waterfall scene in a 188 minute session on an 18x24 canvas, capturing both the force of moving water and the beauty of rugged wilderness.

You’ll learn how to build a strong vertical composition using layered rock formations and flowing water to lead the viewer’s eye naturally through the painting. Jerry demonstrates how to block in the major shapes first, then refine the landscape with controlled brushwork to create depth, balance, and realism throughout the scene.

Special focus is given to painting waterfalls, rushing water, and realistic rock textures using layered values, highlights, and softened edges to create movement and atmospheric mist. You’ll also explore how to paint grassy hillsides, evergreen trees, and subtle floral accents that help frame the waterfall as the central focal point.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting moving water, rocky mountain terrain, and atmospheric depth while learning how to balance detail with softness in a large natural scene. This is an excellent project for artists ready to expand their landscape painting skills while producing a bold and visually engaging waterfall composition.