8810 Rock Falls
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

A cascading waterfall flows between rugged rock formations into a calm pool below, with misty trees rising in the background to create a peaceful, natural setting. In this beginner level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this tranquil scene in a 57 minute session on an 18x24 canvas, capturing both the strength of the rocks and the softness of flowing water.

You’ll learn how to construct and paint rock formations using layered color and value changes to create depth, texture, and realistic structure. Jerry demonstrates how to block in major shapes first, then refine edges and highlights to bring dimension and solidity to the scene.

Special focus is given to painting waterfalls and water movement, using controlled brushwork and soft blending to create the illusion of falling water and gentle mist. You’ll also explore how to paint reflections and subtle ripples in the water below.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting natural elements like rock and water, handling contrast between hard and soft edges, and creating depth through layering and atmosphere. This is an excellent project for beginners looking to build foundational skills while producing a calm and visually engaging landscape scene.