Lake Reflections

Snow-covered mountains rise above a perfectly still blue lake, meeting their reflections along a narrow band of mist. The central summit appears almost symmetrical, though clouds soften the lower half and small changes in light distinguish the real ridge from its mirror. The limited palette gives the picture a clean, wintry calm.

Pair the mountain shapes across the waterline, but keep their textures separate. Rock and snow above the mist have sharper edges; below it, the same forms are smoother and slightly darker. The cloud bank through the middle makes a useful divider once its soft horizontal line is established. Open blue areas vary from pale sky near the horizon to deeper water toward the bottom. With few small objects to use as landmarks, ridge direction and gradual color changes matter more than a broad sort by blue or white.