# Ripples

*A lifelong fascination of a surface*

By [Andreas Birath - studio talk](https://paragraph.com/@andreasbirath-studiotalk) · 2024-08-22

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_Ripples is my ongoing project where I give form to a lifelong fascination with the mesmerizing surfaces of water. It’s an exploration of artistic techniques and mediums, where the fluidity is captured through an innovative blend of photography, digital painting, and oil painting._

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/acb3b91ce71431f0434cb776ce044405.jpg)

Each piece in this collection begins with a walk and a response. The immediate surroundings around my studio contains water: lakes, a river, a waterfall, small streams. Capturing initial ideas of the intricate details and reflections found in these bodies of water with a sketch or using memory, I eventually set a loose concept and start collecting material. 

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/db1f78a284be157dbeb0f9f84b1c3e46.jpg)

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/938eceac1655aba857c46701841b82e3.jpg)

I take photos with my (beloved) Nikon D5500. I paint in oil, either on site or from memory. These elements serve as the foundational layer, grounding the artwork in the tangible world. The next stage involves merging them digitally and adding digital painting to the mix.

This technique, I have found, offers a unique way to draw from the strengths of each medium while maintaining the decision making process flexible (and as close to how it feels when I paint as possible). It also allows me to seemlessly glide between figuration and abstraction in a way that feels congenial to the subject matter. The result is a harmonious yet complex representation of water — a surface, a veil, between a below and an above.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/826f93d5dc2ecefa91627eb7da53823d.jpg)

The Ripples series will be available as limited edition [prints on aluminum panels](https://www.andreasbirath.com/product-category/ripples/). The brushed aluminum adds a shine, a dynamic and reflective quality, that heightens and enhances the works in this series. Each print is signed on the back by the artist, and can be purchased from the webshop. Number of editions will be limited to 10.

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First look at prints - Ripples
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Super happy to see how the prints came out. The aluminum panels really enhances them. It works so well with the water!

https://vimeo.com/

![](https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/1866410295-79c4494271943ff7d922855265a51bebefa39fa352672670655cf1bad5f82ae1-d_1280)

](https://vimeo.com/955219868)

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8a468bffd166c21c7a31e76cea678eec.jpg)

There are currently four works published. Additional works scheduled for second half of 2024, you can follow the project here or on [https://www.andreasbirath.com/ripples/](https://www.andreasbirath.com/ripples/)

Thanks for taking the time!

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*Originally published on [Andreas Birath - studio talk](https://paragraph.com/@andreasbirath-studiotalk/ripples)*