Generally speaking, flowing water does not occupy an important place in a flower-and-bird painting. In xieyi paintings, it is represented by just a few wavelike lines. But in gongbi paintings, waves, bends and occasional sprays must all be depicted realistically. Concentration is neces-sary to do this well. In a large painting, lines that represent water should vary in thickness and in some places appear to be quivering.
If it is a big waterfall, the point where it starts should also be big. The rocks along the two sides of a waterfall should be in darker ink so as to show up the translucency of the water. When you are painting a distant waterfall, it is only necessary to paint two steep walls of rock with a narrow,blank space between them. Including a fall of water in a painting of woods and hills will produce a sense of motion in a scene that is otherwise completely still. There are different ways of depicting the motion of the water as it falls. When you paint a waterfall in the mountains, it is best to include the foot of the fall, otherwise your painting may appear incomplete.