Lone stone span doubled in still water into an egg shapeGray, tan, teal, white. Paint the arch, let it dry and repeat it paler and upside down in the water.
Bridge lamp glowing in fog, a circle of light on the deckGray, pale yellow, black. Blend a pale glow around the lamp and a soft oval on the boards below.
Skyline behind a bridge, windows lit in a gridNavy, black, yellow, violet. Paint the buildings as dark blocks and dot the windows in rows.
Boardwalk bridge zigzagging over a marshTan, olive, yellow green, gray. Paint the deck in three straight sections that change direction.
Bridge of two planks to an island with a single treeBrown, green, blue, tan. Keep the island small and round and let the tree lean over the planks.
Duck passing under a low footbridge, ripples behind itBrown, green, white, teal. Paint the duck small beneath the span and pull a V of ripples after it.
Flat stone slab bridging a ditch, grass on both sidesGray, green, brown, pale blue. Paint one long gray slab from bank to bank and tufts of grass at each end.
Footbridge handrail close up, a stream out of focus beyondBrown, tan, blue, white. Paint the rail sharp across the front and the water as soft blended streaks.
Footbridge seen end-on, the boards narrowing to a pointBrown, ochre, dark green. Rule the edges of the deck to meet at one point on the far bank.
High-arched garden footbridge mirrored into a full circleRed, green, olive, cream. Paint the arch, then repeat it upside down in the pond so the two halves join.
Little white bridge among water liliesWhite, green, pink, blue green. Paint the bridge as one shallow curve with upright rails and dot lilies below.
Plank footbridge over a brook, three boards and a handrailBrown, tan, green, pale blue. Paint the brook as a pale band and lay three plank strokes across it.
Rope and plank bridge sagging across a mountain streamTan, brown, gray, white. Curve the walkway down in the middle and tie it to a post on each bank.
Small humpback bridge with a bicycle leaning on its railGray, red, green, black. Paint the hump as one low arc and the bicycle as two circles and a frame.
Stepping stones leading to a low timber bridgeGray, brown, teal, green. Shrink the stones as they near the bridge so the path runs back.
Stone arches 12
Bridge of one arch built from sponge-stamped blocksGray, tan, teal. Cut a sponge to a brick shape and stamp the blocks in a curve over the river.
Close-up of arch stones, a wedge-shaped block at the crownGray, tan, cream, brown. Fan the blocks around the curve and make the top one a clear wedge.
Ivy trailing down the side of an old bridgeGray, dark green, green, brown. Dab leaves in two greens down from the wall with the corner of a brush.
Lone stone span doubled in still water into an egg shapeGray, tan, teal, white. Paint the arch, let it dry and repeat it paler and upside down in the water.
Long viaduct of tall arches striding across a valleyGray, green, pale blue, white. Paint the arches narrower and paler as the viaduct runs into the distance.
Low sun shining straight through an arch onto the waterOrange, yellow, gray, violet. Paint a bright path on the river that starts inside the arch.
Mill stream bridge with a waterwheel beside itGray, brown, white, green. Paint the wheel as a spoked circle and white water spilling below it.
Narrow steep bridge with a cobbled path and no side wallsGray, olive, brown. Paint a slim high arch with a bare cobbled path going up and over it.
Roman-style bridge of round arches on thick piersOchre, tan, brown, blue. Paint each arch as a true half circle and the piers as wide blocks.
Stone arch as a dark frame around a bright river bendCharcoal, yellow green, pale blue. Paint the view first and close the dark stonework in around it.
Stone bridge at noon, a black half circle of shade belowTan, cream, black, blue. Paint the stone pale and the opening under the arch flat and dark.
Three-arched bridge with a different view through each archGray, green, blue, ochre. Paint a small scene inside each opening: a field, a boat and a tree.
Covered and wooden bridges 12
Covered bridge on stone piers, three legs in a shallow riverRed, gray, blue, white. Stand the long red box on three gray blocks and add a white ripple at the foot of each.
Covered bridge reflected whole in a still millpondRed, green, blue, white. Mirror the bridge exactly and break the reflection with a few level white lines.
Covered bridge seen from inside, daylight at the far endBrown, ochre, cream, black. Run the floor planks toward one small bright doorway and keep the walls nearly black.
Covered bridge under snow, roof white and river darkWhite, red, navy, gray. Lay thick white along the roof ridge and leave the water deep navy.
Lane bending into the dark mouth of a roofed timber bridgeTan, red, green, black. Bend the road in from the lower corner and let it vanish into the dark opening.
Lattice of roof trusses overhead in a covered bridgeBrown, tan, black. Cross diagonal beams against the dark roof in a repeating X pattern.
Red covered bridge with a dark doorway and a white trimRed, white, black, green. Paint the side as a long red box, the roof above and the opening black.
Timber beam bridge of three logs lashed togetherBrown, tan, green, gray. Paint three long logs side by side and bind them with cross strokes.
Weathered gray covered bridge in a green summer valleyGray, green, yellow green, brown. Paint the boards as upright gray stripes of slightly different tones.
Window slits of light along the wall of a covered bridgeBrown, pale yellow, black. Paint the wall dark and cut a row of narrow pale openings along it.
Wooden pier bridge to a boathouse on stiltsBrown, tan, blue, white. Paint the walkway on paired posts and reflect each post in a short stroke.
Wooden trestle crossing a gorge, a lattice of crossed beamsBrown, tan, gray, dark green. Paint upright posts first and cross them with diagonals.
Suspension bridges and city lights 12
Blue hour: a bridge outlined in strings of white bulbsIndigo blue, white, pale yellow. Dot the cable curves and the deck with a cotton swab on the dark blend.
Bridge as one curve and its upright suspenders, nothing elseNavy, white. Paint one sagging line, one level line and a row of uprights between them.
Bridge from a boat below, the deck a dark band overheadPale blue, charcoal, gray. Paint one wide dark band across the top and a tower leg dropping from it at each side.
City bridge at night, lights doubled as streaks in the riverNavy, yellow, orange, black. Dot the lamps, then drag each one straight down into the water.
Ferry passing under a high bridge at sunrisePeach, pink, gray, white. Keep the ferry small so the towers look tall above it.
Fireworks bursting over a lit bridgeNavy, pink, gold, white. Paint the bridge as a row of small lamps and flick each burst outward with a liner brush.
Gull's view down on a bridge deck, lane marks as dashesGray, navy, white, yellow. Run the deck corner to corner over dark water and dash white lane marks along it.
Looking up a tower from the deck, cables sweeping pastGray, pale blue, white. Taper the tower toward the top and curve the main cables in from both corners.
Rainy night bridge, lamps haloed and reflections longNavy, yellow, white, gray. Dab a soft ring around each lamp with a nearly dry brush.
Skyline behind a bridge, windows lit in a gridNavy, black, yellow, violet. Paint the buildings as dark blocks and dot the windows in rows.
Steel truss bridge, triangles against a yellow eveningYellow, orange, black. Rule the top and bottom chords and zigzag diagonals between them.
Suspension bridge from the bank, the far tower half its sizePale blue, white, gray. Paint the near tower tall and the far one half as high, and sag the cable between them.
Bridges in mist, fall and snow 12
Arched bridge fading into morning mist, the far bank goneGray, white, pale green. Paint the near half of the bridge clearly and sponge white over the rest.
Bridge in fall, maples in red and gold at both endsRed, gold, orange, gray, blue. Frame the gray bridge with two sponge-dabbed trees.
Bridge lamp glowing in fog, a circle of light on the deckGray, pale yellow, black. Blend a pale glow around the lamp and a soft oval on the boards below.
Fallen leaves drifted against the planks of a wooden bridgeOrange, red, yellow, brown. Dab leaves thickest along the edges of the deck.
First snow on a red covered bridge at duskRed, white, violet, navy. Dot the falling flakes with a cotton swab after the bridge is dry.
Frozen river under a stone arch, skate marks on the icePale blue, white, gray. Scratch fine curved lines into the ice with the handle end of a brush.
Icicles hanging from the underside of an archGray, white, pale blue. Pull each icicle down to a point with one stroke of a liner brush.
Leaves floating under a bridge, seen from the railTeal, orange, yellow, brown. Paint the dark water and scatter small bright leaves drifting one way.
Low fall sun through the rails, striped shadows on the deckOchre, orange, brown, violet. Lay slanted violet bars across the deck from every rail post.
River mist at sunrise with a bridge half lit in pinkPink, peach, gray, white. Warm the top edge of the bridge with pink and leave the rest gray.
Snow piled on the handrails of a footbridgeWhite, pale blue, brown, gray. Lay a thick line of white along the top of each rail and each post.
Snowy footbridge in a white field, only its rails showingWhite, pale gray, brown. Paint two brown rails curving over a white ground and nothing else.
How it works
A bridge gives a landscape a middle: a line across, water below and a way through. The smallest are a few planks over a brook; the longest hang their deck from steel cables.
Read the full guide
Small bridges first
A footbridge is the easiest: one shallow curve or a few straight boards, with posts and a rail. Plank footbridge over a brook, three boards and a handrail is three strokes on a pale band of water. A reflection doubles any arch into a circle or an oval.
Three shapes to know
An arch pushes out against an abutment at each end. A covered bridge wraps its timber frame in a roof and sides that keep the weather off the wood. A suspension bridge hangs its deck from cables strung between towers.
Questions and answers
What is an easy small bridge for a beginner to paint in acrylic?
Easy first bridges, under More filters, holds 20. Flat stone slab bridging a ditch, grass on both sides is one thick stroke, and Bridge as one curve and its upright suspenders, nothing else uses two colors.
How do you paint a bridge reflection in water?
Paint the bridge and let it dry. Repeat it upside down below the waterline in a paler mix, then drag a few level strokes across it. Covered bridge reflected whole in a still millpond is the full exercise.
Which bridge ideas can children paint?
Bridge of one arch built from sponge-stamped blocks needs a cut sponge and no drawing, and Snowy footbridge in a white field, only its rails showing is two curved lines. An adult cuts the sponge.
Why does a covered bridge have a roof?
To keep rain and snow off its timber frame, which lasts far longer under cover. Red covered bridge with a dark doorway and a white trim paints the classic one; 12 covered and wooden bridges are grouped together.