Mountain Stream 12x14" Oil on Board by Richard Robinson
The Rees Valley in New Zealand
Ever had a Light Sandwich? They are the best!
Every great artist bends light to their will, not slavishly copying a scene. In this online painting lesson you'll discover the power of orchestrating light and shade to shine a spotlight on your centre of interest. Once you see it happen you'll be able to use this technique in every painting you do from now on. This is what most beginner paintings are missing.
This demo for beginner to advanced painters is in oils but it's fine for acrylics too.
I'll take you step by step through this whole process. Just a couple of hours and you'll have a beautiful mountain stream painting.
I’ll guide you all the way.
Above all, your shapes should have variety. That means avoiding the common mistake of oversimplifying your shapes, for one, and avoiding making copies of shapes you've already made. Your shapes should lead the viewer to your centre of interest as well. In this one we've got a lovely s-curve lead in and some dynamic diagonals pointing the way too.
With oil painting especially it's a great idea to work from darks to lights, with thin to thick paint. Use just enough painting medium (Liquin in this case) to thin the paint so that it covers the canvas more easily. If you add too much medium you'll be able to see through the paint to the canvas.
The lights should be thick paint with little if any painting medium added (liquin in this case). 'Impasto'! Here's you're chance to create some really interesting expressive marks, learning what your brush can achieve when you actively decide to stop 'dab-dab-dabbing' and think creatively about the character of your brushwork. Ideally, it should look as though it was brushed onto the canvas with confidence and joy.
At the end of the painting it's great to slow down and decide carefully what the painting needs to be complete. Some artists will council you to finish when you feel it's 90% done, so that you don't over-work it.
Personally that feels like abandoning a child. I prefer to have a conversation with the painting. Ask it what it needs and wait for the answer. Perhaps it's only a few details to bring the realism up a notch. Perhaps there are some parts that are calling for the viewers attention when they should be quiet (typically in the darks). Take your time. Follow your intuition. And don't worry - it's only paint!
I'll take you step by step through this whole rich process and you can choose which parts you'd like to try out in your own work.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
—Walt Disney
Get the full 1hr 36min online video painting lesson here: https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/259-Mountain-Stream
Enjoy!
Mountain stream, oil, canvas, 40 cm x 50 cm by Elena Sokolova
Great work as usual, Elena. Strong clear colour, bold brushwork, good shape design. The only tweak I’d make it to lose or reduce some of the spots on your yellow tree on the right. I’m guilty of too many large spots on mine too - should be softer.
Put that in a frame!
"The light and the majesty" by Ian States
Wow nice job, Ian. Great drawing, nice contrasts between smooth areas and impasto details, natural looking shapes and a strong sense of light. I like the slightly stronger contrast in the mountain to which brings it closer to us. Beautiful!
Mountain Stream, acrylic on canvas by Rachel Chard
Hey Rachel, some good work in here! You’ve created a sense of depth and your shapes are interesting and defined well. It’s trickier with acrylics to get those gradations and soft blends behaving like with oils.
I can see you’re working to get those right. You’ll find that has a lot to do with speed, because as soon as you start painting over dry layers you’ll get that gravelly broken paint rather than a smooth transition. You’ll find then, that if you painted this a second time, building each section at a time from sky to foreground, you’d be able to work faster and avoid layers drying on you. (This is the second time I’ve painted this one.)
It’s a shame the mountain got smooshed and softened as that’s supposed to be the payoff for the end of the eye’s journey through the painting. Seems like you might need some new, crisp brushes to be able to create some sharper shapes. It’s worth it!
Looking forward to seeing your next one too.
"Mountain Stream", acrylic on primed paper, 30x40 cm by Adana Virna
Lovely expressive style, Adana! I admire calligraphic brushwork like this that seems to dance across the canvas.
The only thing I’d change is in the shadow sides of the orange tussocks, to make the transition from mid orange to darkest dark a little softer, either with soft edged brushwork or a darker transitional colour between the two.
My rule of thumb is that all transitions within shadows should be soft edged.
Anyway, I love it! Looks like you enjoyed painting it.
Mountain Stream 12x16 Oil on Canvas by Nancy Newton
Strong sense of light in this one, Nancy, with high contrast, high chroma warm lights versus dark subdued shadows. Nice! The transition in the water from light to dark is particularly well done.
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered a painting into the monthly workshop. Great work!
- Richard.
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