Welcome to the enchanting Glen Orkey, nestled in the Dark River Valley, where the old mill house stands as a testament to time. Today, I have the pleasure of painting this captivating scene, complete with an old truck partially buried in gravel and grass, under the warm embrace of the sun. This setting offers a rich tapestry of textures and colors, making it an ideal subject for our painting journey. I am thrilled to be here with John Crump, a renowned painter whose expertise has been invaluable during my stay. Using all of John's equipment, from his fine Belgian linen canvas to his palette of colors and brushes, I aim to immerse myself in his painting technique. This chapter captures my learning experience, as John guides me with insightful feedback, helping me refine my skills. As we explore this scene together, you'll discover how to adapt and enhance a landscape to create a compelling composition. Let's embark on this creative adventure and see what we can achieve under the brilliant Glen Orkey sun.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
Create a grey-blue-purple-green mix for the background. Adjust the colors by mixing small amounts until you achieve the desired hue. This will serve as the base for your distant landscape.
Apply Background Color
Paint the background with the mixed color, ensuring it's nice and juicy. Focus on softening the edges where needed to prevent them from standing out too much.
Create Distant Hills
Add white and yellow to your background color to lighten the value and push it a bit greener. Use this adjusted color to paint the distant hills with one or two strokes, adding depth and interest.
Blend into Foreground
Allow the distant hills to blend into the golden grass color you'll add later. This creates a seamless transition from background to foreground.
Pro tipSoften the edges of your background to keep them from standing out too much, focusing attention on the main subject.
Embark on your painting journey with the Old Mill House by first preparing your materials. Use Liquin medium to ensure smooth paint application and sketch your composition lightly, focusing on the perspective and placement of your main subjects. As you lay down the initial lines, remember to keep them thin to avoid interference with subsequent layers.
As you progress, emphasize the focal points of your painting, such as the house and the truck, by reducing detail in the background. Carefully plan your composition, ensuring elements like the truck stand out through strategic use of light and shadow. Simplify your scene by avoiding central placement of major lines and maintaining a balance between light and dark areas.
Finish your painting by refining colors and adding details. Use high-quality paints for vibrant hues and consider the effects of reflected light to enhance realism. Prepare your canvas to avoid stark white areas, and use soft edges in the background to keep the focus on your main subjects. Learn from other artists and continuously refine your technique to grow as a painter.
Points to remember
Always dip your brush into Liquin before adding paint for smooth application.
Keep your initial sketch very thin to avoid it showing through final layers.
Emphasize main subjects by keeping background elements subdued.
Ensure overlapping shapes bring the truck forward in the composition.
Avoid placing major construction lines in the center to maintain balance.
Use soft edges for shadows in areas with less direct light.
Invest in high-quality cadmium colors for vibrant and strong hues.
Prepare your canvas by staining it to eliminate the white surface.
