Welcome to my studio, where I'm excited to guide you through painting one of my favorite New Zealand landscapes—a stunning mountain valley on a beautiful spring day. Picture the sun glistening on a cool mountain stream with snow-capped peaks in the background. In this chapter, I'll walk you through the entire process of capturing this scene, starting with footage from my photo expedition. Back in the studio, we'll dive into designing a composition, beginning with quick thumbnail sketches in my sketchbook and progressing to a detailed pencil sketch. These sketches are invaluable references when you embark on your larger painting. Before tackling the main piece, we'll create a color study, a small yet crucial painting that helps ensure your colors, values, and tonal dynamics are spot-on. I'll guide you through mixing colors and understanding color theory in a straightforward way, making it easy to apply to your own work. Whether you're just starting out or have been painting for years, this lesson offers tips to elevate your landscape painting skills and create art that truly captures the beauty of nature.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
Add some of your snow shadow mix into the snow highlights to create the illusion of ridges in shadow. Twist and turn your brush to create random shadows on the highlighted snow, building up detail without being overly precise.
Detail Mid-ground Mountain
Re-establish cracks and fissures on the mid-ground mountain using the same color combinations as for Mount Talbot. Mix Titanium White with Ultramarine Blue, adding Burnt Sienna to desaturate and a touch of Quinacridone Crimson for a violet tint. Use less Titanium White to darken the value, as the mountain is closer to the viewer.
Add Texture to Mountain Surface
Use a number 6 flat brush to paint cracks on the rocky surface where little light hits. Twist and turn the brush to create texture and exposed rock areas where snow hasn't stuck. Gradually build up detail to prepare for adding snow and reflected light.
Paint Snow in Shadow
Use a number 4 flat brush with a mix of Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, and Quinacridone Crimson, slightly darker than the snow shadow mix for Mount Talbot. Apply the paint following the mountain's contours to create the illusion of ledges and add interest.
Add Reflected Light in Snow
Lighten the snow mix slightly with more Titanium White and a hint of Quinacridone Crimson for a subtle violet tint. Apply this mix to areas of reflected light, mainly on the right side of the mid-ground mountain, ensuring a subtle difference from the shadowed snow.
Paint Snow on Mountain Top
Using a number 6 flat brush, paint the snow on the mountain top with a mix of Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, and Quinacridone Crimson. Keep the value slightly dark, reserving the lightest value for later to make the snow pop.
Pro tipUse larger brushes to maintain a painterly style, but switch to smaller brushes if you feel more comfortable.
Embark on your mountain valley painting journey by thoughtfully planning your composition. Nature is your muse, but not your master—use your artistic license to rearrange elements for a more compelling design. Begin with quick sketches to explore different compositions and establish a solid foundation for your painting. This preparatory work ensures that your painting will capture the essence of the scene while maintaining artistic integrity.
As you progress, focus on the interplay of light and shadow. Use a variety of pencils to sketch and define your values, and create a small color study to test your palette choices. This step is crucial for ensuring that your colors and values are effective in conveying the mood and depth of your scene. Pay attention to the harmonious use of colors, employing a limited palette to maintain cohesion and using complementary colors to enhance vibrancy.
Finally, bring your painting to life by carefully layering colors and textures. Use larger brushes to establish the foundation and smaller ones for detail work. Remember to prepare your canvas properly and use the color wheel to guide your color mixing. As you block in shadows and refine details, keep the atmospheric perspective in mind to create a sense of depth and realism. With these techniques, your mountain valley painting will be a testament to your growing skills and artistic vision.
Points to remember
Use a sketchbook to experiment with different compositions before starting your painting.
Use a 4H pencil for light marks and a 4B pencil for dark shadows to effectively plan your composition.
Create a small color study to test your painting's colors and values before committing to a larger piece.
Avoid placing the focal point in the center to maintain a dynamic composition.
Use Phthalo Green sparingly to prevent it from overpowering your color mixtures.
Begin with larger brushes to establish the painting's foundation, then use smaller brushes for detail work.
To desaturate a color, mix it with its complementary opposite on the color wheel.
Convert your reference photo to black and white to easily identify and match dark values.
