Learn to paint this beautiful impressionistic scene, step by step. Stuck indoors with time on your hands? Take a walk with me to a beautiful lake in New Zealand. Along the way you'll discover the joy of painting in a colourful impressionistic style using large brushes and loads of paint. Follow me step by step as I show you the techniques I use to paint this light filled scene. Designing an inviting scene, painting with freedom, and a variety of fun techniques are all demonstrated in the video. Enjoy!
Step 9Canvas Preparation and Toning
Why is the canvas toned with a pink color?
The canvas is toned with a pink color to create a colorful painting. The pink tinting helps to add a visual shimmer and vibration to the painting, especially since the painting will largely be green. The pink will show through the green in certain areas, enhancing the overall effect. You can
What materials can be used for toning the canvas?
You can use either acrylics or oils to tone the canvas. Acrylics are used in this lesson because they dry quickly, allowing you to proceed with painting sooner. If you use oils, you should thin them with turpentine to ensure they dry faster. For more details on canvas preparation, visit
How long should you wait for the toned canvas to dry before painting over it?
If you use acrylics for toning, you should wait about half an hour for it to dry before painting over it with oils, as long as the layer isn't too thick. If you use oils thinned with turpentine, you should wait about an hour. This ensures the surface is ready for the next layers of paint. For further guidance, check out
What is the purpose of making the middle of the canvas lighter?
The middle of the canvas is made lighter to create a vignette feel. This effect helps to draw the viewer's eye towards the center of the painting, enhancing the composition. You can explore more about this technique at
Summary & key takeaways
As I reflect on our journey through 'A Walk to the Lake,' I am reminded of the beauty that lies in simplicity and the power of thoughtful composition. We began with a scene that naturally lent itself to a compelling composition, with a stream leading the eye into the painting. My goal was to enhance this natural beauty by playing with light, color, and contrast to create a dynamic and engaging piece.
Throughout the process, I emphasized the importance of edge treatment and the balance between warm and cool colors. By softening certain edges and enhancing others, we created a painting that draws the viewer's eye to the most important elements. The use of large brushes and time constraints pushed us to embrace expressive brushwork, capturing the fleeting light of the day.
I hope you take away the joy of experimenting with color saturation and the courage to make design adjustments that enhance visual interest. Remember, painting is as much about personal expression as it is about technique. Trust your instincts, and let your creativity guide you.
Points to remember
- Use soft and sharp edges to guide the viewer's focus.
- Contrast warm and cool colors for depth and interest.
- Large brushes help cover the canvas quickly under time constraints.
- Increase color saturation to reflect what the eye perceives.
- Adjust the scene's elements to enhance visual interest.
- Soften edges to control where the viewer's eye is drawn.
- Tone the canvas to add vibrancy and shimmer.
- Mix colors on the canvas for unexpected results and texture.
