A simple landscape is a great first project! Paint from the back to the front: the sky first, then faraway hills, then the ground closest to you.
How do I paint a simple landscape?
- Sketch the horizon. Draw a very light pencil line across the page, plus the outline of a few hills.
- Paint the sky. Brush clean water over the sky area with your water brush, then drop in a light blue. Leave a few areas white for clouds. You can also blot the wet blue with a tissue to lift out soft, fluffy clouds.
- Let the sky dry completely. This keeps your hills from bleeding into it.
- Paint the faraway hills. Use a pale, slightly bluish or grayish color. Things in the distance look lighter and softer.
- Paint the closer ground. Use stronger, warmer greens or browns. Things close to you look darker and more detailed.
- Add the final details. Once everything is dry, use the tip of your water brush to add a few trees, grass strokes or a path.
How do I paint a sunset sky?
Wet the sky area, then paint yellow near the horizon, orange above it, and pink or purple at the top. Let the colors meet and blend while the paper is still wet. Once it's dry, add dark hills or trees along the bottom as silhouettes.
Good to know
- Mix your sky color in the mixing area before you start, so you don't run out halfway.
- Keep it simple. Three or four big shapes make a beautiful landscape.
- Tilt the page slightly while the sky is wet to help the color flow evenly.
For step-by-step guides, try our Cloud, Sunset, Mountain and Lake tutorials in the Nature section: https://tobioskits.com/pages/watercolor-tutorials