Step-by-Step Tutorial: Painting a Realistic Landscape in Oils
- Ahmed Kheder
- Jun 20, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Painting a realistic landscape in oils can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. The rich, vibrant colors and blendable nature of oil paints make them an ideal medium for capturing the beauty of nature.
This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the process of creating a realistic landscape painting, from initial planning to final touches.
Step-by-Step Tutorial of Painting a Realistic Landscape in Oils
Materials Needed
Oil paints (basic palette: titanium white, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cadmium yellow, lemon yellow, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, and burnt umber)
Brushes (a variety of sizes and shapes, including flat, round, and filbert)
Palette
Palette knife
Linseed oil or other painting medium
Odorless mineral spirits or turpentine for cleaning brushes
Canvas (pre-stretched or canvas board)
Easel
Rags or paper towels
Proportional Divider
Light weight pencil 5H or 6H
Eraser
Prepare Your Canvas
Prepare your canvas by applying a thin layer of gesso if it's not pre-primed. Gesso is a mixture of a binder (white Glue which is polyvinyl acetate), a filler which is chalk, and whitening pigment mainly Zinc Oxide powder is used.
Once the gesso is dry, sand well and repeat the process of applying gesso and sanding till the canvas is ready.
Don't apply a thick layer of Gesso because you will make your canvas more liable to cracking.
Plan Your Composition
Before you begin painting, take some time to plan your composition. Decide on the elements you want to include in your landscape, such as mountains, trees, water, and sky. Consider the placement of these elements to create a balanced and harmonious composition. You can use a reference photo or create a sketch to help visualize your painting.
Start planning your composition using H5 or H6 pencil because it creates light weight lines and will not appear under the semi-opaque and transparent oil paints.
Painting a landscape in free air is tricky as the light is not stable because of clouds movement and sun angle direction changes. Using a photo as a reference for landscape paintings is a good idea. Because a photo would record the light reflections and light intensity of the landscape.
Draw a sketch of the reference on the canvas with light weight pencil using grid line technique or using a proportional divider.
Underpainting
tone the canvas with a light wash of burnt sienna or another neutral color. This will help to eliminate the stark white of the canvas and make it easier to judge values as you paint.
Begin by applying a thin, even tone to your canvas. This helps to establish a mid-tone base, making it easier to judge values later on. A mixture of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue, thinned with medium, works well for this purpose.
The medium used as an underpainting should be lean i.e. have a low percentage of binder oil. Also, it should dry fast, so, use high percent of diluent which help dryness of the binder oil by enhancing its oxidation. Another thing to mention, it should be thin in terms of the amount of pigment dispersed in the oil medium.
The medium used to thin the paint should be Turpentine 75%, Linseed oil 25%. Don't use clove oil as a diluent because it is a reducing oil and will delay dryness. Also. The binder oil should be Linseed oil because it dries faster than Walnut oil, Poppy oil, and Safflower oil.
Block in the Major Shapes
Begin by blocking in the major shapes and areas of color using a large brush. Start with the background elements, such as the sky and distant mountains, and work your way forward. Use broad, sweeping strokes to lay down the base colors, keeping the paint thin and fluid.
Sky: To give the sky realistic tones use the four basic pigments (White titanium+ Cadmium Yellow+ Ultramarine Blue+ Cadmium Red) with right proportions. start with white the add blue, add red to adjust the tone to the closest realistic tone. The last hue to add to the sky mix is yellow with a very small proportion.
starting with a lighter light value (cobalt blue and titanium white) near the horizon and gradually transitioning to a deeper blue (ultramarine blue) at the top.
Mountains: Use a mixture of ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white to create a range of cool, muted colors for distant mountains. Add more burnt sienna for warmer, closer mountains.
Pay special attention to the horizon line and the placement of reflective surfaces. At this stage, focus on the overall color and value relationships rather than details.
Blocking trees with dark tones (example burnt sienna+ Chrome Green) is essential in this step as it helps add tint (high values) later.
Develop the Middle Ground
Once the background is established, move on to the middle ground elements, such as trees, hills, and water. Use a medium-sized brush to build up the forms and details in these areas.
Trees and Foliage: Mix various greens using cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt sienna. Vary the greens by adding more cadmium yellow and titanium white for lighter areas and blue for darker areas. Use a stippling or dabbing technique to create the texture of leaves and foliage.
Water: Reflect the colors of the sky and surrounding landscape in the water. Use horizontal strokes to mimic the reflective surface, and add darker values in the water for depth and realism.
Add Foreground Details
Focus on the foreground elements, which will have the most detail and texture. Use smaller brushes to paint grass, rocks, and other foreground features.
Grass and Ground: Mix a variety of greens and earth tones, using a combination of cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white. Use short, quick strokes to create the texture of grass and ground cover.
Rocks and Details: Mix burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and titanium white to create a range of grays and browns for rocks. Add highlights and shadows to give them a three-dimensional appearance.
Refine and Layering
Refine your painting by adding more layers of color and detail. Use a smaller brush to add highlights and shadows, paying attention to the direction of light. Blend edges where necessary to create smooth transitions between colors and values.
Highlights: Use titanium white mixed with a small amount of the local color to add highlights to trees, grass, and other elements. Apply highlights sparingly to create contrast and depth.
Shadows: Mix ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create a rich, dark color for shadows. Apply shadows in areas where light is blocked or less intense.
Add Final Details
Add final details to bring your landscape to life. Use a fine brush to paint individual blades of grass, tree branches, and other small elements. These details will enhance the realism of your painting.
Tree Branches: Use a small round brush to paint thin branches and twigs. Mix burnt umber and ultramarine blue for a dark brown color, and add highlights with a lighter brown.
Grass Blades: Use a fine brush to paint individual blades of grass in the foreground. Vary the greens and add highlights to create a natural look.
Varnish and Protect
Once your painting is completely dry (which can take several months for oil paints), apply a final varnish to protect it and enhance the colors. Use a varnish specifically designed for oil paintings, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application.
Conclusion
Creating a realistic landscape in oils requires patience, practice, and attention to detail. By following these steps, you can develop your skills and produce beautiful, lifelike paintings. Remember to enjoy the process and let your creativity guide you as you bring the beauty of nature to your canvas. Happy painting!
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