Painting Foundations – Light and the Landscape

In this course led by instructor Will Kemp, you will learn essential techniques for capturing the light and color harmony of a beautifully lit skyline in a landscape painting using acrylics. The focus of the course is on creating an impressionistic studio painting of the skyline in Venice, Italy. Here’s an overview of what you can expect to learn:

1. Understanding Lighting in Landscapes: Will Kemp starts by explaining the different qualities of lighting within a landscape and how the evening light affects the color temperature of a scene. You will gain insights into how lighting conditions can impact the mood and atmosphere of your painting.
2. Basics of Acrylic Painting: The course covers the basics of working with acrylic paint, including an overview of the materials and brushes you will need for the painting. You’ll learn about color mixing techniques, understanding color values, and layering acrylics to achieve desired effects.
3. Texture and Surface Preparation: Will explores techniques for adding texture to the surface of your canvas, creating depth and visual interest in your painting. You’ll learn how to prepare the canvas to enhance the textural effects in your artwork.
4. Mixing Pastel Base Colors: Understanding how to mix and utilize pastel base colors is crucial for achieving accurate and harmonious representations of the scene. Will will guide you through the process of creating a balanced and vibrant color palette for your painting.
5. Loosening Brushstrokes: To capture the impressionistic style, you’ll learn techniques for loosening your brushstrokes and creating expressive marks. Will will demonstrate how brushwork can convey movement and energy in your painting.
6. Architectural Drawing: Venice is known for its unique architecture, and capturing it accurately in your painting is essential. Will provides guidance on accurately depicting architectural elements and perspective in your drawings.

Throughout the course, Will Kemp will share valuable insights, tips, and demonstrations to help you create a captivating impressionistic landscape painting of the Venice skyline. By the end of the course, you will have gained a solid understanding of light and color harmony, as well as various acrylic painting techniques, enabling you to tackle similar projects with confidence and creativity.