Painting a Fantasy Landscape and Creative Process by Andreas Rocha

This is a straight look at how Andreas Rocha actually works. No fluff, just his full creative process for building a fantasy landscape in Photoshop — from first idea to finished image.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• How to develop ideas and turn references into an original fantasy concept
• How to block in composition, values, and color quickly
• How to paint natural elements like mountains, trees, water, and sky
• How to use light, atmosphere, and final details to sell scale

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Basic familiarity with Photoshop and digital painting fundamentals
• Tools: Photoshop, drawing tablet with pressure sensitivity
• Hardware: Computer capable of running Photoshop smoothly

📝 Description

This is a Master Class sample, so you get to watch a pro think out loud. Andreas starts loose — thumbnails, shapes, what to keep and what to cut. Then he locks a solid composition and pushes value structure before color ever becomes the focus.

From there it is all practical Photoshop painting. Big brushes for blocking, lasso and custom brushes for rocks and foliage, and lots of small calls on color and light to get depth. He talks through why he places warm against cool, how he uses aerial perspective, and when to stop detailing and let atmosphere do the work.

It is not a button-by-button tutorial. It is about decision-making. If you already know the basics and want to paint environments that feel believable and cinematic, this is exactly that workflow.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Digital painters and illustrators who want to paint better fantasy environments
• Concept art students and hobbyists familiar with Photoshop looking to tighten their process

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Andreas Rocha is a Portuguese concept artist and illustrator known for his lush fantasy landscapes and environment work. He has spent years working freelance for games, film, and publishing, and shares his process through workshops and Master Classes.

His teaching style is direct and visual. He focuses on fundamentals that actually matter in production — composition, values, and efficient digital painting techniques in Photoshop.

🏁 Final Result

• A finished fantasy landscape painting created in Photoshop, ready to use as a portfolio piece.