Paint A Simplified Landscape In Inktense & Oils

Today's painting is a very simple interpretation of an agricultural landscape, yet it is visually very appealing as the simplicity of the painting forces you to linger longer in the scene, in an attempt to make sense of it. The underpainting is done with Derwent Inktense and this is then followed up with oil colours. Some scgraffitto in the wet paint puts the finishing touches on the painting. This is a good place to start if you are new to painting and/or landscapes.

I do today's painting on Gouache paper by Rolfes.

I draw the picture with a Brush point Pitt Artist's pen directly on the paper. You may opt to use pencil or charcoal if you feel more comfortable doing so.

I then do the initial painting in Derwent Inktense. Inktense can not be lifted once it is dry, unlike watercolours, making it a brilliant medium to do an underpainting in.

I start the foreground with very rough sweeps of the brush.

I then switch to a rather large flat brush for the rest of the painting. I dip the brush in water to wet it.

Then I pick the colour up with the wet brush.

A lighter shade of red is added to the foreground.

Dark green for the lands.

Lime green further back.

Purple in the background to represent mountains.

The sky is painted a bright orange.

The painting is then left to dry thoroughly.

I use a palette knife to spread the oil colours very thinly onto the paper.

I work from the top down so that I won't be working over wet paint.

I basically repeat the same colours that the underpainting was done in, when I apply the oil colours.

When I reach the dark green, I make sure to keep the lines of the palette knife in line with the scgraffitto lines I will be adding later on.

The red in the foreground is done in two different shades of red so as not to appear too solid.

I use the tip of the palette knife to scratch the scgraffitto lines into the painting, to mimic plowed lands.

Then I decide to add more definition and add Payne's Grey to the scratched lines.

Choose the light source of your painting before painting the trees. One side will be darker than the other. The shadow side, opposite the light source, is always darker.

Add a second shade of blue to the trees to establish light and shade.

Paint the houses.

Bear your light source in mind and add shadow to the houses.

Add detail for doors and windows. Do not define these too accurately as the buildings are at a distance where detail will be obscured.

Add the roofs.

Complete the roofs.

The progress photo shows that the focal tree is still missing from the painting.

Paint the tree with the tip of the palette knife and ground it in the earth. Define light and shadow areas.

Use a filbert brush to dab leaves onto the tree.

A close-up of the tree. Use 2-3 shades of blue and/or purple to paint the light and shadow on the leaves.

The completed painting has only just enough detail and variety to arrest your interest, while still remaining simple enough to ensure it is a tranquil setting to rest your eyes.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
You can subscribe to this blog and receive regular updates by email by simply registering your email address at the top of the current blog.