Painting a landscape with fine acrylics. Landscapes are a perfect subject for an aspiring painter. Of course, like all other subjects, they require practice, practice, and study. Today we got inspired by the summer, and we decided to offer you a painting on this same theme. Thanks to the collaboration of the artist Carlo Monopoli who created the work, we will show you how to paint a landscape with sunflowers using Lanfranc Bourgeois delicate acrylic colors. This guide is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the use of this technique and get closer to acrylic paints if you have never used them!
The materials used to paint a landscape with sunflowers
Today we will focus on the use of acrylic paints. As explained on other occasions, especially in our introductory guide to the world of acrylic, they are relatively new paints in the art world. However, they have existed for about a century. They have various characteristics and properties that distinguish them from oil colors, first of all, rapid drying and drying.
Always keep this in mind when you work with acrylics. If you come from the world of oil: do not delay. Instead, try to be clear in your head how you want to organize the work before putting the brush on the canvas! In this article, we will use Lanfranc Bourgeois fine acrylic paints of lotus flower drawing.
It is a series of studio colors created by a famous French company. They have a very affordable price and are well-made colors, perfect for students, beginners, amateurs, and novice artists. We will use the following colors: Titanium White, Primary Yellow, Natural Sienna, Primary Red, Ultramarine Blue, Primary Blue, and Bruno Van Dyck.
The preparatory drawing of the landscape
We trace the preparatory drawing on the canvas cardboard using an HB or 2B pencil. The mark left by the mine must be very light, not visible once painted, and not leave grooves in the cardboard. During this phase, paying too much attention to the details is not essential, and those will refine later by working with colors. However, the drawing is vital to have an overview of the painting, to work on the proportions of the various elements, and to be able to position them correctly within the work area.
Preparation of the bottom: sky and sea
The canvas cardboard that we will use for this tutorial, like all the canvas cardboard for sale on MomArte, is ready to be used without a canvas preparation process. We will then start with the color of the background. Take Primary Blue 063 and apply the first coat of paint in the sky and the sea areas. I advise you to use the color not very diluted and pull it as dry as possible, especially in areas where only a hint is needed.
This fund will be the foundation on which to build the details of the next steps. For this step, I used a size 24 synthetic flat brush. Lanfranc Bourgeois Fine Acrylic colors are very creamy and intensely pigmented. With a small amount of color, you get different depths, and they have a satin and uniform finish and an excellent texture. As you can see from the image, we could create different intensity variations using dry color, with more or more little sandy areas even in our background.
Preparation of the cloud body
I joined a small number of Titanium White to that palette to work on the clouds, mixing with Primary Blue. Next, we have to paint the body of the clouds, the masses portrayed in the central part of the drawing. As you can see from my example, there are very light areas, almost white, and other areas tending to blue or light blue. In this step, I used a pig bristle brush with a flat tip, size 8. Again, thanks to the coverage of Titanium White, I was able to define the main masses and the chiaroscuro, passing over some areas if necessary to lighten them. It was done, for example, on the horizon line to create a sharp and defined detachment with the blue of the sea.
First coat of paint on the grassy slope
Now we will color the part of the drawing that describes the slope, the area of lawn, and land that descends towards the sea. First, let’s add the Primary Yellow and Natural Sienna colors to the palette. Then, we will mix with the Primary Blue and Titanium White (in the appropriate quantities and alternating them) to obtain a palette of acid and earthy greens.
Also, in this case, the goal is to create a grab base, a bit like for the sky. However, try not to create an area painted with a single color flatly, try to dose and alternate the different greens and earth colors to create movement, and better make sense of the surfaces: earth, green grass or dry grass, stones. I also used the # 8 flat pig bristle brush in this step, which is very useful because it releases vibrant brushstrokes.
We paint the clouds with palette knives
Still, we paint and finish the clouds with the palette knife: this is the part of the sky that will require the most care and time. Creating the first chiaroscuro with a brush was helpful to have the basis for positioning the color with the palette knife, tone on tone. The preparation procedure on the palette is identical. Still, the spatula processing changes: the tip of the spatula n ° 17 will preferably be used, with small amounts of color accompanied with a punctual and rotary movement.
Finalization of the painting
We have finally come to an end! To conclude the painting, I recommend that you create some highlights on the leaves and the stem of the flowers. It uses the Primary Yellow, and Titanium White colors with the green obtained previously. To darken, add a little Primary Blue to the green.
Also Read: Paint the illustration of a teapot