View four stages of a pastel landscape painting demo done en plein air, including the color Tony Allain chooses to indicate a brightly lit area in the background.
Landscape Painting Demo: Designing for Balance
By Tony Allain
Landscape Painting Demo, Step 1:
I quickly sketch in the main design using a semi-hard charcoal stick on a piece of sepia Sennelier pastel card. The charcoal is a good base to pitch the darkest value of the painting.
Step 2:
Working from dark to light, I block in the passing rain clouds using blue-gray pastels in a range of values. I add patches of clear blue sky as they appear through the storm clouds. A hint of rose pink adds some warmth to this passage. The low late-afternoon glow of the setting sun finishes off the sky area.
Step 3:
At this point, I ‘brush’ in the foreground vegetation and indicate the distant field using various greens and earth colors. A strong foreground balances the whole painting and adds a good lead-in.
Final Step:
I now add detail to the farmhouse, and create texture and warmth in the grasses in the immediate foreground. Using more blue grays, I also put in the road.
To complete the scene, I add the puddle of water on the pavement and use lime green to indicate the brightly lit areas of the pasture in the distance for “Passing Rain on Braco Road.”
Additional Paintings:
Connect with the artist at www.tonyallainfineart.com.
And browse more free articles here at OutdoorPainter.com
