Step 1 - When painting outdoors or indeed even in my studio
I prepare my canvas first of all with a layer of burnt sienna. The
burnt sienna layer adds a dimension to the painting and brings
warmth through the paint, I find this particularly advantageous
in plein air painting. I prepared this in the studio prior to going
out on location by mixing burnt sienna, liquin and thinners and
then allowing a couple of days for it to dry. I have sketched out
the scene with burnt umber mixed with liquin.
Step 2 - I paint the sky using a mixture of titanium white,
cobalt blue and cobalt teal. I prefer to paint the sky first so I can
gauge the tonality of my painting from there. However many
plein artists will prefer to paint all their dark tones in first, I
believe both methods are applicable. After painting the sky I will
then establish most of my dark tones immediately afterwards so
it doesn’t matter if the light changes or disappears in areas of
the landscape you are painting.Step 3 - Painting quickly with a large flat bristle brush, I paint
the shadow areas of Mt Talbot keeping in mind that the overall
tone of the mountain needs to be lighter for the perception
of distance. At this distance the shadows will lack the same
darkness as with shadows in the foreground. I’m using a trio
of colours, titanium white, ultramarine blue, burnt umber and
quinacridone magenta.
Step 4
Next the large mountain on the right in the mid ground. Same
trio of colours but with less white in the mix to make the values
darker. Even darker values of the same colour mix in the trees.
The tones in the distance are closer together and lighter than
the elements in the mid and foreground. Squinting your eyes will
help you see tone in the landscape. I save my darkest tones for
the foreground.Steps 5 - Next I have started to block in the snow that is in
shadow on Mt Talbot. I am using desaturated colour as I do not
want the mountain to come forward which would make the
painting look flat.
I have used ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, as little burnt umber
to reduce the saturation of the blue and a liberal amount of
titanium white.
Step 6
Painting quickly, I block in the large mountain on the right. The
green is mixed by introducing a little yellow oxide and more
ultramarine blue. I increase the saturation of the colours in of
the trees in the mid-ground, which brings them forward in the
painting, but given the trees are in the mid-ground I mix yellow
oxide with ultramarine blue, titanium white and a little burnt
sienna to earth my greens.