How to paint a landscape in stages: for beginners and experienced artists

Painting with paints is a very interesting and developing activity. The image of landscapes in different techniques fosters a sense of beauty in the artist, soothes and tunes in positive emotions.

Landscape selection

A variety of landscapes are suitable for gouache or watercolor painting.

how to draw a landscape with paints in stages for beginners

In this article, you will learn how to paint a landscape with paints in stages for beginners. Mountains are one of the most impressive subjects for drawing. By depicting them, one can show the contrast between the high slopes and plains, heaven and earth. Mountains can be either sharp or smooth, similar to a mountain range. Weather is also an important point in the drawing. Winter mountains are one of the best solutions. In such a landscape, you can "play" with light and shadow, with reflexes and different shades on snow-white snow. Bubbly, yellowish, burgundy, ultramarine, turquoise shades - all this can be in the color of snow, it is only important to choose the right color scheme.

A summer landscape featuring mountains is also a good choice for beginner artists. A riot of greenery, warm shades in the grass, or cold - in the branches of pine trees - these details are very picturesque - the author does not need to draw them. The freer and bolder the artist’s hand holds, the more relaxed and easier the picture will be perceived. It is important to remember that the landscape is not only nature, but also the atmosphere that we create by investing our emotions, mood.

How to start a landscape?

Start any drawing with layout in a sheet. Let the earth be smaller than the sky, or vice versa. Do not make these parts the same.

how to draw a landscape with paints in stages for beginners with gouache

If it’s mountains, consider which peak will be higher and which is lower than the others. Do not draw the same mountains, even if in reality it is. Compositionally, it is better to make them different, this will add dynamics to the picture.

Pay attention to objects that are in the foreground. This is what is closest to the artist. The foreground is always drawn in more detail and more diligently than the foreground.

Gouache landscape

There are many techniques for such an activity as painting a landscape with paints. For beginners, working with gouache in stages is much easier than using other materials. Gouache is easy to use: mixes with water, is easily washed, has no specific smell. In order to work with gouache, any brush is suitable, but it is better to opt for synthetics or ponies. This technique is recommended for beginners because, having made a mistake, you can easily cover it with the next coat of paint. Moreover: the next layer, applied to the dried pigment, does not mix with the previous one. Unlike oil and acrylic paints, gouache can be drawn more freely and not be afraid to make a mistake.

how to draw a landscape with paints in stages for beginners watercolor

Parts of the picture can be drawn individually or all at once. You can paint the sky and the earth first, and then write clouds, trees, and the foreground.

Tip: to work faster, apply shades to objects immediately, and do not leave “for later”. It is much easier to do this in one step than to wait until the picture dries.

Watercolor landscape

This technique may be suitable for you if you were wondering how to paint a landscape with paints in stages for beginners. Watercolor in painting can be very light and fresh, if you know a few rules.

  • Watercolor technique is the art of working with layers. The paint is translucent, so each new layer will mix with the past.
  • A minimum of mistakes is the motto of everyone who picks up watercolors.
  • Thick paper is the key to a successful result. The special rough surface absorbs watercolor paint well and creates a good effect.
  • Leave bright colors for near objects. The rest should be pale, mixed with water. Watercolors need to be written in liquid, unlike gouache, oil or acrylic.
  • Brushes made of natural squirrel or pony bristles are best suited for work.

In such a task, how to draw a landscape with paints in stages, a lot of difficulties arise for beginners. How to get this or that shade, how to select a particular subject of composition, or how to arrange everything on a sheet, everyone asks these questions, and the answers to them come with experience. The best advice for anyone interested in painting is to exercise more by painting the most ordinary objects. The sooner you begin to realize that realism is achieved precisely by highlighting some elements and creating contrast, the sooner it will turn out.

how to paint a landscape in stages for beginners mountains

Landscape is a wonderful training for an artist of any level, because this type of painting at the same time gives freedom of imagination and does not allow you to get away from the theme of drawing.


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