Before commencing the painting process, it is crucial to comprehend several fundamental concepts. Firstly, it is essential to note that objects in the distance tend to appear less defined than those in the foreground when viewing a landscape. To achieve this effect in our artwork, we will utilize lighter hues for the background and employ darker tones for the elements closer to the viewer. Additionally, intricate details such as flowers, grass, individual rocks, and other small features will be added in the final stages of the painting.
Secondly, working in a dark-to-light progression when applying the general layers is essential. This means that highlights should be added to darker elements, such as fluffy white clouds against a darker blue sky or brighter yellow-green foliage on top of darker tree shadows.
To illustrate these concepts, we will use one of my recent paintings, Scraggly Old Tree, as a step-by-step guide.
