Absolute Beginner Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques – 4/4

limited palette complementary colors

The final part of this 4 part series – Beginners Acrylic Landscape Painting

This is the final stage of the painting. I now add some of the pure Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson to achieve the richer colours needed.

The pink in the sky is just a mix of Alizarin Crimson and White. Make sure you start with the white (Titanium White) and add the crimson to it, little by little.

You will only need a small amount to create the pink…

I then start to add the pure Ultramarine Blue to slightly darken the premixed blue for the sky. This means we can add a fuller tonal range to the piece and place emphasis on the corners.

This helps to bring the viewers to focus on the centre of the picture.

adding black to achieve tonal depth

Adding black

One of the final stages is to reassess the tonal range of the piece. When we look at the land area, we first blocked in with Burnt Umber; it now looks too pale. We can easily mix a black using the Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue (you will need more blue than brown)

acrylic landscape painting before adding black

acrylic bright landscape painting

Finished Painting, 10 x10 inches, Acrylic on Canvas

Acrylic landscape painting-  Free video Course |Part 4 of 4

The video below shows the fourth and final video in the acrylic landscape painting. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Art school Channel to keep updated on future videos, you don’t need an account, and you’ll get weekly email updates when a new video is posted.

You might also like:

1. Acrylic landscape painting techniques – Lesson 1 of 4
2. Acrylic landscape painting techniques – Lesson 2 of 4
3. Acrylic landscape painting techniques – Lesson 3 of 4

This Post Has 86 Comments

  1. Elaine Clbert

    Hi Will: I came across your website this evening (New Year’s Eve). Lucky me …. you sure simplify painting! Your videos on seascape (with the burnt umber landmass in the background) were fascinating. I’m taking a course in oils as there were no acrylic classes available and am still a beginner. You made blending those areas of the sky look so easy, and in fast-drying acrylic also! I do have two questions: (a) can I apply the steps you teach to oil painting? and (b) how did you finish that seascape with glazes? (I think that’s what you said at the end of Part 4 of the tutorial – that you were going to complete it with glazes). I would love to see how you do that final step. Thanks so much for being such a generous teacher; sharing your knowledge with the rest of the world. (Incidentally, I was born in England moving here as a child – you make me want to move back – just to take your lessons!) Happy New Year, Will! Elaine C.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Elaine, really pleased to hear you are enjoying the painting videos. To answer your questions:
      (a) can I apply the steps you teach to oil painting?
      90% yes, using a thin burnt umber for you under painting and premixing colours would work very well with oils. The only thing to watch is adding the whitest white highlight (Part 1) titanium white in oil paints is very slow drying so wouldn’t be a great choice for under painting, you could under-paint with acrylics or quick drying oil paint and then finish the painting with traditional oils.
      (b) how did you finish that seascape with glazes?
      I did mention finishing the seascape with glazes but on reflection ended up leaving it exactly as it was on the end of the video.
      Thanks again for your comment, I’d love to see your results.
      Will

  2. joan

    when you say start with 3 colors ex: red,yellow and blue ,do you mean just 3 tubes or are you including family colors of these 3. ex: browns also etc. If you are using blue in a painting do you have to have a warm and a cool blue and of each color you are using,and do both biases of color have to be warm to make it brighter. thanks. Hope I can find it when you answer.lol

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Joan,

      In a previous response to you I did say ‘Just stick to 3 colours to create a harmonious painting using a limited palette.
      For example, using Ultramarine blue, Burnt sienna and white would be perfect for a warm / cool study,

      For a full colour painting, I recommend Ultramarine blue, Burnt umber,Cad yellow light, Permanent Alizarin crimson and Titanium white. This colour palette should be able to give 80/90% of all colour mixes you will need.
      see my post https://willkempartschool.com/how-to-choose-a-basic-acrylic-palette-for-colour-mixing/ to read more.

      Do both biases of color have to be warm to make it brighter?
      No, not necessarily, they just need to have the same colour bias towards the colour you’re trying to mix.
      For example: 1.to mix a bright green you need a cool yellow and a cool blue.
      2. to mix a bright purple you need a cool red and a warm blue.

      Hope this helps,
      Will

      1. joan

        Yes that helps thanks. I just did a sunset but it looks dirty?

        1. joan

          thanks

  3. David Smith

    Hi again Will,

    Just finished the landscape exercise. Found it worthwhile and easier than the cherry painting.

    As an experiment I used student grade paints (except for the titanium white). I could see the difference in coverage compared to artist grade acrylics but they still did the job.

    I can see the importance of a using mid-toned ground and also premixing the colours. Both make the job of doing the actual painting itself easier. Altogether a more professional way to paint and better workflow.

    I’ve now done 2 paintings in under a week! I’m a proper painting nut now. There’s no way back!

    I’ve signed up for your acrylic seascape course… the adventure continues…

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi David,

      Brilliant news! Sounds like you’re on a roll!

      Using a mid-toned ground and premixing the colours really does help productivity, I’m glad your landscape turned out well.

      Thanks for joining the Seascape course, I’d love to see your finished painting,

      Cheers,

      Will

      1. David Smith

        No probs Will. I’ll send it as soon as its done.

        David

  4. Gina

    May my first lines to thank you, this was very nice to see and I think I will be able to do something like this on my own.

    My first question would be how to choose the amount of paint, I would not want to waste paint, but also I know it can be hard to reach the same color tone, when you make your own color.

    My second question is, how do I know what brush to use when.

    And my last question is: these techniques can be used also with water-color (I read that you can reach the same 90% with oil).

    Thank you in advance.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Gina,
      Thanks for the comment, to answer your questions:

      How to choose the amount of paint, I would not want to waste paint

      It’s usually an amount of paint you feel slightly uncomfortable putting out! One of the number 1 beginner mistakes is a fear of wasting paint. If you only squeeze out a small amount the tendency will be to paint very thin and have watercolour effects rather than using the true potential of acrylics to get a really thick solid colour. You can mix your colours in a stay-wet palette – this will help keep them wet between painting sessions.

      How do I know what brush to use when?
      I try and work with the larger brush for as long as possible, and only swap when I can’t get the shapes with the larger brush. There is no exact rule, but when you start the painting it will start to become clearer.

      Can these techniques can be used also with water-color

      Not really, the watercolour would not have the same coverage to cover the coloured ground.

      Hope this helps,

      Will

  5. Gina

    Yes, thank you very much!

  6. Stephanie

    Hi Will,

    I just finished doing this painting (it was my first attempt at painting . . . . .ever)! I really enjoyed it and had fun. Thank you for your videos and tips! I quickly realized that the paint I was using was not artist quality (the brand is art advantage). I will be purchasing some better quality paint and try something else. Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge, time, and talent! :)

    Kindest regards,

    Stephanie

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Stephanie,

      Great to hear you enjoyed your first painting! and are enjoying the website.

      The artist quality paints can make a big difference, looking forward to hearing how you get on with them.

      Will

  7. Simon G.

    Hi Will,

    This is an excellent little series of tutorials – You make it look so easy!
    I would like to know if your brushes are wetted at the start of this painting, and throughout. It ofen looks like your brush is dry. I am finding that a wet brush makes my student quality paint (I know, I know) too fluid, so I’ve started using dry or virtually dry brushes.

    Many thanks,

    Simon.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Simon,

      pleased to hear you have enjoyed the tutorials. Yes, I always wet, then take off most of the water, then paint with the brush. It is usually dryish as I work with quite a ‘scrubby’ technique. It really is a fine line between being too watery and being just right. How are you finding it working with the virtually dry bushes?

      Will

      1. Simon G.

        Hi Will,

        Thanks for the reply. I prefer working with the virtually dry brushes. Like you I wet them first but then try to remove as much moisture as I can – the consistancy of the tube paint seems to be about right for me. Using a completely dry brush is ok, again the paint is wet enough but, because they are dry the paint at the ferrule end does tend to dry out much more quickly, so you have to be on your guard. Also, with dry round brushes, the shape of the brush is not maintained which can lead to paint going where you don’t want it to.

        Many thanks,

        Simon.

        1. Will Kemp

          Hey Simon,

          You are right, you do have to be on your guard when the acrylics start to creep up towards the ferrule of the brush! You’ll find student quality paints have a more workable feel straight from the tube so should be perfect. Looking forward to seeing your results with the painting.

          Thanks,

          Will

  8. Yuval

    Oops, I actually meant to comment on the post “Acrylic landscape painting techniques – Lessons for an absolute beginner” :)

    I have just uploaded a photo of my version on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yuha/

    1. Will Kemp

      It looks great! your colour mixing is spot on,

      Thanks for posting.

      Will

      1. Yuval

        Thank you for the encouragement Will.

        I’m now heading to the Acrylic seascape course, already signed in. The size of this painting is rather small and I was wondering what if I try it on bigger canvas lets say twice as much or a bit more than that? how would that effect the brush size I should use? how should I apply it differently for example the level of details but still keep it the same style. Do I need, in that case, to expand the pallet? Would be great if you could drop a line on this matter.

        Cheers,
        Yuval

        1. Will Kemp

          Hi Yuval,

          Great to see you on the acrylic seascape course.

          It would be fine to work on a larger scale canvas, the techniques would be the same. If you worked on the principle of doubling up the canvas size and slightly increasing the brush size ( in mm). For example, rather than a using a 15mm wide brush increase to a 25mm brush if you have doubled the canvas size.

          This isn’t an exact science but you still want a brush that isn’t too big so you can still be gestural with it. Also, you will find on a larger scale blending can be a bit more of an issue because you have a larger surface area to work over which gives means the paints can dry quicker before you get back to it. Add a touch of the glazing liquid to help with this.

          You don’t need to expand the palette in reference to video 1, but when we start to add a warmer colour if you feel you need to add a brighter colour then go for it!

          Hope this helps,
          Will

          1. Yuval

            Thank you – great help.

            Regarding the pallet I related to the final result. The thought was that from a a given point of view when you look at a bigger canvas you should be able to see more details than smaller one -Just like when you zoom in to something… but I get it from your answer.
            Many thanks! :)
            Yuval

          2. Will Kemp

            Hi Yuval,

            I see what you mean about being able to get more detail on a larger canvas, but often you can still paint more detail and use the same colours. This will help to create harmony and balance in the piece.

            I’ll sometimes paint 90% of the painting with a limited palette and then right at the end add a touch of a stronger colour or different pigment. That way I know the painting works as a whole but the little zings of brighter colour just give it a real energy.

            Thanks,
            Will

          3. Yuval

            Thank you Will, I get it clearly now.

            BTW what if I use satin glazing liquid instead of gloss (out of stock)? should I insist on the gloss?

            thanks,
            Yuval

          4. Will Kemp

            Hi Yuval,

            Satin glazing liquid will be fine, the one to avoid is Matte, as the matting agent used in the manufacturing can sometimes leave a white ‘bloom’ over your painting.
            This is especially noticeable in dark colours. The Satin Glazing Liquid will have a bit of the matting agent in but it won’t be noticeable for the effects we’re after.

            Thanks,

            Will

          5. Yuval

            Hi Will,

            Thanks a lot for all your help and advice, I have posted a quick photo of my version of the seascape course painting (painted on 50*40 cm canvas):

            I might tweak it a little bit more, but for much better results I should start all over. I have printed the reference photo on photo paper but the colors were off so I’ve ended up matching colors on my iPad.

            I must say I really liked the limited pallet version, it’s quiet amazing how with so little it comes to life. The videos were great and easy to follow with lots of tips, methods and ideas – really great!. I have learned a lot from this try.

            Cheers,
            Yuval

            P.S. I could use the photo of the finished painting and it could be great if your site had a bulletin board for asking questions and some more communication with everyone’s around :-)

          6. Will Kemp

            Hi Yuval,

            Brilliant stuff! I can really see an improvement in your painting, you have a lot more variety in the colours and brushmarks than your first painting. It is amazing what can be achieved with such a limited palette using thinner layers and then thicker more opaque paint ontop.

            Thanks,
            Will

  9. Yuval

    Thanks Will,
    I think I׳m ready to go :)

    Yuval

  10. JT

    Hey Will,

    Really love the lessons and videos. I just finished this acrylic landscape…my first painting. Yahoo!!

    It turned out way better than I ever thought.

    I owe the credit to your teaching skills and ability to simply the process.

    Also, your approach of not trying to be so precise was perfect for a perfectionist like me. It really made the process more rewarding and I felt the freedom of expression. Haha.

    The only disappointment I had in the final product was the white areas, particularly the reflections on the beach. Whenever the white paint hit the canvas, it seemed way to bright and I would dull it down. However, that seems to have really diminished the effect of reflection, especially compared to your finished painting.

    Going to sign up for the acrylic course. I’m excited to continue the process.

    As a want-to-be writer who procrastinates with the best, it is cool to have a new found love of painting to turn to in those moments.

    Thanks… JT

    1. Will Kemp

      Hey JT,

      Great one! So pleased you’ve made the leap to your first painting, really pleased to hear you’ve surpassed your own expectations with the landscape. Adding the white can seem too strong when you’ve actually painted it, however, to the viewer they will just comment on how much they love the reflection!

      And I can’t think of a better outlet for procrastination than ‘turning pro’ with your painting!

      Cheers JT,

      Will

      1. JT

        Hey Will,

        Thanks for the encouragement. I’ve decided to tackle the beginner’s drawing course instead of the acrylic course. Seeing as how I currently have trouble drawing stick men, I think that some improvement in that area will have an immediate impact on my painting. Looking forward to continuing to learn from you.

        Thanks… JT

        1. Will Kemp

          Hey JT,

          Great one, drawing is soooo important to your success as a painter and the course has been designed with painters in mind so should fit in perfectly. Looking forward to working with you!

          Cheers,
          Will

        2. joan leblanc

          great thanks

  11. joan leblanc

    Can you tell me if which one of these 4 are warm or cool. Burnt umber and sienna and raw umber and raw sienna. thanks

    1. Will Kemp

      Hey Joan, nice to hear from you. All colour warmth or coolness is dependent on the colours that surround it, so a cool red ( alizarin crimson) could be called warm when placed next to blue.

      But aside from that, when placed next to each other a ‘burnt’ usually indicates a warm, and a raw a cool.

      Burnt umber is warm
      Raw umber is cool

      Burnt sienna is warm
      Raw sienna is warm ( in this case the warmth in the sienna is stronger than the cool from the raw umber)

      Cheers,
      Will

  12. Rebekah

    I am a beginner, I have painted only four pictures including this one. I am so thankful for finding your website for my most recent attempt to painting. I didn’t have the right color for the undercoating or the pinkish color you put around the sun spots, so I had to compromise with my own mix lol. I added a few things to the finished painting, such as a light house, a sail boat and a few birds. I have a long way to go before I become a decent painter, but some day… maybe. I would like to send it to you, maybe you can give me a few pointers.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Rebekah, really pleased you enjoyed the lesson and it’s helping you on your way as a painter,

      Cheers,
      Will

  13. Clint

    Done! That was fun and I learned a lot. My favorite Will Kemp quote of the day was “you get through a lot of kitchen roll when painting”. Found myself chuckling and repeating that over and over as I ripped off another sheet.

    The painting is mostly meh…I messed it up at the end when trying to add or correct details. My color mixing was a bit off and I didn’t put out enough paint at the start. I ran out of pre-mixed purple about half way through the clouds and had to make more. BUT…If you look at the painting with extremely squinted eyes or from a distance it looks very nice….hehe.

    I’m tempted to turn right around and do this lesson again to see if I can do it better. But I think I will look for your color mixing lessons next. And I’m going to the store today to buy a smaller palette knife! But the main point is…I learned…I enjoyed…I want to do it again today…

    I’ll be signing up for your art courses soon. Good stuff!

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Clint,

      Sounds like you got a great result despite the few completely normal setbacks! Not mixing enough paint is one of the most common (and most frustrating!!) issues with acrylics.

      I’m so pleased it’s inspired you to have another go and most of all you enjoyed it,

      Keep painting,

      Cheers,

      Will

  14. Perri Jacobs

    When you mentioned glazes, were you talking about a clear finish or using thin paint glazes over part of the painting?

    1. Will Kemp

      In this example it describes using thin coloured paint layers over specific areas. A clear finished would be described as an ‘isolation coat‘ or varnish.

      Cheers,
      Will

    2. Will Kemp

      In this example it would be thin, coloured layers of paint, rather than a clear coat. A clear coat for acrlic painting is often called an ‘isolation coat’‘ and is used to protect the surface prior to varnishing.

      Cheers,
      Will

  15. Hans

    Dear Will,

    you’ve got a new fan. I’ve been painting for 2 years now but all by myself. I was looking for a course to bring myself to a higher level and came across your webcourse. I painted the cherry and liked the way you explained all. I’ll surely continue with this course. Thanks!

    1. Will Kemp

      Hey Hans,

      Glad you dropped by.

      Really pleased you had some good results with the cherry painting, thanks for letting me know,

      Cheers,

      Will

  16. Rosy

    Hi Will,
    thanks again for this tutorial. I finished my piece and I’ve got to say I had several attempts trying to finish it :) First of all your Video about how to mix the colours was very helpful. I’m not sure if mine are quite accurate, but I decided to chose the color mix I liked for it. But the one peachy-rose color (for under the cloud area) was so hard to mix, I couldn’t master it. I don’t know why. So I chose one yellowish-orange one (which doesn’t seem to pop because of my yellow-ochre base on my canvas) however that isn’t so bad. I first mixed the colours (by the way I’ve found a shop in my town and got a titanium white by golden) and then I started. One of my main problems still is, that I obviously need more time to work the colors on the canvas in an accurate time, since it dries quickly. I think I need definitely more practice :). Unfortunately feathering the colours in didn’t work out much (especially in the front area). But nevertheless compared to my first attempts it looks ok. :) The clouds were really hard at the beginning. http://s7.directupload.net/images/130409/56pyestb.jpg
    Thank you again, you’re a good teacher!! :)

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Rosy,

      You got some lovely clean colours with this painting, and great news about tracking down the Golden Titanium white!

      I’m really glad you enjoyed the tutorial and you’re so right about using better quality materials, it’s amazing how much difference they can make. Give yourself permission to use the best materials you can afford, enjoy the painting process and I have no doubt the end results will surprise you.

      Cheers,

      Will
      P.S. A cheaper alternative to canvas is to use M.D.F board (masonite)
      Before I paint onto it, I prepare the board with a couple of coats of Acrylic Gesso and then apply a coloured ground.

      Materials you will need:

      • Acrylic Gesso (I use Golden brand)
      • MDF board – 6mm or 9mmthick
      • 2 inch Decorators brush (Purdy is my preferred brand)
      • 240 grit sandpaper – if you want a smooth finish

      Just apply 2 thin coats and sand inbetween coats (if the board size is larger than A4 then I would paint both sides to prevent the board from warping)

      Then apply a coloured ground and you’re away.

  17. Jacqueline

    Hi Will,

    Your videos are so helpful, thanks so much!
    One area I’m having trouble in is blending. I can blend my colours together nicely enough when the paint is still wet, but if I go back over an area that’s dry, I’m left with quite hard edges. Is there a way around this? I’m having a particularly hard time when I’m working with fairly straight lines that can’t be ‘feathered’ outwards into the other colours, but I still have trouble with this in general.

    Thank you!

    Jacqueline

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Jacqueline,

      Pleased you’ve been enjoying the painting videos. With standard acrylics, once the area is dry it is dry, you can’t rework into it. There are a couple of acrylics that give you a bit more flexibility. Atelier interactive acrylics, which can be ‘re-activated’ once dried, and Golden ‘Open’ acrylics which stay wet for longer than standard acrylics. You might be interested in this article about the pros and cons of the open acrylics.

      Hope it helps,

      Will

  18. Mary Ann

    Hi Will,

    Love love love your tutorial videos. I recently took an acrylic landscape class in one of the local art & craft store here in Los Angeles and I’ve learned more from watching your tutorial videos. I’m looking forward of learning your acrylic seascape soon when I finally master mixing colors.

    With the Acrylic Landscape, is there a way to salvage my painting if I didn’t get the correct hue of colors that I used in the painting? And for beginners, do you recommend to use the acrylic pad than using a canvas to practice?

    Thanks again… Looking forward of learning more!

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Mary Ann,

      Thanks for your kind comments, really pleased you’re enjoying the tutorials and feel like you are learning new painting techniques.

      With acrylics you can easily paint over areas to adjust the hues, that’s all part of the painting process.

      An acrylic pad is a great choice to practice on, and then experiment on a canvas or a board to see which surface you prefer, enjoy the lessons!

      Cheers,
      Will

  19. Sue

    Hi Will,
    Just this morning I decided I can’t paint after all, then I looked at your landscape course and I feel inspired once again. Thank you so much, I have wanted to paint for years but never had the time….Now is the time! I will let you know how it goes.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Sue, nice to hear from you, great to hear you’re feeling inspired to get painting!
      Let me know how your painting turns out.

      Cheers,
      Will

  20. Janelle

    Thank you…….
    I have been strugglig on my own for months.
    I joined your classes….and I finally got it!
    I watched your colour theory and I listened to your advice with each lesson.
    I wasn’t aware of the importance of colour, tone and hue….I was using the wrong brushes and strokes.
    I really appreciate the freedom with which you offer your skills…… as do many, I’m sure.
    It shows me that you are a true artist….. not only for material gain, but for the higher good of all.
    My gratitude to you Will.
    Kind Regards
    Janelle

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Janelle,

      Thanks so much for your lovely comment, so pleased you have found the lessons helpful in your painting progress. Really great that you feel like you’ve finally ‘got it!’ so pleased for you.

      Thanks again Janelle.

      Cheers,
      Will

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Caroline, thanks for sharing your painting, the clouds are looking great. It’s really got that sense of the light coming from behind them trying to shine through. So pleased you’ve been enjoying the tutorials.

      Cheers,
      Will

  21. Tasnim

    I attempted this painting and here is the result:
    http://instagram.com/p/nWGk0UBB1q/

    I’m disappointed with the edging of the clouds in general, and the colouring of the top most bright cloud is just so wrong.

    For a first attempt I suppose it’s not bad because I can see just what I need to work on and I know what areas I will improve on with some practise. Next I am going to try the apple pairing.

    Once again thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Tasnim, pleased you enjoyed the tutorial, yes I would just watch out for your edges becoming too hard, and you can leave areas of the coloured ground showing through in your painting.
      Cheers,
      Will

  22. jeanine

    Do you have any video of how you use glazing techniques to complete this painting? I have gotten to this point in this last step (part 4) but being a beginner I’m not quite sure how to bring it all together for completion. Your completed painting looks very much like then photograph. Those are the steps I’d really like to see. Advice?

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Jeanine, I mention that I could glaze the painting up, but the finished painting is as it was in the demonstration, I didn’t add any extra glazes to it.
      Cheers,
      Will

  23. Lynda

    These tutorials are very good Will. I’m used to painting with water colours so I found acrylics a bit daunting!
    I’ve watched loads of other demos, bought loads of books but quite honestly I didn’t find them anywhere near as helpful as this.
    I shall look forward to receiving more videos now that I’ve subscribed to your site.
    Thank you

    1. Will Kemp

      Great to hear you’ve been enjoying the tutorials Lynda, thanks for your kind comments.Really hope you enjoy working through the lessons

      Cheers,
      Will

  24. Dick

    Hi Will, Thanks so much for all your web postings. As one who has virtually no artistic ability at all (except that I enjoy painting), I’ve learned a lot. I particularly like this lesson because I still struggle a great deal ‘blending’ or migrating a field of color from a lighter shade to a darker, and you do a good deal of it in this video series. I have also watched your video about shading (the yellow apple) and my effort at it was really sad! But I’ll keep at it… I just wanted to thank you for the excellent tutorials… – Dick

    1. Will Kemp

      Thanks for taking the time to comment Dick, much appreciated. Great to hear you’re finding the tutorials helpful.
      Cheers,
      Will

  25. Margo

    I just finished with part 3 and had a quite a hard time with the blending aspect and having enough paint mixed. I am using student quality paints (Liquitex Basic) and they do not spread well at all. I have to add a matte medium and retarder AND water or else it’s like buttering a biscuit with overly dry peanut butter. Ugh! So, you use Golden heavy body mainly without anything to slow the drying time? I am going to order some of this paint if you promise me that it will perform better than the stuff I have. Seriously, I just want to be able to glide the paint over the canvas and not have it dry within 5 minutes. Any hope of this or maybe I should switch to oils?

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Margo, the glide factor is due to the consistency of the paint, if it was diluted with water, or a medium you could still achieve a smooth flow. The Golden paints won’t necessarily increase this flow, I would still just dilute with water to achieve the same consistency with the liquitex basics. The basics or artist quality acrylics will all dry within 5 minutes, that’s the nature of the medium, either water based oils, quick dry oils of standard oils would all increase the working time of the paint (with traditional oils being the slowest drying)

      Hope this helps,

      Cheers,
      Will

      1. Margo

        Thanks for the reply! The thing is you seem to have no trouble blending the light peach color into the purple right above the horizon. All I see you using is paint, no medium and not much water. The blending of the paints look like they are oils there. By the time I got to painting the peach in that area, the purple was already dry. Maybe I’m just working too slow?

        1. Will Kemp

          Hi Margo, yes I do paint quite quickly, have you tried using a stay-wet palette?

          1. Margo

            Yes, I have that type of palette. It’s when the paint is on the canvas that it dries fast and subsequently won’t blend much for me. I’m going to try a different tactic tonight and see if I can’t figure out how to extend the wet time of the paint more AND work faster. Maybe I can meet myself in the middle! :-)

          2. Will Kemp

            Good luck with your blending Margo,
            Will

  26. Mischa Budiono

    Thank you, my daughter recently looked at this tutorial of yours and did this painting when I was gone and it truly is amazing .You have made my daughter a good painter
    Thanks
    Mischa

    1. Will Kemp

      Brilliant to hear Mischa, so pleased your daughter enjoyed the tutorial.
      Cheers,
      Will

  27. Jane

    I have actually painted something I am really proud of. Thank you Will for gaining my confidence. How do you get that mirror shine finish?

    1. Will Kemp

      That’s great to hear Jane. if you want a super shiny surface it’s best to apply a couple of coats of gloss varnish to your finished painting.
      Cheers,
      Will

  28. IG

    Hi will.

    I have been painting things like flowers,butterflies,and just little things but i have lost ideas of what to paint and im a little stuck.

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi IG, often the inspiration comes from within the process of painting, so I’d start following one of the demos even if it isn’t exactly what you’d choose and then see what ideas and interests are sparked from within the lesson.
      Hope this helps,

      Cheers,
      Will

  29. Jim Leach

    Thank you VERY much for the generousity of the ” painting lesson”.

    Greastly apreciated.
    Jim

    1. Will Kemp

      So pleased you enjoyed it Jim.
      Cheers,
      Will

  30. Anja Koster

    What pleasure to finish a sea painting this way (won’t show it, but still). Keep going Will. Really beautiful work your lessons.
    Anja

  31. Kaivalya

    Lovely way to get started, may I ask the question, how to add detail in this particular painting?
    Is there a tutorial/paid lesson to learn this?

    1. Will Kemp

      Hi Kaivalya, I haven’t got a specific lesson on adding more detail on this lesson.
      Cheers,
      Will

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