Using subtle techniques to create depth in a landscape.
Drawing a landscape is about creating depth. Although a canvass will never go beyond two dimensions, the illusion of a third, through various techniques, can create a rich landscape. Landscape paintings provided a valuable historical record before the days of photography. You can continue this tradition by following these simple steps.
Instructions
1. Gather your materials in a well-lit area and prepare the canvas or paper. Place your reference images in sight, and use images with a variety of perspectives. Mix colors on your palette, or in cups, and match them with the reference photos.
2. Draw a rough grid on your reference photos. Begin the drawing or painting with the most distant features and work your way forward. For example, draw mountains first, then valleys, rivers, trees, grass, butterflies, etc. Overlap elements in your sketch to create depth. Cross-reference with the reference photos to ensure that the proportions are correct.
3. Add texture to the sketch. Use more textural detail as you move forward in the drawing. The further away an object is, the less detail and texture it will have. Picture how atmospheric haze mutes objects at a distance. Enhance the illusion by adding a high level of detail to an object in the foreground.
4. Use warm colors -- reds, oranges and yellows -- for objects in the foreground and shift to cool colors -- blues, greens and violets -- for distant objects. Ensure that highlights and the direction of shadows match the light source in the reference photos. Take a step back from the drawing to see how much depth you can perceive as the work progresses.
5. Add fine detail to objects in the foreground to maximize the illusion of depth
