Mountain Landscape | Posted: Nov. 11, 2016, 1:48 a.m.

Media: Acrylic paint on 18 x 24 inch canvas

Time: ~7 hours

When we moved into our apartment near UChicago during our 3rd year, my roommates suggested that we put up decorations that remind us of home. I decided to paint a mountainscape because I end up missing mountains whenever I'm in Chicago. I missed waking up everyday and looking outside the living room window to see the brownish-purple San Gabriel mountains. I missed seeing snow sprinkle the mountaintops whenever it rained near my house in winter. I missed hiking up Mount Baldy and skiing in the Sierra Nevadas.

Because I was working from a reference, I was trying to make the piece as realistic as possible. However, I think my rendition of the clouds gives the piece an impressionistic dimension.

My process:

Usually when I work with acrylics, I first paint the canvas one solid color. How do I decide on that color? I typically choose the color that is most apparent in the reference I am using. In this case, that color happened to be light blue.

Next, using a color that is a few shades darker than the base color, I block in the major figures.

Then I proceed to add detail to each different figure. In order to capture the intricate details in this piece, I used a variety of brushes. Using the back of a paintbrush and a toothpick to apply the paint allowed me to build up the rigid texture of the mountains. I used a foam brush (pictured above the canvas) to paint the clouds. I used the tip of that brush to achieve the striated nature of the clouds.

I am impressed with this piece because

1. I completed it in one sitting (7 hours straight!)

2. I created it two days before winter break (2015-2016) ended


Reference: