If you have already attempted painting landscapes using oils then you may have had the unenjoyable experience of ending up with a painting that is a muddy looking mess.

Learn here how to paint a landscape using oils that looks wonderful and vibrant and brings a smile to your face by following these straight forward steps.

Find a (photo|photograph|landscape} that you would like to paint.

Mix a {small amount|little|small quantity} raw sienna {color|colour} oil paint with a little turpentine on your palette. Mixing it with turpentine will {enable|allow|permit} it to dry {quicker|faster|more speedily}.

For the first {layer|sketch|outline}, you will {want|need} the thinned paint to dry quickly. Don't mix it {overly|too|exceptionally} thin, but thin enough so that the paint flows smoothly and is transparent.

Using the thinned raw sienna, make a quick {outline|sketch} on your canvas of the main bodies of land. Make sure your horizon line is {appropriately|correctly} {marked|indicated} at the {correct|right} level - normally either one third or two thirds down the canvas,

While your sketch lines are drying start mixing your paints. To {start|begin} with, your paints are going to be {mostly|relatively|fairly} thin and transparent. With each {additional|subsequent} layer, the paint should be thicker and the oil mixture less.

This is what is {described as|known as|referred to as} painting fat over lean. This is very important as the first layers of paint will absorb the oil from the layers {above|on top of} them. If the top layers dry faster than the lower layers, the painting will crack.

Paint the sky {to get started|first}. If there is a lot of color in your sky just paint the {principal|main} colour to start with. Then block in the dominant areas of your landscape.

Allow to dry completely before continuing (normally {around|about} {3|three} days). Make sure you clean your brushes {thoroughly|properly} and seal your pallet with shrink wrap.

When anything is further away in your landscape, there will be less detail and less color saturation in the your distant objects (such as mountain and trees).

Make sure your paint is a {bit|little} thicker than last time and {start|commence|begin} painting in more detail. {Progress|Continue} each time with thicker paint and more detail until your painting is finished.