Painterly Style Acrylic Landscape Video Tutorial

In this painterly acrylic landscape tutorial, I focus on keeping things loose and expressive—no over blending, no tiny brushes. I start by sketching a simple Z-shaped composition with distant hills, a strip of beach, and a few trees in the foreground. The goal is movement and rhythm, not precision.

For the sky, I mix cerulean blue, quinacridone crimson, and a touch of orange to create warm violet tones that fade into soft pinks. Each stroke stays visible, adding texture and atmosphere. The land and water get layers of turquoise, darylide yellow, and muted greens, with subtle shifts to keep everything lively and painterly.

As the painting develops, I drop in little shapes of color for houses, boats, and tree trunks—just suggestions, never details. A quick mist of water softens edges and unifies the layers, creating that spontaneous, expressive finish that defines the painterly style.

This project is perfect for beginners who want to build confidence, simplify landscapes, and paint with freedom.

👉 If you’re brand new, you can start at the Acrylic Hub — it’s got all the free courses and guides in one place.

Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

• Princeton Catalyst Brushes – Flats (#6, #12), Rounds (#4, #8), Fan (#4), Liner Brush
  Durable synthetic bristles for versatile acrylic techniques
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Essential Colors
  Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White
• Winsor & Newton Cotton Canvas
  Reliable stretched canvas for studio and plein air work
• Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper
  Heavyweight, acid-free paper for acrylic and mixed media
• Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press Paper
  Excellent for acrylic, mixed media, and textured effects
• Blick Multi-Colored Painting Knife Set
  Variety of shapes for texture, scraping, and bold strokes
• Miscellaneous: Two pint-sized water containers, paper towels (from Home Depot or Walmart)
• Note: I use canvas or sturdy cardboard as my palette — no store-bought palettes needed.