| Whenever I paint a scene, I almost always get | | | | these colors in your foreground water or |
| my inspiration from a book, picture or another | | | | landscape as well. |
| painting. My favorite paintings are those depicting | | | | After you have determined what you want your |
| sunsets or evening settings. Obviously nighttime | | | | sky to look like think about where your horizon |
| skies must have some source of light. Whether | | | | line will be. Lightly sketch it in with charcoal. |
| the sun lights the scene as it sets, the moon lights | | | | Always try to create the horizon some place |
| it or it is star lit by reflection off the winter snow, | | | | other than dead center of the painting. |
| nighttime skies are fabulous to capture with | | | | There are several ways to paint skies, but I |
| acrylic paint. | | | | would like to start with a very simple technique. |
| Spend some time browsing the internet, books, | | | | Wet your canvas with liquid gesso. Gesso is just |
| or museums looking at the drama or mood in the | | | | liquid white. While the gesso is still wet, add very |
| evening skies. As you begin your career as an | | | | dark colors to the top of the canvas. A good |
| artist you will find yourself noticing things you | | | | combination of colors would be blue, purple and |
| never noticed before. One of those things is the | | | | burnt sienna. Use criss-cross strokes and work |
| sky. As the sun sets over a body of water, the | | | | your way down to the horizon line without |
| variety of colors in the sky are mimicked in the | | | | reloading any color to your brush. You should end |
| water. The mood of the entire painting is created | | | | up with a very dark upper sky that lightens as it |
| by the colors you use. | | | | reaches the horizon. Deep blues make a nice |
| The colors you chose for your sky will depend on | | | | winter evening sky. A fun little tip for a winter |
| the rest of the painting. To keep the eye flowing | | | | evening sky is to flick stars into the sky with liquid |
| smoothly, keep continuity throughout. If you use | | | | white using a toothbrush while the painting is still |
| oranges and reds in the sunset, make sure you | | | | wet. Using the same technique as mentioned use |
| have those colors in your foreground as well. If | | | | oranges, siennas and reds to create nice summer |
| your using purples, blues and siennas to create a | | | | or fall sunsets. |
| dramatic stormy effect, you will want to use | | | | |