Are Those Paintings or Photos?! How to Paint Realistic Landscapes with Acrylic on Paper

Beginner friendly! In this sketchbook painting tutorial, I show you how to paint realistic landscapes on paper with acrylic on paper. I'll walk you through, step by step, how to create a realistic landscape in your sketchbook using acrylic on paper, and the best part is that you only need four colours. In this video we'll cover preparing your paper for painting, mixing colours and tones, how to paint mist, basic landscape painting rules, and detail work. Enjoy this video in full 4K!

These reference photos are COPYRIGHT FREE and you may do with them what you'd like! Keep them, sell them, make prints of your paintings, just have fun!

Additional notes:

For mixing colours, treat the burnt umber like a red in your palette. So if your colours are coming out too green, tone them back with the burnt umber. Remember that you can use complementary opposites to tone colours, not just greys. Green tones red, yellow tones purple, and orange tones blue (and vice versa).

I am using Liquitex Professionals acrylic paint, but you can use whatever brand you'd like. I don't usually use any medium when I am painting in sketchbooks.

For tape, I am using both the purple Scotch delicate brand and the yellow Frog delicate strength tape. The reason I am using two is because I actually prefer the Scotch as it seems to leave cleaner lines, but I like the yellow because it allows me the width to tape the whole book closed, which helps prevent buckling.

All of my art supplies are linked through the Amazon shops below.
Please note: as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Here are specific products that I used in this video:

Video Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:23 Getting Started: Priming your Pages with Gesso and Taping
02:03 Mixing Colours with a Limited Palette: How to Create Tones
02:57 Beginning the Painting
05:01 Painting Water: How to Blend Between Two Colours
06:27 Second Layer
09:28 Second Painting - Closeup of the Marsh Grass
11:48 Final Reveal

[MarianneVanderDussen]

Thank you so much for watching this tutorial! Let me know if you have any questions at all, I'm happy to answer them.
*Don't forget to use the code, and happy painting!*

[belladora]

THIS! This is how I want to learn to paint! Just starting acrylics and watercolor as I turn 60. Art is so satisfying and feeds the soul. Thanks for giving me more tools with which to express myself.

[lunaw]

She didn’t even start painting yet and I’ve subbed and been mind blown ! Thank you!!

[charissezhao]

I don’t know which i love more, your painting or your voice… just both are so beautiful! Thank you!!

[nikolaymontik]

This is probably the most helpful painting tutorial I've seen in a while. This video is super calming and nice to watch! I like how you document the painting process as well as giving us some tips to help us. A lot of painting tutorials I see are not very helpful, not fun to watch, or really just not good. But this video is nothing short of amazing. Your voice is extremely calming and nice to listen to. I love how you go out in nature and take pictures of your own! Its nice to see the beauty of Ontario through your paintings! I also love how you gave us some super helpful painting tips not commonly found in other painting tutorials. I especially like the color mixing tips, because I could really use some help with color mixing, Lol. I love your videos and I hope to see some more!

[kascialelonek]

Wow this is the best demo I have ever seen. So much info packed in.❤

[lrla]

Not goin to lie. At first glance I thought this was going to be a pretentious video but I was wrong. You explained everything so well and the painting is lovely! A like AND a follow! 😁

[kendraclarke]

The colours of these two paintings are spectacular! I hope you come out with another course soon! 🥰

[JuliaTheMoonCat]

Thank you for this amazing video. The picture you chosed looks hard to paint, but your explanations and the detailed "how-to-do"s are taking away the fear of trying and even make me want to go out, get photos and get started. Even your voice is motivating and nice to listen to.
Thanks and greetings from Germany ❤

[TJ.WEIGHT]

You are incredible. Your videos are so much help to us inspired artists and painters.

The modern day bob ross.

[valhallamcgaughey]

I just found you today. About one minute into the first video (painting peonies), I knew I was hooked. I had a few painting classes 15 years ago, when I fell in love with oils. Nowadays I’m looking to get back into painting, this time with acrylics (less expense and less clean-up). Your videos are perfect! It’s obvious this is your passion. You have a deep understanding of paints and principles, which you manage to explain while still enjoying yourself and entertaining us. You are quite talented; your style is one that I love. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[leentje]

Thank you Marianne, this video is the most useful tutorial video so far. As someone who starting to paint for leisure with almost 0 knowledge, you helped me figuring out with how to keep your palette wet and how to save the canvas (for practice). Before, I tried to paint in cold pressed paper without gesso and it was a real disaster 😂🤣

Also, I enjoy this video very much. I love the way you stroke your brush, your voice is so beautiful and your explanation is easy to understand ❤️ thank you.

[celesteh]

Thank you for giving me courage to start painting again 😊🌸 your channel is one of the rare ones that is easy to
follow along with and your narration helps a lot thank you!

[cmwoodsie]

Amazing tutorial. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. Both paintings turned out spectacularly. Your practice/sketchbook painting would be like a masterpiece to me, lol!

[marie-evemeunier]

Very beautiful paintings and useful tips! Thanks a lot!

[ОльгаОрлова-ощ]

Невероятно! Как будто это фотография, а не рисунок. Все как живое! Потрясающе!

[SSBakes]

This was recommended to me by surprise, and I was so glad-- I saved this tutorial immediately, and am now revisiting it several months later. I love how concise you are while communicating extremely important tips for beginners, thank you!

[AwesomeAndrew]

You have really created a very quality video, I subscribed just on the tip with the wet paper towel under baking sheet, then the video just got better, thank you for creating high value content. Great work.

[juliasuccinct]

First time I've seen one of your videos. Well done, so user-friendly and calming.
Watched the studio set up afterwards and just noticed the seascape is still on the top shelf. It's so striking, can't believe no-one has bought it.

[ИлонаВакула-бр]

Благодарю Вас за это ВОЛШЕБСТВО, МАГИЮ превращения белого листа скетчбука в произведения искусства от всей души!!! Очень нравится!!! ❤❤❤