Artists who have struggled to understand what is so magnificent about painting from dark to light will find this demonstration by Kevin Macpherson especially helpful. In a 106-minute video filmed before a live audience, this acclaimed artist executes a glowing alpine landscape. Even from it’s earliest stages, the expertly painted work sings with light.

Landscapes that sing! Macpherson authoritatively covers the basics of landscape painting, but it’s all done with a freshness from dark to light and from large to small, backing up every spoken principle with an on-canvas demonstration. Incredibly, the luminous oil paintings that he paints is the product of a three-color palette. It’s obvious that he’s done his on-site homework, Macpherson does not copy his color study stroke-by-stroke. Instead, he creates a fresh new work that results in sun-kissed treetops against a half-shadowed mountainside.

Even advanced students will learn from Macpherson’s demonstration.
He discusses considerations and benefits of outdoor painting including tips for adapting materials, using photographs as back-up references plus special tips for color mixes.
This video gives a close-up depiction of color mixing, including commentary on avoiding muddy tones and shows the stroke-by-stroke painting process, including the establishment of darkest darks first then lightest lights, discussion of values, seeing the big shapes, building structures in the landscape, subtlety within shadowed areas, achieving luminosity and much more.

Kevin gives a discussion of the materials that includes: achieving full-breadth of color with a strictly limited palette and canvas preparation, including toning on linen.