Folk Tale Landscapes – Light-Filled Forest (#2)

Here’s my next video from my landscape sketching series about folk tale landscapes.

In this series, I’m looking for landscapes that could be the background for local legends and folk tales. I’m not looking to illustrate any of the stories themselves, I’m just interested in the mood and atmosphere behind these stories and I’m looking for ways to transport this in a landscape sketch.

This time, I’ve painted a light-filled forest in autumn with gouache. I still remember finding this spot back in autumn. I found the quality of light and the way it broke through the trees onto the road really interesting. Often it’s a small thing like this that attract me to a painting spot. I don’t very often paint landscapes in portrait format, but this time it felt fitting because of the large thin trees and the road cutting a diagonal into the composition.

Folk Tale Landscapes – Light-Filled Forest (#2)

Hope you enjoy it!

For more info about this painting series (and about my background), read on here and here. I started researching and creating these paintings last year and the project still continuing as I’m exploring new interesting places. Current restrictions have slowed the process a bit, but I like the thought of having an ongoing project in the back of my mind.

You can learn more about the palette I use here: My favorite gouache palette setup

I’m also still working on my composition class in the background. I will include a lesson on single image composition, and I’d love your feedback. What are you struggling with when it comes to composing a landscape sketch (or any other sketch, doesn’t have to be landscapes)? How do you approach your compositions and what do you wish would be easier? Let me know what you’re interested in and I’ll add it into the course!