Feeling Moody: Your Guide to Creating Mood in Landscapes

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From misty lakes to dramatic sunrises, here’s everything you’ll need to establish a certain mood in your landscape painting.

The Magic of Mood

The late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat once said of his transient self-doubts, “Some days I can’t get an idea, and I think, ‘Man, I’m just washed up,’ but it’s just a mood.” That phrase, It’s just a mood, represents quite well the fleeting nature of these particular feelings — and moody landscapes can be just as elusive. But when done right, establishing a certain mood in a landscape painting infuses your work with emotion and enchantment, increasing the relatability and appeal for all viewers, regardless of who they are or what genres they might be drawn to at first glance.

Whether you’re trying to depict the drama of a sunrise or the wistfulness of a foggy evening, translating a landscape’s mood to canvas requires nailing techniques for painting depth, atmosphere, the sky, and more. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find a collection of our best articles and videos to get you inspired and equipped to capture the essence of the scene before you — whether you’re painting en plein air, with a reference photo, or from memory and imagination.

Happy — or should we say moody? — creating, friends!

Inspiration Jumpstart

• Anne Packard’s Ethereal Landscapes | Where Image and Imagination Merge
• How to Establish a Mood for More Impact
• Dancing With Color in the Landscapes of Erin Hanson

Getting Misty

• Painting Fog and Mist
• How to Paint Mist in Watercolor: A Demo

Finding New Depths

• Five Tips to Achieve Spatial Depth In Your Drawings
• How to Create the Illusion of Depth: A Demo
• Understanding Perspective and Painting Depth

Exploring Atmosphere

• Atmospheric Perspective: Learn Five Simple Effects
• 5 Secrets to Painting Atmosphere in Landscapes You Need to Know
• Build Atmosphere in Landscapes with Color Temperature
• This Watercolor Process Creates Dramatic Atmospherics

The Sky’s the Limit

• 5 Key Factors for Painting Skies and Clouds
• Pastel Pointers for Painting Clouds
• Watercolor Demonstration: Painting a Dramatic Sky
• Nancy Silvia’s 7 Tips for Painting Clouds

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In-Depth Videos

And to take your knowledge of mood to the next level (and beyond), here are a handful of videos you can purchase for download, or stream immediately if you are an Artists Network Member!

• Watercolorist’s Essential Workshop: Atmosphere & Drama
• Landscape Painting in Pastel: Winter Mood
• Paul Jackson’s Watercolor Workshop: The Color of Sunset
• Pastel Painting Techniques: Cityscapes at Night
• Oil Painting Techniques: Dramatic Sky