Acrylic paint-along · beginner

A striped hot-air balloon floating over a lavender field at sunset, with soft violet mountains, golden hills, and one big tree on the right.

Start on a plain white canvas. Paint the sky first, then each part of the scene from farthest to nearest, each straight over the one behind it. Then the main subject, texture with simple brush moves, shadows, and highlights last.

12 stepsCanvas: 14 x 11 inFocal point: The striped balloon, upper left (28% across, 15% down in the frame), set against the glowing orange sky. Light: The low sun, behind the mountains a little left of center (43% across, 41% down in the frame): cloud undersides and the tree's left side catch the light, and the lavender tips glow lilac and pink.How this lesson was made

The finished painting — Where you'll end up

What you need

Tubes

Titanium white
Medium yellow
Yellow ochre
Flesh tint
Permanent red
Rouge
Light magenta
Violet
Ultramarine
Lake blue
Dark green
Ocean green

Brushes

1 inch flat: covering and blending the skyFlat: square end, for big areas and straight edges
#8 round: the sun discRound: pointed tip, thin or thick depending on how hard you press
#12 flat (or 1 inch flat): scrubbing the cloud massesFlat: square end, for big areas and straight edges
old stiff flat: dabbing the bushesOld stiff flat: worn, splayed bristles, for rough texture like grass and foliage
#4 round: band and basketRound: pointed tip, thin or thick depending on how hard you press
Liner (#1 or #0): the ropesLiner: long, very thin bristles, for fine lines like twigs and grass

Also

A 14 x 11 in canvas, landscape (hang it that way). Positions in the steps are percentages across and down: each 10% is 1.4 in across and 1.1 in down.
Water jar and paper towel
Palette or paper plate for mixing

Your paints

Every paint in the lesson. You don't have to mix them all at the start: each step lists the paints it uses with their recipes, so you can mix a little as you go before it dries. Parts are by volume.

Evening blue3 parts lake blue, 2 parts white
the blue at the top of the sky · First needed in step 1

Sunset red1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, a touch of white
the redder band low in the sky · First needed in step 1

Sunset orange2 parts medium yellow, 1 part light magenta
the middle of the sky and lit cloud edges · First needed in step 1

Sun gold1 part medium yellow, 1 part flesh tint
the glow around the sun and the brightest cloud edges · First needed in step 1

Sun cream3 parts white, 1 part yellow ochre, a touch of flesh tint
the sun disc · First needed in step 1

Cloud rose2 parts rouge, 1 part flesh tint, a touch of yellow ochre
the darker cloud tops · First needed in step 2

Cloud coral1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, 1 part light magenta
the main cloud color · First needed in step 2

Far mountain violet1 part violet, 1 part lake blue, 1 part white
the far mountains · First needed in step 4

Ridge indigo1 part lake blue, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
the nearer, darker mountain ridge · First needed in step 4

Ridge blue3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts white, 1 part flesh tint
the lighter band under the near ridge · First needed in step 4

Field olive1 part yellow ochre, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
the far fields · First needed in step 5

Hill gold1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta, a touch of flesh tint
the golden hill · First needed in step 5

Hill light2 parts white, 1 part medium yellow, 1 part yellow ochre
pale streaks along the top of the hill · First needed in step 5

Bush green2 parts ocean green, 1 part dark green, 1 part permanent red
the bush line and the tree's shadow side · First needed in step 5

Tree green3 parts dark green, 1 part light magenta
the middle value of the tree crown · First needed in step 6

Tree lit green2 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts medium yellow, 1 part violet
the lit left side of the tree · First needed in step 6

Trunk brown3 parts dark green, 2 parts permanent red
the trunk, the balloon's bottom band, and the basket · First needed in step 6

Balloon red1 part rouge, 1 part permanent red, a touch of medium yellow
the red balloon stripes · First needed in step 7

Balloon yellow1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta
the yellow balloon stripes · First needed in step 7

Balloon blue3 parts lake blue, 1 part ocean green
the blue balloon stripes · First needed in step 7

Balloon teal2 parts ocean green, 1 part lake blue, a touch of white
the teal balloon stripes · First needed in step 7

Lavender shadow1 part lake blue, a touch of ultramarine, a touch of permanent red
the dark base of every lavender row · First needed in step 8

Lavender deep2 parts violet, 2 parts dark green, 1 part ultramarine
the darkest stems and shadows at the base of the lavender rows · First needed in step 9

Lavender violet3 parts violet, 2 parts white, 1 part ultramarine
the main lavender dabs · First needed in step 10

Lavender bright4 parts white, 3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts light magenta
the lighter violet tops of the lavender clumps · First needed in step 11

Lavender lilac4 parts white, 3 parts violet, 2 parts light magenta
the light lavender tips · First needed in step 11

Path earth3 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts light magenta, a touch of dark green
the dirt paths · First needed in step 8

The steps

STEP 1 OF 12

Paint the sunset sky and the sun

The light comes from the sun, low and a little left of center, 37% across and 41% down. Every highlight faces it.
With the 1 inch flat and creamy Evening blue, paint the top 10% in long side-to-side strokes.
Blend Sunset orange down to 45%. Brush Sun gold in a soft oval about a hand wide around the sun (25% to 50% across and down).
Blend Sunset red from 45% down to a straight edge at 59%, past where the mountains go. Leave the bottom white.
With the #8 round, dab a Sun cream circle about 4% wide (half an inch) into the wet gold at 37% across, 41% down.

Paints for this step5 paints, 5 new

Evening blue new3 parts lake blue, 2 parts white
Sunset orange new2 parts medium yellow, 1 part light magenta
Sun gold new1 part medium yellow, 1 part flesh tint
Sunset red new1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, a touch of white
Sun cream new3 parts white, 1 part yellow ochre, a touch of flesh tint

Colors dry a little darker, so test each mix on the palette edge first.

Mix plenty of Sunset orange; it covers half the sky.

Brushes

1 inch flat#8 round

Strokes

Long horizontal blend. Pull the flat across the whole width in long, level strokes, then stroke back over each color join while wet.

Watch out: Don't stop the sky at the mountains; run it to 59% so the strokes stay long.

Watch out: Work fast: blend only while the paint is wet, about 5 minutes.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.032

Why this step, now: Everything sits on the sky, so it goes first and runs down to 59% so the mountains and fields can be painted over it.

Why this tool: The sky runs behind every later layer, so no filter or inpaint of the finish can show it.

No diagram: A gradient: the colors are named in order with where each band sits.

Render 1low quality · $0.032Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.

STEP 2 OF 12

Lay in the coral clouds

Let the sky dry first.
With the #12 flat and Cloud rose, scrub small circles for the cloud tops: a big mass across the top right from 40% across, and a band on the far left 5% to 30% down.
Fill the rest of each cloud with Cloud coral, still in small circles, flat bottoms toward the sun.
Add a few long thin Cloud coral streaks across the middle, 25% to 38% down. Keep clear of the sun's glow.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
dark	Cloud rose	the tops of each cloud, away from the sun
mid	Cloud coral	the rest of each cloud

Paints for this step2 paints, 2 new

Cloud coral new1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, 1 part light magenta
Cloud rose new2 parts rouge, 1 part flesh tint, a touch of yellow ochre

Brushes

#12 flat (or 1 inch flat)

Strokes

Small circles. Scrub the corner of the flat in small circles with a light load, so the edges stay soft and bumpy.

Watch out: Let blue sky peek through the big mass near the top; don't fill it solid.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 2 tries · $0.064

Why this step, now: The clouds' dark tops and body go on before their lit edges, so the light can sit on top.

Why this tool: Clouds over the finished sky; a filter can't take the later mountains and lavender away.

No diagram: Repeated small circles; the picture and values table show where the dark and mid go.

Render 1low quality · $0.032Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.
Review round 1redoneThe sky stopped at a wavy edge 41% to 47% down instead of the straight edge from step 1, leaving white where the gold sky was painted.
Render 2low quality · $0.032Redo from the step review; no filter can repaint a step of the finish.

STEP 3 OF 12

Light the cloud edges

Let the clouds dry first.
With the #8 round and creamy Sunset orange, paint most of the big top-right mass solid in small circles, leaving Cloud rose on its topmost bumps.
Pull four or five thin Sunset orange wisps on a slant, from 15% across, 25% down up to 50% across, 10% down. Let blue show between.
Wipe the brush nearly dry and skim Sunset orange along every cloud's lower edge, then touch Sun gold on edges nearest the sun.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
mid	Sunset orange	lower edges of every cloud
light	Sun gold	small touches on the edges nearest the sun

Paints for this step2 paints

Sunset orange from step 1, mix more if it has dried2 parts medium yellow, 1 part light magenta
Sun gold from step 1, mix more if it has dried1 part medium yellow, 1 part flesh tint

Try the nearly dry brush on scrap paper first.

Brushes

#8 round

Strokes

Small circles. Solid orange pieces: a normal load, scrubbed in small circles like the coral.

Dry brush. Thin glowing edges only: wipe the brush nearly clean and skim it lightly so the orange breaks up.

Watch out: Leave Cloud rose on the cloud tops; the dark top is what makes them look round.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 2 tries · $0.063

Why this step, now: The sun-facing edges come last for the clouds, after the coral is dry.

Why this tool: Lit edges on the clouds of the finish; no filter separates them from the coral.

No diagram: Repeated circles and dry-brushed edges; the wisps' path is given in grid numbers.

Render 1low quality · $0.031Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.
Review round 1redoneSame as clouds-coral: the sky ended at a wavy edge around 41% to 47% down.
Render 2low quality · $0.032Redo from the step review; no filter can repaint a step of the finish.
Review round 2fixed by lock-steps: the sun and the lower sky go back to step 2 (glow boxes kept off the sun)The sun moved down to about 45% and new coral streaks appeared in the lower sky, 40% to 55% down.

STEP 4 OF 12

Paint the far mountains

Let the sky dry first.
With the 1 inch flat and Far mountain violet, paint the far range: a peak at the left edge 37% down, a dip below the sun, a peak 59% across, 40% down.
Fill down to about 47% with level strokes, leaving the sun round above the dip.
Paint the near ridge's bumpy top, 45% to 51% down, in Ridge indigo, then Ridge blue below it to 55%, in level strokes.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
light	Far mountain violet	the far range
dark	Ridge indigo	the bumpy top of the near ridge
mid	Ridge blue	the band under the ridge

Paints for this step3 paints, 3 new

Far mountain violet new1 part violet, 1 part lake blue, 1 part white
Ridge indigo new1 part lake blue, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
Ridge blue new3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts white, 1 part flesh tint

Let the orange sky show under the ridge for now; the fields cover it next.

Brushes

1 inch flat

Strokes

Horizontal strokes. Keep the flat level and pull long strokes; slope only along the mountain tops.

Watch out: Keep the far mountains soft and plain: no texture far away.

Heads up, this picture is a little off: White canvas started right under the mountains at about 55% down, where the gold sky had reached about 60%. lock-steps put back most of it; a thin white strip under the ridge remains in the picture. Paint what the steps say.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.032

Why this step, now: The farthest land, soft and plain, right over the sky.

Why this tool: The mountains sit behind the fields and tree; no filter can remove those.

No diagram: Two level layers with peaks given in grid numbers.

Render 1low quality · $0.032Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.
Review round 2leftWhite canvas started right under the mountains at about 55% down, where the gold sky had reached about 60%. lock-steps put back most of it; a thin white strip under the ridge remains in the picture.

STEP 5 OF 12

Paint the fields and the golden hill

Let the mountains dry first.
With the 1 inch flat, lay the far fields 50% to 63% down on the left and middle in level bands, alternating Field olive and Hill gold.
Paint the hill from 63% down at 28% across up to 46% at the right edge: Field olive on its lower half, Hill gold above.
Pull a few Hill light streaks along the hilltop, up the slope. Let it all dry.
With the old stiff flat and Bush green, dab a low bush line 54% to 60% down on the left, and along the hill's foot.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
dark	Field olive	lower half of the hill, and every other far field
mid	Hill gold	upper hill and the brighter far fields
light	Hill light	a few streaks along the hilltop

Paints for this step4 paints, 4 new

Field olive new1 part yellow ochre, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
Hill gold new1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta, a touch of flesh tint
Hill light new2 parts white, 1 part medium yellow, 1 part yellow ochre
Bush green new2 parts ocean green, 1 part dark green, 1 part permanent red

Test the dabbing on scrap paper first.

Brushes

1 inch flatold stiff flat

Strokes

Strokes that follow the slope. On the hill, pull the flat up and to the right along the slope.

Dabbing. Tap the stiff brush's corner with little paint so the bushes look soft and round.

Watch out: Dab the bushes only on dry paint, or the green turns the gold muddy.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.032

Why this step, now: The middle distance, over the mountains' base; the tree's hill must be there before the tree.

Why this tool: The fields sit behind the tree and lavender, which a filter can't remove.

No diagram: Level bands and one slope, given in grid numbers; the bushes are one repeated dab.

Render 1low quality · $0.032Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.

STEP 6 OF 12

Paint the big tree

Let the hill dry first.
With the #8 round and Trunk brown, pull the trunk up from 47% down at 86% across to about 38%, splitting into short branches.
Dab the crown with the stiff flat in Bush green, 68% across to the right edge, 22% to 44% down, in five round clumps (diagram).
Dab Tree green on the top of each clump, then Tree lit green on the left, sun side.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
dark	Bush green	the whole crown first, bottoms and right side stay dark
mid	Tree green	the top of each clump
light	Tree lit green	left edges facing the sun

Paints for this step4 paints, 3 new

Trunk brown new3 parts dark green, 2 parts permanent red
Bush green from step 5, mix more if it has dried2 parts ocean green, 1 part dark green, 1 part permanent red
Tree green new3 parts dark green, 1 part light magenta
Tree lit green new2 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts medium yellow, 1 part violet

If it looks messy now, that's the ugly stage every painting goes through. Keep going.

Brushes

#8 roundold stiff flat

Strokes

Press and lift. Press the round's belly at the trunk's base, then lift as you pull up, so the trunk tapers.

Dabbing. Tap the stiff brush in round clumps, darkest first, each lighter value covering less.

Watch out: Leave some dark showing between the lighter clumps.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.031 Diagram · free

Why this step, now: Sits on the hill, so it follows it; dark, mid, then lit clumps.

Why this tool: The tree is a shaped object in the finish; no filter isolates it from the sky.

Why a diagram: A shaped object appears whole, and where the crown starts and how the trunk forks isn't clear from the picture.

How it broke the shape down: A Y trunk, then six round dark clumps (one small one sticking out left), mid green on the tops, lit green on the left facing the sun.

Checked against the picture: The crown is about twice as wide as tall with the trunk right of center, as in the step image (crown 68% to the right edge, trunk 86% across).

Where this came from: beginner check

Render 1low quality · $0.031Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.

Build the tree: a Y trunk, then clumps dark to light

1 Trunk splits like a Y

2 Five round dark clumps

3 Tree green on the tops

4 Lit green on the left

Dashed outline: what to paint in that picture. Arrows: which way to move the brush.

STEP 7 OF 12

Paint the hot-air balloon

Let the sky dry first.
With chalk, draw the teardrop as in the diagram: about 2.5 inches wide, 11% to 29% across, 4% to 27% down. Mark curved stripe lines.
With the #8 round, paint the stripes left to right: red, blue, red, yellow, blue, teal, red, yellow, teal, red, thin yellow edge.
Near the left and right edges, blend a little Trunk brown into each wet stripe so the sides look darker and round.
With the #4 round and Trunk brown, add the bottom band and a basket at 20% across, 30% to 33% down; liner ropes between.

Paints for this step5 paints, 4 new

Balloon red new1 part rouge, 1 part permanent red, a touch of medium yellow
Balloon yellow new1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta
Balloon blue new3 parts lake blue, 1 part ocean green
Balloon teal new2 parts ocean green, 1 part lake blue, a touch of white
Trunk brown from step 6, mix more if it has dried3 parts dark green, 2 parts permanent red

Rinse fully between stripe colors, or the yellow goes green.

Thin the brown like ink for the ropes, and test a line on scrap paper.

Brushes

#8 round#4 roundLiner (#1 or #0)

Strokes

Curved strokes that follow a form. Pull each stripe from top to bottom along the balloon's curve, so it looks round.

Liner work. Thin paint, brush upright, light steady pressure for the ropes.

Watch out: Stripes are widest in the middle and narrow toward the edges.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.032 Diagram · free

Why this step, now: The subject; it floats in the sky, so it goes on once the sky and everything behind it are dry.

Why this tool: The balloon over the finished sky; no filter removes it from later steps' pictures.

Why a diagram: The subject appears whole; the teardrop outline and curved stripes need sketching first.

How it broke the shape down: A circle for the top, a taper to a point, curved stripe guide lines from top to bottom, then the band, ropes, and basket.

Checked against the picture: Close to square in inches (about 2.5 by 2.5), stripes curving with the shape, as in the picture.

Where this came from: beginner check

Render 1low quality · $0.032Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.

Build the balloon from a circle and a taper

1 A circle for the top

2 Taper it to a point

3 Curve the stripe lines

4 Band, ropes, basket

Dashed outline: what to paint in that picture. Arrows: which way to move the brush.

STEP 8 OF 12

Block in the lavender rows and paths

Let the fields dry first. Mark a dot at 58% across, 62% down: every row and path runs to it.
With the #8 round and Path earth, paint two paths from the dot: left to 28%-38% across at the bottom edge, right to 75%-86%.
With the 1 inch flat and Lavender shadow, fill the rest solid from about 61% down to the bottom, strokes running toward the dot. Let it dry.
With the #4 round and Path earth, pull thin lines toward the dot to split the field into rows, thin near the dot.

Paints for this step2 paints, 2 new

Lavender shadow new1 part lake blue, a touch of ultramarine, a touch of permanent red
Path earth new3 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts light magenta, a touch of dark green

Brushes

1 inch flat#8 round#4 round

Strokes

Strokes toward a vanishing point. Pull each stroke along its row toward the dot: rows wide in front, thin near the dot.

Watch out: Keep the paths straight; they stay that shape to the end.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 3 tries · $0.059 Diagram · free

Why this step, now: The nearest area. Its rows and paths are laid flat first so the converging lines are set before any texture.

Why this tool: The rows under the finish's dabs; no filter can strip the dabs away and keep the rows.

Why a diagram: The rows' and paths' placement depends on one vanishing point, which an instruction can't show well.

How it broke the shape down: A dot at 58% across, the two paths widening from it, then thin row lines fanning out from it, drawn at the field's real proportions (a wide, short band).

Checked against the picture: Paths reach the bottom at about 28-38% and 75-86% across, as in the step image.

Where this came from: beginner check

Render 1low quality · $0.019Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.
Review round 1redoneThe paths sat to the right of where step 9 and the finish have them.
Render 2low quality · $0.020Redo from the step review; no filter can repaint a step of the finish.
Review round 2redoneAfter the redo the paths fanned out too wide (left path ending 18-27% across), so they jumped between steps 8 and 9.
Render 3low quality · $0.020Second-round redo from the step review; no filter can repaint a step of the finish.

Rows and paths all run to one dot

1 A dot where they meet

2 Two paths to the dot

3 Thin row lines to the dot

Dashed outline: what to paint in that picture. Arrows: which way to move the brush.

STEP 9 OF 12

Dab the dark lavender

Let the rows dry first.
With the #8 round and Lavender deep, dab short upright marks along the bottom of each front row, below 75% down, bigger toward the bottom edge.
Add only a few small ones farther back, and tuck a few Bush green stem dabs between the front ones.

Paints for this step2 paints, 1 new

Lavender deep new2 parts violet, 2 parts dark green, 1 part ultramarine
Bush green from step 5, mix more if it has dried2 parts ocean green, 1 part dark green, 1 part permanent red

Test a few dabs on scrap paper first.

Brushes

#8 round

Strokes

Dabbing. Touch the tip down and flick slightly up, so each dab is a short upright mark.

Watch out: Small marks at the back; there they're barely more than lines.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Filter · free

Why this step, now: Inserted by split-texture: the darkest marks first, so the lavender doesn't jump from flat to textured.

Why this tool: The lavender went from flat rows to full dabs in one picture (texture jump); split-texture made this darkest pass from the two, free.

No diagram: One repeated dab along each row's base; the step 11 clump diagram shows the full build-up.

STEP 10 OF 12

Dab the middle violet

Let the dark dabs dry first.
With the old stiff flat and Lavender violet, dab short upward taps along every row, small and tight at the back, bigger in front. Let clumps spill a little over the path edges.
Leave plenty of Lavender shadow showing between dabs and at each row's base.

Paints for this step1 paint, 1 new

Lavender violet new3 parts violet, 2 parts white, 1 part ultramarine

Brushes

old stiff flat

Strokes

Dabbing. Tap the stiff brush's corner upward; tap more for a solid patch, less to stay broken.

Watch out: Don't cover the dark: the gaps make the clumps look round.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Filter · free

Why this step, now: Inserted by split-texture: the first violet pass over the dark.

Why this tool: Second pass of the split, made from the rows and the full dabs, free.

No diagram: One repeated dab; same clump diagram.

STEP 11 OF 12

Dab the lighter violet on top

Let the violet dry first.
With the #8 round and Lavender bright, press at a clump's middle and flick up and out, fanning short spikes over its top half (diagram).
Make front clumps big, up to an inch (8% across); keep back ones tiny near the dot.

Build the depth, dark first
Value	Paint	Where
dark	Lavender shadow	row bases (already painted)
mid	Lavender violet	the body of each clump (already painted)
light	Lavender bright	top half of each clump

Paints for this step4 paints, 2 new

Lavender bright new4 parts white, 3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts light magenta
Lavender violet from step 10, mix more if it has dried3 parts violet, 2 parts white, 1 part ultramarine
Lavender shadow from step 8, mix more if it has dried1 part lake blue, a touch of ultramarine, a touch of permanent red
Lavender lilac new4 parts white, 3 parts violet, 2 parts light magenta

Brushes

#8 round

Strokes

Flicking. Light load, press, then flick quickly up and out, so each mark is a tapered spike.

Watch out: Keep the dark base showing at the bottom of every row.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.019 Diagram · free

Why this step, now: The lighter violet on the clump tops, so each row reads as rounded bushes.

Why this tool: The full violet dabs without the finish's lilac tips; no filter removes just the tips.

Why a diagram: A repeated mark across the whole field; the step review showed the marks are flicked spikes, not dots.

How it broke the shape down: One front clump: the dark base and violet body already painted, then spikes flicked up and out from the middle, then where the lilac tips go in the last step.

Checked against the picture: Matches the front clumps in steps 11 and 12.

Where this came from: beginner check

Render 1low quality · $0.019Each step is the finish with later layers not painted yet; no composite tool exists (#8), and a throwaway inpaint can't invent the sky behind the mountains, tree, balloon, and lavender that later layers cover.

One front clump, spikes flicked up and out

1 Dark base, violet body (done)

2 Flick spikes from the middle

3 Lilac tips come last

Dashed outline: what to paint in that picture. Arrows: which way to move the brush.

STEP 12 OF 12

Add the lavender tips and final highlights

Let everything dry first.
With the #4 round and Lavender lilac, flick short spikes up from the top of each clump, longer in the front rows below 75% down.
Fewer and smaller toward the back. Step back and compare with the picture: you're done.

Paints for this step1 paint

Lavender lilac from step 11, mix more if it has dried4 parts white, 3 parts violet, 2 parts light magenta

Let it dry an hour before handling.

Brushes

#4 round

Strokes

Flicking. Light load, a quick upward flick from the clump's top, over dry paint.

Watch out: Keep each tip small; a few per clump is plenty.

Drying: About 10 minutes between steps (a hair dryer on low speeds it up). An hour after the last step before handling.

How this picture was made Render · 1 try · $0.067

Why this step, now: Lilac tips: the brightest marks, last.

Why this tool: The finished painting is always a render.

No diagram: Small lilac flicks, shown as the last panel of the step 11 diagram.

Render 1high quality · $0.067No filter turns a reference into an acrylic painting on canvas; every step copies from this finish.

Behind the easel

How this lesson was made

You don't need any of this to paint. It's for the curious: how Claude read your photo, picked a technique, and chose between free filters and paid image renders for every picture above.

notes from the studio

Filterfree, built in

Beginner versionReferenceValue studyPaletteMeasuring grid9 10

Throwaway filterfree, written for this photo

not needed

Seeded renderpaid, started from a filter

not needed

Renderpaid, image model

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12

Numbers are steps. A dashed, struck-through number was tried on that rung first and didn't hold up. Claude starts at the top and pays for a render only when nothing free will do.

How Claude read your photosubject, light, layers

Before starting

Subject: A striped hot-air balloon over a lavender field at sunset

Found in the image: just the picture

Done: none

Why: No bars, borders, or captions; the whole image is the painting.

Fitted to your canvas

Canvas: 14 x 11 in, landscape

Done: crop

Left out: about 11% on the left (cloud band, the left end of the hills and lavender) and 4% on the right

Why: The picture is wider than 14x11; plain edges could go without touching the balloon, sun, tree, or paths.

Beginner version

What made it too busy: Tiny separate things: yes, a village of houses and many cypresses. Textures of hundreds of items: yes, every lavender stalk. Detail inside big shapes: yes, veined, puffy clouds. More than 8 parts: yes, about a dozen at different distances.

Changed: Dropped the village, cypresses, and lake glint; merged the clouds into a few big masses, the farmland into two or three bands with one bush line, and the mountains into two flat layers; turned the lavender into rows of loose dabs and the tree into four or five clumps.

Why: A beginner can't paint a village or thousands of stalks; the composition, balloon, sun, tree, and converging rows are what make the picture.

A sunset scene built in bands: a hot orange and coral sky, soft violet mountains, golden hills with one big tree, and a lavender field whose rows run to a vanishing point. The balloon is the subject but small; the hard parts for a beginner are the cloud values, keeping the rows and paths converging on one dot, and building the lavender texture in passes instead of all at once.

Subject: A striped hot-air balloon floating over a lavender field at sunset, with soft violet mountains, golden hills, and one big tree on the right.
Focal point: The striped balloon, upper left (28% across, 15% down in the frame), set against the glowing orange sky.
Light: The low sun, behind the mountains a little left of center (43% across, 41% down in the frame): cloud undersides and the tree's left side catch the light, and the lavender tips glow lilac and pink.

What it saw, back to front

sky gradient and sun
coral cloud masses
lit cloud edges
far mountains
far fields, bush line, and golden hill
big tree
hot-air balloon
lavender rows and dirt paths
lavender dabs
lavender tips and final highlights

Why this techniquePaint along, back to front

The owner named the technique (acrylic-paint-along-beginner).

ChosenPaint along, back to frontStart on a plain white canvas. Paint the sky first, then each part of the scene from farthest to nearest, each straight over the one behind it. Then the main subject, texture with simple brush moves, shadows, and highlights last.

Paint-along, back to front, fits a layered landscape exactly: sky, clouds, mountains, fields, tree, balloon, then the foreground lavender, each over the one behind.

Passed onBlock in, then build up (acrylic-block-in-beginner)

It starts with a toned ground, a sketch, and a block-in of every area; the owner paints YouTube-style paint-alongs, and this picture's bands go on naturally back to front.

How the paint recipes were worked out27 paints, free

Paint doesn't mix like light on a screen: blue and yellow make green, not gray. So the recipes come from a pigment mixing model (Mixbox), not a guess. For each paint it tried every simple recipe from your tubes, up to three colors plus white, and kept the one that lands closest to the color in the painting. Delta E is how far off it lands: under 2 is hard to see, under 5 is close, and over 8 means these tubes can't quite make it.

Evening blue Delta E 1.1
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts lake blue, 2 parts white
Written by eye first: 3 parts Titanium white, 1 part Sky blue, a touch of Ultramarine
Sunset red Delta E 0.6
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, a touch of white
Written by eye first: 2 parts Orange, 1 part Light magenta, a little Titanium white
Sunset orange Delta E 0.6
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts medium yellow, 1 part light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Yellow deep, 1 part Orange
Sun gold Delta E 1.0
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part medium yellow, 1 part flesh tint
Written by eye first: 2 parts Medium yellow, 1 part Yellow deep, a little Titanium white
Sun cream Delta E 1.0
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts white, 1 part yellow ochre, a touch of flesh tint
Written by eye first: 3 parts Titanium white, 1 part Medium yellow
Cloud rose Delta E 1.3
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts rouge, 1 part flesh tint, a touch of yellow ochre
Written by eye first: 2 parts Rouge, 1 part Light magenta, 1 part Titanium white
Cloud coral Delta E 1.4
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part medium yellow, 1 part rouge, 1 part light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Permanent red, 1 part Orange, 1 part Titanium white
Far mountain violet Delta E 0.7
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part violet, 1 part lake blue, 1 part white
Written by eye first: 2 parts Titanium white, 1 part Violet, 1 part Ultramarine
Ridge indigo Delta E 1.2
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part lake blue, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
Written by eye first: 2 parts Ultramarine, 1 part Violet, 1 part Titanium white
Ridge blue Delta E 1.0
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts white, 1 part flesh tint
Written by eye first: 2 parts Lake blue, 1 part Titanium white, a touch of Violet
Field olive Delta E 1.6
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part yellow ochre, a touch of violet, a touch of flesh tint
Written by eye first: 2 parts Light olive green, 1 part Yellow ochre, 1 part Medium yellow
Hill gold Delta E 1.5
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta, a touch of flesh tint
Written by eye first: 3 parts Medium yellow, 1 part Yellow ochre
Hill light Delta E 0.9
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts white, 1 part medium yellow, 1 part yellow ochre
Written by eye first: 2 parts Medium yellow, 1 part Titanium white
Bush green Delta E 1.1
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts ocean green, 1 part dark green, 1 part permanent red
Written by eye first: 2 parts Dark green, 1 part Ultramarine
Tree green Delta E 3.5
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts dark green, 1 part light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Cadmium green, 1 part Dark green, a little Titanium white
Tree lit green Delta E 2.0
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts medium yellow, 1 part violet
Written by eye first: 2 parts Light olive green, 1 part Medium yellow
Trunk brown Delta E 1.1
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts dark green, 2 parts permanent red
Written by eye first: 2 parts Burnt umber, 1 part Burnt sienna
Balloon red Delta E 1.2
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part rouge, 1 part permanent red, a touch of medium yellow
Written by eye first: Permanent red
Balloon yellow Delta E 1.1
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part medium yellow, a touch of light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Medium yellow, 1 part Yellow deep
Balloon blue Delta E 0.7
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts lake blue, 1 part ocean green
Written by eye first: Lake blue, a touch of Ultramarine
Balloon teal Delta E 1.4
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts ocean green, 1 part lake blue, a touch of white
Written by eye first: 2 parts Ocean green, 1 part Lake blue
Lavender shadow Delta E 1.3
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 1 part lake blue, a touch of ultramarine, a touch of permanent red
Written by eye first: 2 parts Ultramarine, 1 part Violet
Lavender deep Delta E 1.1
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 2 parts violet, 2 parts dark green, 1 part ultramarine
Written by eye first: 2 parts Ultramarine, 1 part Dark green
Lavender violet Delta E 2.3
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts violet, 2 parts white, 1 part ultramarine
Written by eye first: 2 parts Violet, 1 part Titanium white, a little Ultramarine
Lavender bright Delta E 3.0
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 4 parts white, 3 parts ultramarine, 2 parts light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Violet, 2 parts Titanium white, a little Light magenta
Lavender lilac Delta E 1.2
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 4 parts white, 3 parts violet, 2 parts light magenta
Written by eye first: 2 parts Titanium white, 1 part Violet, a little Light magenta
Path earth Delta E 2.3
in the paintingthe recipe mixed
Mixer: 3 parts yellow ochre, 2 parts light magenta, a touch of dark green
Written by eye first: 2 parts Raw sienna, 1 part Orange, 1 part Titanium white

Furthest off: Delta E 3.5. Real tubes vary by brand, so mix, compare with the step picture, and nudge.

Why the steps go in this order12 steps

Back to front: the sky runs past the mountains so its strokes stay long, then clouds (dark, then lit edges), mountains, fields and hill, the tree on the hill, the balloon over the finished sky, and the lavender last because it is nearest. The lavender is built in passes: flat dark rows, dark stem dabs, violet dabs, lighter violet spikes, and lilac tips in the final step.

1. Paint the sunset sky and the sun
Everything sits on the sky, so it goes first and runs down to 59% so the mountains and fields can be painted over it.
2. Lay in the coral clouds
The clouds' dark tops and body go on before their lit edges, so the light can sit on top.
3. Light the cloud edges
The sun-facing edges come last for the clouds, after the coral is dry.
4. Paint the far mountains
The farthest land, soft and plain, right over the sky.
5. Paint the fields and the golden hill
The middle distance, over the mountains' base; the tree's hill must be there before the tree.
6. Paint the big tree
Sits on the hill, so it follows it; dark, mid, then lit clumps.
7. Paint the hot-air balloon
The subject; it floats in the sky, so it goes on once the sky and everything behind it are dry.
8. Block in the lavender rows and paths
The nearest area. Its rows and paths are laid flat first so the converging lines are set before any texture.
9. Dab the dark lavender
Inserted by split-texture: the darkest marks first, so the lavender doesn't jump from flat to textured.
10. Dab the middle violet
Inserted by split-texture: the first violet pass over the dark.
11. Dab the lighter violet on top
The lighter violet on the clump tops, so each row reads as rounded bushes.
12. Add the lavender tips and final highlights
Lilac tips: the brightest marks, last.

Filters it tried8 free looks

render filter output — The photo has a village, cypresses, veined clouds, and thousands of lavender stalks. Village and cypresses gone, clouds merged into a few masses, lavender turned into loose dabs; balloon, sun, tree, and paths kept.

simplify filter output — A clean simplified reference from the beginner version. Big clean shapes, paths still readable, balloon stripes intact.

value-study filter output — Light sky, mid fields, dark lavender. The three bands separate cleanly; the lavender is the darkest mass.

palette filter output — The main colors to mix. Violet, deep indigo, orange, coral, lilac, and earth.

grid filter output — Positions for the step text on the canvas. Used for every position in the text.

fit-canvas filter output — Subject is the striped hot-air balloon over a sunset; the sun, the tree on the right hill, and the converging lavender rows must stay

Where Claude drew diagrams4 steps, free

Four steps needed pictures: the tree and the balloon are shaped objects appearing whole, the rows depend on one vanishing point, and the lavender clump is a repeated mark that has to be built up stroke by stroke.

Step 6: Paint the big tree beginner check
Noticed: A shaped object appears whole, and where the crown starts and how the trunk forks isn't clear from the picture.
Pieces: A Y trunk, then six round dark clumps (one small one sticking out left), mid green on the tops, lit green on the left facing the sun.
Step 7: Paint the hot-air balloon beginner check
Noticed: The subject appears whole; the teardrop outline and curved stripes need sketching first.
Pieces: A circle for the top, a taper to a point, curved stripe guide lines from top to bottom, then the band, ropes, and basket.
Step 8: Block in the lavender rows and paths beginner check
Noticed: The rows' and paths' placement depends on one vanishing point, which an instruction can't show well.
Pieces: A dot at 58% across, the two paths widening from it, then thin row lines fanning out from it, drawn at the field's real proportions (a wide, short band).
Step 11: Dab the lighter violet on top beginner check
Noticed: A repeated mark across the whole field; the step review showed the marks are flicked spikes, not dots.
Pieces: One front clump: the dark base and violet body already painted, then spikes flicked up and out from the middle, then where the lilac tips go in the last step.

Looked at and left without one

Step 1: A gradient: the colors are named in order with where each band sits.
Step 2: Repeated small circles; the picture and values table show where the dark and mid go.
Step 3: Repeated circles and dry-brushed edges; the wisps' path is given in grid numbers.
Step 4: Two level layers with peaks given in grid numbers.
Step 5: Level bands and one slope, given in grid numbers; the bushes are one repeated dab.
Step 9: One repeated dab along each row's base; the step 11 clump diagram shows the full build-up.
Step 10: One repeated dab; same clump diagram.
Step 12: Small lilac flicks, shown as the last panel of the step 11 diagram.

What the reviewer caught39 notes

A second Claude, with fresh eyes and none of this reasoning, compared each picture with its neighbors and the finish. It gets two rounds of fixes, then stops; anything still off is flagged on its step. A third checked each step's words against a measured map of what the picture changed, asking whether a beginner following them would get there.

Round 1 Step 2: The sky stopped at a wavy edge 41% to 47% down instead of the straight edge from step 1, leaving white where the gold sky was painted. (redone)
Round 1 Step 3: Same as clouds-coral: the sky ended at a wavy edge around 41% to 47% down. (redone)
Round 1 Step 8: The paths sat to the right of where step 9 and the finish have them. (redone)
Round 2 Step 3: The sun moved down to about 45% and new coral streaks appeared in the lower sky, 40% to 55% down. (fixed by lock-steps: the sun and the lower sky go back to step 2 (glow boxes kept off the sun))
Round 2 Step 4: White canvas started right under the mountains at about 55% down, where the gold sky had reached about 60%. lock-steps put back most of it; a thin white strip under the ridge remains in the picture. (left)
Round 2 Step 8: After the redo the paths fanned out too wide (left path ending 18-27% across), so they jumped between steps 8 and 9. (redone)
Text check: missing Step 1: The sky's bottom band (45-59% down) is redder than the orange above it, and no color was named for it. (fixed: added Sunset red for that band)
Text check: vague Step 1: The gold glow around the sun had no size. (fixed: a soft oval about a hand wide, 25% to 50% across and down)
Text check: wrong_result Step 3: Dry brush can't make the solid orange that covers most of the top-right mass. (fixed)
Text check: vague Step 3: The new orange wisps said only 'as the picture shows'. (fixed: four or five slanted wisps from 15%/25% to 50%/10%)
Text check: wrong_result Step 3: The watch-out said edges only, but the picture covers most of the mass. (fixed: keep Cloud rose on the tops)
Text check: diagram Step 3: Proposed a one-cloud build-up diagram. (skipped: clouds are one repeated mark (small circles) and the values table plus the picture show where each goes)
Text check: flat Step 4: The near ridge has a dark bumpy top and a lighter band below; the text gave one color. (fixed: Ridge indigo top, Ridge blue band below)
Text check: drift Step 4: The orange sky strip at 55-59% down turns white. (left)
Text check: drift Step 4: Low clouds above the peaks change color. (left)
Text check: flat Step 5: The hill is pale on top and darker ochre-olive below; one color given. (fixed: Field olive lower, Hill gold above, Hill light streaks, with a values table)
Text check: flat Step 5: The far fields are light and dark bands; one color given. (fixed: alternate Field olive and Hill gold bands)
Text check: layering Step 5: Bushes dabbed onto wet fields with no wait. (fixed)
Text check: drift Step 5: Small sky and mountain patches change. (left)
Text check: diagram Step 5: Proposed a bush-line build-up diagram. (skipped: one repeated dab in a low line; the words and picture are enough)
Text check: drift Step 6: The hilltop under the tree is repainted. (left)
Text check: vague Step 6: The crown reaches about 68% across, but the text said 74%. (fixed, and a diagram added)
Text check: diagram Step 6: Proposed a clump build-up diagram. (diagram)
Text check: vague Step 7: It said 'as in the diagram' but there was no diagram or outline step. (fixed: chalk outline instruction, and the construction diagram added)
Text check: flat Step 7: The stripes darken toward the balloon's sides; each had one color. (fixed: blend a little Trunk brown into each wet stripe near the edges)
Text check: drift Step 7: A cloud beside the balloon changes. (left)
Text check: vague Step 8: A beginner can't leave thin lines between rows while filling with a 1 inch flat. (fixed)
Text check: drift Step 8: Two bushes from step 5 change. (left)
Text check: diagram Step 8: Proposed a vanishing-point diagram. (diagram)
Text check: wrong_result Step 9: Dabbing Lavender shadow onto a Lavender shadow base shows nothing, but the picture has darker blotches. (fixed: new Lavender deep (violet, dark green, ultramarine))
Text check: vague Step 9: The dark marks are mostly in the front rows; the text said every row. (fixed)
Text check: diagram Step 9: Proposed a front-row build-up diagram. (skipped: the step adds one dab type; the clump diagram on step 11 shows the whole build-up)
Text check: shape_change Step 10: The left path's edge gets covered by dabs. (skipped: the path keeps its line; the lavender clumps overhang its edges, which is how it is painted and how the finish looks. The text now says to let clumps spill a little over the path edges)
Text check: wrong_result Step 11: The light marks are tall flicked spikes; round-tip dabbing gives dots. (fixed: flicking, with a clump diagram)
Text check: shape_change Step 11: The left path narrows near the vanishing point. (skipped: same as step 10, clumps overhang the path; the finish has the same overhang, so the path's line hasn't moved)
Text check: diagram Step 11: Proposed a one-clump spike diagram. (diagram)
Text check: wrong_result Step 12: The lilac tips are long spikes; small taps give dots. (fixed)
Text check: wrong_result Step 12: The balloon-edge and tree-spot instructions show no change in the picture. (fixed: dropped, and their paints taken off the step)
Text check: diagram Step 12: Proposed a lilac-spike close-up. (skipped: shown as the last panel of the step 11 clump diagram)

The receipt$0.45 in image renders

beginner$0.024

medium quality

1. Paint the sunset sky and the sun$0.032

low quality

2. Lay in the coral clouds$0.032

low quality

2. Lay in the coral clouds$0.032

low quality

3. Light the cloud edges$0.031

low quality

3. Light the cloud edges$0.032

low quality

4. Paint the far mountains$0.032

low quality

5. Paint the fields and the golden hill$0.032

low quality

6. Paint the big tree$0.031

low quality

7. Paint the hot-air balloon$0.032

low quality

8. Block in the lavender rows and paths$0.019

low quality

8. Block in the lavender rows and paths$0.020

low quality

8. Block in the lavender rows and paths$0.020

low quality

11. Dab the lighter violet on top$0.019

low quality

12. Add the lavender tips and final highlights$0.067

high quality

Filters (9)$0

Diagrams (4)$0

Planning, review, writing$0*

Total, 15 renders$0.45

Gesso POC 0.21.0 (5295da7) on 2026-11-11

thanks for painting!

* Claude did this in Claude Code on a subscription, so there was no API charge.

What Claude would do differentlyfor the next lesson

Every first-round render of a cloud step stopped the sky at the sun (a wavy edge 41-47% down) even though looks_like gave a straight edge at 65%; the redo prompt saying 'the sky must not stop at the sun' worked.
A lock-steps protect box over the sun didn't help in the glow step: the step's own paints (Sun gold, Sunset orange) were allowed to change it. Leaving the sun out of the step's regions (boxes around it) did. In the mountains step a protect box left a visible rectangle; splitting the region around the sun fixed it.
split-texture copies the parent step's paints, looks_like, and colors to the new in-between steps (looks_like prefixed 'pass N of 3 toward'), so the darkest pass was labeled 'medium violet dabs' with Lavender violet. Every inserted step needs its plan entry rewritten by hand; the tool could name the passes dark and mid itself.
The darkest split-texture pass used a color darker than the base rows (the dark stems in the finish), so its paint had to be a new, darker mix (Lavender deep); the plan's base-row color alone couldn't make it.
canvas-view given a path (output/<lesson>/99_finish.png) instead of a file name inside the lesson reported success with a nested canvas/output/... path but wrote nothing. It should refuse or resolve the path.
canvas/ keeps stale crops after split-texture renumbers steps (a canvas/09_lavender-dabs.png stayed after the step became 11); publish doesn't clear them.
The mixer's recipes for some paints ignore the obvious straight tubes (Trunk brown as dark green plus permanent red instead of burnt umber and burnt sienna; Sunset orange as medium yellow plus light magenta). They hit the swatch (Delta E about 1) but read oddly to a painter who owns those tubes.
The step review says lavender in this style is flicked spikes, not dabs; the plan's 'dabs' wording came from the beginner-version prompt. Research section 4 covers fields and grass (flicking) but not flower clumps like lavender; worth a note there.
The step review flagged lavender clumps overhanging the paths as a shape change. They overhang in the finish too, so I skipped it; step-review.md could say that foreground texture overlapping a path's edge isn't a change to the path.