In this painting of Hallett Peak I really wanted to showcase the depth of this incredible landscape so that the majesty of this peak could take center stage. In order to achieve this depth, I made sure to pay attention to a few technique aspects of every landscape.
The first is that objects that are far in the distance have less color saturation and a smaller range of value. The second this that large objects in the distance have more atmosphere between it and the viewer so its colors typically have more blue in them, particularly the shadows. These small adjustments allow this peak to fade into the distance of the painting creating a nice illusion. Another important aspect of this painting was all of the shadows. This photo was taken at sunset time so there are plenty of shadows in this scene. The two main shadows I wanted to pay attention to were the shadows case by Hallett Peak in the background but also the shadow cast by a peak that is actually behind the viewer and out of sight.
I was tempted to leave this shadow out of the painting but I realized that it nicely created the illusion of immersion in the painting so that the viewer really feels surrounded my mountains. Plus this shadow breaks up the composition of the foreground nicely and adds some movement. Overall I really enjoyed creating this piece and I’m excited to be turning it into a Terra Human painting soon!
As always this original painting is available to purchase in my online shop. Click here to view in the shop!