Warm Colours of the Australian Outback

Many painters ask me how to make a hot, sunny place look real on paper. Yesterday, I answered this question during my live monthly video show for my Patreon group. We started a fun trip around the world using our brushes. Our first stop was the famous Australian Outback, and you can see what we made in my new painting, The Outback.jpg.

To start this painting, I thought about the strong light and the dry land. I chose a very bright sky using cobalt blue mixed with a little cerulean blue at the top. Then, I let the blue fade down to a soft, light colour near the trees to show the hot sun. This helps the dark green trees stand out and look very sharp against the background.

The big challenge in this scene was the ground. The soil in the Outback is a very special, warm red. I used a mix of burnt sienna, cadmium red, and yellow ochre to get that rich, earthy feel. I painted the road with big, quick strokes. While the paint was still wet, I added some dark lines with neutral tint to make shadows and show the bumps on the dirt track.

Next came the tall eucalyptus trees. I used viridian green and a bit of cobalt blue for the leaves to give them that cool, blue-green look. I used a small brush to make the thin trunks and branches. I also left the white paper showing for the car in the middle. This white car helps guide your eye down the road and adds life to the quiet landscape.