Elena Rossi
Starry Night, painted by Vincent Van Gogh in 1889, is a beautiful and iconic work of art. The painting is famous for its swirling sky and use of colour, and it is a wonderful subject for aspiring artists to try and emulate. While it may seem complex, painting a starry night sky is a simple and fun process that can be easily followed by beginners and children alike. This step-by-step guide will teach you how to create a stunning nature painting with a gorgeous starry sky and a dramatic forest using acrylic colours and simple techniques.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Painting Style | Acrylics on canvas |
| Difficulty Level | Beginner-friendly |
| Colors Used | Ultramarine blue, deep green, lighter green, cadmium yellow, titanium white, black, red, yellow, brown, orange |
| Brushes Used | M1 brush, #12 bright, #½ flat brush, #0 detail brush |
| Techniques | Impasto technique, flicking paint with a finger, blending |
| Notable Elements | Swirly sky, stars, tree trunks and branches, cypress tree |
| Additional Tips | Use a larger brush for a larger canvas, step back regularly to assess progress, look at the original painting for reference |
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What You'll Learn
Mixing background colours
To mix the background colours for a painting of a starry night sky, you will need ultramarine blue, deep green, and a lighter green. The exact quantities are not important; the key is to have three different shades for the background.
Start by leaving a small amount of ultramarine blue to the side, untouched. Then, mix a deep green and a lighter green. Once you have your three shades, use a brush to apply the colours in roughly even-sized segments. Start with the ultramarine blue at the top of the canvas, gradually transitioning to the lighter shades of green towards the bottom of the canvas.
After applying the three shades, clean your brush, ensuring it is only slightly damp. Use a light touch and a swirling motion to blend the colours together into a smooth gradient. This step will create a beautiful, seamless background for your starry night sky.
To enhance the background further, you can add a small amount of titanium white mixed with a couple of tablespoons of water. This light mixture can be applied with a clean, damp brush to create a subtle, glowing effect. This step is optional but can add a magical touch to your starry night sky painting.
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Blending the sky
To blend the sky for an easy, step-by-step painting of Starry Night, follow these instructions:
Start by mixing the colours you will use for the background. You will need ultramarine blue, a deep green, and a lighter green. You don't need to mix the exact same quantities, but you should aim for three distinct shades.
Once you have your shades mixed, use a brush to apply the colours in roughly even-sized segments. Begin with the ultramarine blue at the top of the canvas, gradually working your way down from dark to light until the entire canvas is covered.
Clean your brush, ensuring it is only slightly damp, and use a very light touch with a swirling motion to blend the colours together into a smooth gradient.
To add some extra pop to the painting, use unmixed cadmium yellow and apply it with a light, swirling motion to the lower part of the painting. This will blend with the greens in the background to create an aurora effect and make the trees stand out.
Finally, to create the stars, dip your flat brush into some white paint and angle it down towards the canvas. Use your finger to flick white paint onto the canvas, creating a concentration of stars. You can then use a detail brush with titanium white to add bigger stars here and there, and even paint a shooting star.
By following these steps, you will be able to blend the sky and create a beautiful starry night painting.
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Painting the stars
Prepare Your Materials
Before you begin, ensure you have the right tools ready. You'll need a #1/2 flat brush, a #0 detail brush, and titanium white paint. You might also want to have a cup of water nearby to clean your brushes between colours.
Create the Stars
Dip your #1/2 flat brush into the white paint. Angle the brush towards the canvas and use your finger to flick white paint onto it. This technique will create a beautiful starry effect. You can control the density of the stars by adjusting the amount of paint you flick and the direction in which you flick it. Play around with this technique to create a starry sky that speaks to you!
Add Bigger Stars
For larger stars, use your #0 detail brush. Dip it into the titanium white paint and carefully add bigger stars wherever you'd like. You can place them sporadically or cluster them together to form constellations.
Paint a Shooting Star
Now, take your #1/2 flat brush again and mix a colour that represents the tail of a shooting star. You can use colours like yellow, red, or green to create a vibrant tail streaking across the night sky. Place your shooting star wherever you desire; maybe it's falling over the trees or streaking above the mountains.
Finalize the Starry Sky
Step back and admire your handiwork. Ensure that your stars are distributed to your liking and that your shooting star stands out. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to painting the stars, so let your creativity shine!
With these simple steps, you've added a gorgeous starry sky to your painting. Now, you can move on to the next steps of creating your masterpiece, whether it's painting trees, a village, or a majestic moon. Enjoy the process, and don't forget to step back regularly to admire your artwork!
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Painting the trees
Next, you can add some texture to the trees. Using cadmium orange, paint some wavy lines through the black of the trees. Do this while the black paint is still wet so that the colours blend together. These orange lines should be subtle and soft.
Finally, to make the trees stand out, add some unmixed cadmium yellow to the lower part of the painting, in a swirling motion. This will blend with the greens in the background and create a beautiful aurora effect, making the trees dramatic and eye-catching.
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Adding texture
To add texture to your painting of Starry Night, you can use a variety of techniques. Firstly, when painting the sky, use light, swirling motions with your brush to create a smooth gradient of colour. This will give the sky a soft, blended texture.
For the stars, dip your brush into white paint and use your finger to flick the paint onto the canvas. This technique will create a variety of star sizes and concentrations, adding texture and interest to the sky. You can also use a small detail brush to add bigger stars here and there.
When painting the trees, you can add texture to the black paint by mixing in a small amount of cadmium orange hue and painting wavy lines. Do this while the black paint is still wet so that the colours blend together. This will create a subtle, textured effect.
Finally, to add an extra pop of texture and colour to the painting, use unmixed cadmium yellow in a light, swirling motion among the trees. This will blend with the greens in the background and make the trees stand out.
Remember, when adding texture, it's important to experiment and have fun with the process. Don't be afraid to step back and assess your progress regularly to ensure you are happy with the results.
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