Learn to draw by Tissa Hewavitarane:

How sun light affects angular forms

Before I begin this important step, I look for some quiet place, leaving all the world behind and to become part of the landscape. This quiet mode can kickstart creativity. It is about the white house that I want to tell. Across the lawn I have placed it large enough to dominate the painting and yet low enough to give room for the sky and trees that reach high into it. After I have reached the house, the next is how much of an area will I give to do the lawn and trees.

The foreground tree is put on the square and the side of the house, and the other trees near the front of the house. Whatever happens, as I paint the scene will be the value and colours and the pattern they create to express this house. The dark tree in the foreground is painted stronger than the dark closer to the house.

The tree get its strength because it is bigger. The roof and the L-shape of the house is painted, under the leaves of the house and the tree trunk closer to the house. Now it is the sky to work first. Whatever is on earth - no matter the value, colour or form, it is touched by the light of the day.

Next is to start with the underside of the clouds, mixing a near neutral Gray with Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Red and Yellow Ochore, three primary colours.

The colours of each object and shape as they are in the light and space is in the picture plane.

Then a cool colour is applied to the sky - not as much as the sun. This is done when it is wet.

Do not try to mix these colours, just apply them with a lot of water, then the paint will mix by itself. This is abration, the warms and cools affecting local colour and value.

As I painted the lawn, all I thought about was "it is green," also the sun is added to this green the same way as the roof and the cool sky reflecting it down. Shadows are now cast.

It is done last because these shapes and values help lead and create abstract patterns in the landscape. Here you can quite clearly see the influence of the blue sky.

Trees are arranged vertically and move us into the painting and also lead us subtly to the house. They also add more vertical strength to the house.

Making it stately, I have now finished all forms adding more shadow accents on the tree branches and finishing the background trees.

This painting was done on Waterford 140lb pressed paper. It is a medium paper, not too hard or soft and take good washes.

The brushes used are soft Sable hair numbers 2, 6, 8 and 12 with minimum colours Cobalt blue, yellow ochore hookers green and burnt sienna.