How to Paint a Snowy Mountain Retreat in Oil

Sketch out the mountain backdrop, river, and retreat house onto your canvas.

Mix the base-colour sky paint you will need.   Be sure the tone is dark enough so that it will not compete with the snow-capped mountains.  Continually darken the paint and utilize the “banding” technique that Nolan uses as you move up to the top of the canvas.  Blend the bands of colour.

Mix colours for the clouds, then paint them in.  Note the brush strokes Nolan uses to create the cloud shadows.  Then imitate his clever trick with a paper towel to create the cloud shapes.  Add highlights to the clouds.

Mix the colours you will need for the terrain and snow on the mountain , preparing values for midtones, highlights and shadows.

Begin by blocking in the snow on the mountain with the appropriately-placed tones.  Do the same with the rocky terrain.

Use your darker colors to paint in the lower part of the mountain.  Follow the lay-of-the-land with your brush strokes.

Mix the colours for the river and brush those in.  Note how Nolan adds the reflections on the water.

Starting from the bottom, begin applying the darkest grass tones.  Use lighter tones as you move up to the river.  Following Nolan's lead, add texture.

Modify your existing green colours with new paints to use for the trees behind the house.  Create the trees with random shapes.

Mix up even more greens to use for highlights and shadows.  Apply to trees in the foreground.  Add their shadows to ground them.

Create the shape of the retreat house by removing the paint where it will be located.  Thin some paint to make the outline of the house.  Add the details, such as sheep and fencing in front of the house.

Go back over the painting, adding any little dabs and dashes that will  give the painting better definition.