Here's a simple and welcoming Weekend Landscape Painting Course designed especially for beginners, structured over two days with morning and afternoon sessions. It balances structured learning with hands-on painting and encouragement for personal expression.
🎨 Weekend Landscape Painting Course for Beginners
"From Blank Canvas to Beautiful Landscapes"
🗓️ Day 1 – Foundations & First Painting
Morning (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
Introduction & Core Skills
Welcome, materials overview, setting up a painting station
Basic drawing techniques: horizon line, composition, simple shapes
Understanding value and tone in landscapes (using charcoal or pencil)
Quick demos: skies, trees, land shapes, water reflections
Activity:
Practice sketching small thumbnails of simple landscapes from photo references
Afternoon (1:30 PM – 4:30 PM)
Colour & Your First Landscape Painting
Introduction to a limited colour palette (warm/cool primary colours, white)
Basic colour mixing: sky blues, earth greens, warm shadows
Instructor demo: simple step-by-step landscape (e.g. field, sky, tree line)
Students create their first landscape painting (from photo or guided image)
Goal:
Build confidence with materials and develop a sense of space and light
🗓️ Day 2 – Plein Air & Personal Expression
Morning (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
Outdoor Sketching & Painting (Plein Air)
Brief warm-up sketches in sketchbooks
Framing a scene: finding strong compositions in nature
Block-in exercise: quick tonal underpainting outdoors
Start small landscape study from life (or from shelter if raining)
Goal:
Observe real light and colour, develop speed and decision-making
Afternoon (1:30 PM – 4:30 PM)
Final Painting & Group Reflection
Choose reference or outdoor sketch to work into a larger piece
Instructor provides 1-on-1 guidance and feedback
Add finishing touches, sign your work
Group sharing circle: talk about what was learned, what you enjoyed
Wrap-Up:
Tips for continuing at home
Optional: Certificate of Completion and group photo
🧰 Materials Provided (or Bring Your Own)
Sketchbook, pencils, eraser
Acrylic or gouache paints (beginner-friendly, fast-drying)
Palette, brushes, water container, rags
Canvas boards or paper
Easels or boards for plein air (weather-dependent)