Pastel Landscape Mastery: Structure and Atmospheric Perspective
Lesson Description
In this essential lesson from the Pastel Landscape Mastery course, Matt introduces students to one of the most important concepts in landscape drawing—structure. By organizing a scene into clearly defined spatial zones, students learn how to approach complex landscapes with confidence and clarity. This lesson focuses on developing a drawing through a logical progression, while also exploring the powerful concept of atmospheric perspective to create a convincing sense of depth.
Breaking the Landscape into Three Distinct Areas
At the core of this lesson is the idea that every successful landscape can be simplified into three primary areas: the background, middle ground, and foreground. Matt explains how recognizing these divisions allows artists to better organize their compositions and avoid feeling overwhelmed by detail.
Rather than jumping into details too early, students are guided to think in terms of large shapes and value relationships. By clearly identifying where each area exists within the scene, the drawing becomes easier to manage and more visually cohesive from the very beginning.
A Logical Approach to Building the Drawing
This lesson emphasizes a structured workflow that begins with the background, progresses to the foreground, and finishes with the middle ground. This sequence may feel unconventional at first, but it allows students to establish depth early and build the image in a way that supports spatial clarity.
Starting with the background helps define the furthest point in the landscape, setting the stage for everything that follows. The foreground is then developed with stronger contrast and more defined marks, creating a sense of immediacy. Finally, the middle ground is carefully adjusted to bridge the two areas, ensuring a smooth visual transition throughout the composition.
This step-by-step progression reinforces the importance of planning and encourages students to think critically about how each part of the landscape relates to the whole.
Creating Depth with Atmospheric Perspective
In addition to structural organization, Matt introduces the concept of atmospheric perspective—a key principle for creating the illusion of space in a landscape. This concept explains how objects appear to change as they recede into the distance, becoming lighter in value, cooler in color, and less detailed.
Through demonstration and explanation, students learn how to apply these changes intentionally. Distant areas are softened and simplified, while closer elements are rendered with stronger contrast and sharper edges. This variation in value, color, and clarity creates a natural sense of depth that draws the viewer into the scene.
Balancing Detail and Simplification
An important takeaway from this lesson is knowing where to focus detail and where to simplify. Matt emphasizes that not every area of the drawing should receive equal attention. By reserving the most detail for the foreground and reducing complexity in the distance, students can guide the viewer’s eye and strengthen the overall composition.
This approach not only improves realism but also helps artists avoid overworking their drawings. Strategic simplification becomes a powerful tool for creating atmosphere and maintaining visual balance.
Building a Strong Foundation for Future Lessons
This lesson serves as a critical foundation for the rest of the course. By understanding how to structure a landscape and apply atmospheric perspective, students are better prepared to tackle more advanced topics such as rendering skies, trees, water, and textures.
With a clear, logical process and a deeper understanding of spatial relationships, students gain the confidence needed to approach any landscape subject. This lesson ensures that every drawing moving forward is built on a solid framework—one that supports both realism and artistic expression.
Lesson Materials
Toned pastel paper, soft pastels, NuPastels, pastel pencils, blending stump.
Lesson Resources
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Reference Image
Course Curriculum
Founder of The Virtual Instructor, artist and teacher. Matt makes learning art easy to understand and enjoyable.
I enjoyed this lesson. By repeating the reason for colour changes etc, you were able to really get the message across about aerial perspective. I knew that colours faded in the distance, but your tips about using ‘cooler’ colours there, and ‘warmer’ colours in the foreground really opened my eyes to what has been lacking in my drawings. Thank you.
Very pretty! Did you start with the soft pastels or the Nupastels?
I’m wondering if it’s okay to use fixative when layering?
love it!!!
Very instructive and useful
as a new pastel painter? i am try not to rush and this video help calm me down to a slower pace.
At first I didn’t even know what Value meant. as i listened I came to the conclusion that it means more or less pigment. Correct?
Hi Lisa,
Value is the darkness of lightness of a color. You can learn more about value here…http://thevirtualinstructor.com/Value.html
All the art work is wonderful and it enlighten my mind !
I love how you brought the mountains in the background into a middle ground of a valley of easy rolling hills. It looks like a place I would like to be. You make it look easy 😉
What are the best pastel pencils and pastel sticks for a professional to purchase? Also I have acid free mat boards , would these be suitable for oil pastels? Best pencil sharpener? And ways to sharpen the pastel. One more question when you use a blending stick do you clean it off as you switch colours or do you go through a lot of blending sticks. How do you clean the sticks off?
I love that you teach clearly and slowly, also that the music was quieter in this lesson. I could concentrate a lot better on what you were saying . Thanks Matt
I would like to know more about how the blending works as well. Based on trial and error, it seems like you would need to use cleaned or separate blending stumps–or fingers–for each color. I had an issue with this lesson trying to blend light colors when I’ve got a darker color on my fingers.
Hi Matt,
I want to start with the pastel course, but I cannot get hold of NuPastel. Will it make a difference? If so, what can I use in it’s place?
Regards
Elize
lots of wonderful information, short and concise, i am new to pastels have heard they are very dirty, do you have info on how to setup to catch the dirt my studio is in my walk in closet more art than clothes. also would it be possible to show the photo for the painting or but in box in corner somewhere as reference point?
This is my first attemt at a pastel painting. I have oil pastels and they don’t seem to blend like your lesson. I also did it on white paper.
I would send you a phot, it not sure how to yet.
I think I do need a blending stump and I will buy more supplies tomorrow. I think I will purchase a set of regular pastels also.
Hi Maxine,
You can visit the “Critique” tab in the menu at the top and send your work that way.
I have never even held a soft pastel before & this was much harder than I anticipated. I used Faber pastels & my drawing seems way too bright. I should have paid more attention to that as the painting developed. PanPastels seem much cleaner & easier. The applicators may get dirty but at least my hands aren’t. 🙂 On to the next lesson! Thanks.
You bet, Julie!
Hi Matt!
This landscape video lesson two answered so many of my questions….particularly where to start! The concept of atmospheric perspective was really demonstrated well here… and defining the choice of softer colors and lighter shades, and the blending in of a thin white layer really was a eye opener for me!
I’ll be outside panting on Tuesday and will practice this concept beforehand… Thanks! MJ
I have been watching several people do pastel painting on youtube, but your lessons are so worth the money, you give so much more information on why you do things and how, so that I am understanding rather than just mimicking others. Thank you so much. You are an awesome instructor.
JOSIE, I agree with you.
Hi Mat
I enjoyed your lesson very much . I love to learn painting and I struggled with materials and basic technique. Your course fit me perfectly. I did not find difficult to understand even though I am just a beginner. I appreciate your passion in teaching. Your lesson inspired me be more confident to learn painting . Regards
TT
Hi Matt
i have a question– how do we decide what color pastel paper we choose for the particular drawing? thanks!
Hi Kanwal,
You may choose to use a color of paper that is warmer to contrast cool tones that are added with pastels or to harmonize with warm colors. The opposite of this is true as well with cooler papers. You may choose a cooler paper to contrast warm colors that are added with pastels or to harmonize with cool colors. In some cases, the paper will be covered completely and the tone of the paper is just to help the artist judge contrast of value and color.
Hello and thank you for all those explanations. The process and intention is really clear. Could you tell me how you decide to use NuPastel or Soft Pastel please ? Thank you !
many interesting questions but we or i didn”t see answers
Very informative and at a good pace, this course is a bargain.
Hi Matt,
Just completed my first attempt of the pastel landscape series, and first ever at pastels!
Couldn’t upload it here for you to see though.
Hi Matt,
Just completed my first attempt of the pastel landscape series, and first ever at pastels!
Couldn’t upload it here for you to see though.
Azra
Hi Matt, Can you please give us some examples of what are considered “cool” colors and what would be considered “warm colors”? Please forgive this very basic question, I am a beginner. Thank you
Hi Debora,
Generally speaking cool colors are colors that are associated with things that we think of as being cold. For example, ice is cold and has blue shadows – so blue is a cool color. Warm colors are the opposite. For example, fire is orange, red, and yellow. These colors are considered warm. Green and purple are transition colors. If a green has more yellow in it, then it’s considered warm. If it has more blue, then it’s considered cool. Purple is similar. If a purple has more red in it, then it is considered warm. If it has more blue, then it’s considered cool. If you want a little crash course in color theory, you may check out this live lesson on color theory and mixing…https://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/color-theory-and-mixing/. (This lesson does require that you be a full member to access.) I hope this helps.
Hi,
Great lesson, thanks. When I’m using the pastels at the top of the page some of the pastel rolls down the paper and discolours it. Is this normal or am I making a beginners mistake?!
Thanks,
Tim
It’s better to get the finish as the work comes to the foreground and I wish you could not fast forward a few steps in one or two videos so that beginners can completely learn.
Hi Matt,
Thanks for this great video, but you made a mistake at 13:28. You said you worked “from the foreground to the middle ground to the background.” I think you meant it the other way around. 🙂
Ah, listening closely – very good!
I have just been to Santiago in Chile, surrounded by the Andes mountain range, and I carefully observed the colours of the mountains in the distance and they are exactly as they are shown in this video as they fade… Seeing the mountains live helps a lot understanding highlights and shadows on each mountain, as well.
Matt – Should I use a ground to make the pastel adhere to the paper? I got discouraged doing the butterfly, as the pastel over time fell off the paper in places. I am doing each live lesson but not at your pace all the time. I love your courses and live lessons and if you could only see how I have improved in my artwork — drawing and painting — under your instruction. What a wonderful artist and teacher we are lucky enough to have — a part of my daily routine now! Anne Morrissey
Hi Anne,
The tooth of the paper will help keep the pastel on the surface. Even then, some pastel dust may fall off. What paper are you using?
Hi,
I hear some people saying to work from light to dark and others dark to light. I find limitations both ways and the colour tends to turn to mud, but my biggest issue is when trying to put white or light coloured pastel pencil over any dark area. Do you have any advice?
Thanks in advance,
James.
Hi James,
Yes some people prefer to work from dark to light. I’d say fewer people work from light to dark with pastels. I don’t think there is a right way or a wrong way. What is most comfortable to you is how you should work. You may find that over time you prefer working a certain way. As far as the issue with light values, I’ve found that the texture of the paper and the quality of the pastels play a role in this. Higher quality, pigment rich pastels are easily layered over darker sections. Papers with a heavy tooth (or texture) also help to accept lighter values over darker ones. If the tooth of the paper gets filled in or flattened, it’s harder to add additional colors, regardless of the value.
Hello, I am a full member and would like to download this video but am unable to. Please help!
I am curious as to why you don’t tell us the colors you are using. If I try to follow along it is difficult since I am not sure which yellow to start with, which purple to use, etc.
Hi Kathleen,
Most pastel manufacturers don’t list the names of the colors, or they are very vague. It’s best to learn to add colors to a pastel painting by sight or by color theory ex. “yellow-green” instead of “lime peel”
I’ve met my nemesis in pastels. Absolutely everything I attempt with this medium looks like a 3 year old did it in a hurry…
oh Rambolini, I know exactly what you are talking about! I’ve managed some decent work in oils, acrylics and watercolors but seem to hit a brick wall with pastels.
That was very beautiful and it was satisfying to watch. And now I know why my mountains always looked right there on top of each other. Making it lighter to dark and then adding that white line in between the mountains helped a lot with creating the illusion of space. Which was basically the main thing I was lacking.
Thanks Matt!!!
Awesome Samantha!
Hey
I use the pages of “Pastel Matte”
And you can not mix the colors!
Which page should I use?
And when when do I use the pages of “Pastel Matte”?
Slowly but surely the illusion of teaching how to use pastels reveals itself to be just that, an illusion. This is the fourth course I’ve done by the virtual instructor and by far the worst.
In Lesson 2 it says the materials used are soft pastels, NuPastels, and pastel pencils. However, during the demonstration it does not indicate which type of these you are using at any given time. Can you share how we would ow the difference ? Thank you.
I really enjoyed this process!!! I’ve used other mediums, but am new to soft pastels. I’ve watched some people on YouTube, but could not work out how to use them. My mountains here turned out so well. You really do need to just take a big breath and keep going, don’t you? And such patience. hahahaha. But I am pleased with my first full landscape. It isn’t as good as Matt’s, but I wouldn’t expect it to be since I’m a beginner. Thanks so much, Matt, if you read this. I’m keen-bean to do the rest of the course. I think by the end, I’ll be even better. 🙂
HI MATT, would love to know what paper you would use now in 2024 ? { 10 years later}