How to Draw Landscapes

*When you download this file you will be able to open it as a PDF, Google Slides Presentation, PowerPoint and more. The PDF will be downloaded first, then simply click on the link in slide #2 to see the presentation in a Google Slides Format. From there you can click File---> Download---> and convert it to PowerPoint or other desired formats.

This Power-point presentation will teach you and/or your students to understand how nature works as it relates to landscape drawing. With over 200 images and nearly 150 individual slides, this packed Power-point covers everything from the basics of creating depth on a 2D surface and consideration for the sun’s position, to master artists, job possibilities, pastels, student examples and much more. There are numerous examples of drawing techniques and “how to” capture: clouds, grass, rocks, mountains, water, trees, and more. It is intended for use at the high school level, but can easily be used with middle school students and even college aged artists as well. This presentation is a “must have” for any teacher who wants their students to think critically and creatively about how landscapes are created, and it will provide them an enormous amount of background knowledge before they begin. Below is a specific breakdown of the varied sections within the Power-point. I hope you’ll enjoy this one as much as my students do!

-Bo (The Art Guru)

Slides 1-14: break down the basics of creating space and depth on a 2D surface. The six illusions of space are defined and illustrated through real life examples (overlapping, size, shading, vertical placement, value and focus, and linear perspective)

Slide 15: looks at the horizon line itself, and how adjusting it up or down easily allows for more land or more sky within the composition.

Slides: 16-19: cover the different orientation possibilities prior to starting your drawing or painting (Horizontal &Vertical, also Panoramic, and square compositions)

Slides: 20-56 are the bulk of the presentation and cover specific techniques for how to draw: clouds, grass, trees, rocks, and mountains.

Slides 57-60 are dedicated to water and reflections.

Slides 61-82 take a look at some well-known landscape artists through history including: Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Pieter Bruegel, Vincent Van Gogh, and yes…Bob Ross from PBS. Numerous images of all of their work are included, as well as images of the artists themselves.

Slides 82-84 introduce the Elements and Principles of art the students will be focusing on, as well as the “Criteria” (or goals) I asked my students to meet on this project.

Slides 85-93 visually illustrate the many career paths available to one interested in creating landscapes. Job possibilities include: landscape architect, muralist, zoo artist, video game design, illustrator, fine artist, and more.

Slides 94-95 introduce pastels, and pastel pencils (their properties and possibilities). My students used soft pastels for their project.

Slides 96-104 show numerous examples of what can be done with pastels as it relates to landscapes.

Slides 105-116 are student examples of the views around out school as we went outside to draw for one week.

Slides 117-146 are a collection of AMAZING landscape photos which can be projected on those rainy days.

Slides 147-149 are the accompanying handout which students will fill out during the delivery of this presentation. It will keep them engaged, and ask them to detail the most pertinent information.