Behind the Scenes: Creating the Scottish Highlands Painting

The Inspiration

Last autumn, I had the opportunity to visit the Scottish Highlands. The dramatic landscapes, ever-changing weather, and stunning colors left me deeply inspired.

Planning the Composition

I took over 200 photos during my visit, but it took weeks to decide on the final composition. I wanted to capture not just the view, but the feeling of being there.

The Painting Process

This painting took approximately 40 hours to complete over three weeks. I worked in layers, starting with the sky and distant mountains, then moving forward to the middle ground and finally the foreground details.

Challenges

The biggest challenge was capturing the subtle color variations in the heather and the atmospheric perspective of the distant mountains. I had to remix my purples and blues many times to get the right tones.

The final result is one of my most beloved landscape paintings, and I'm thrilled it found a home with a collector who shares my love of Scotland.