Landscape Painting by Mitchell Albala is an exceedingly practical guide to all aspects of landscape painting. Based on observation rather than imitation and applicable to both plein air and studio practice, the book's essential lessons are drawn from the author's 25 years of landscape painting experience and methods proven successful in his workshops held over the past 12 years at Gage Academy of Art in Seattle.

The chapters are richly supported with over 230 illustrations: photographs, diagrams, step-by-step demonstrations, and over over 40 examples of contemporary and classic painters.

Landscape Painting is an extremely comprehensive and serious companion for anyone getting started in landscape painting, as well as instructors or more experienced painters who want to hone their skills and learn new perspectives.

Reading List

Landscape Painting | Color, Composition and Drawing | Specific Artists

books on landscape painting

Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice by Mitchell Albala
Watson-Guptill. ISBN 978-0-8230-3220-4 (0-8230-3220-5)

Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting by John F. Carlson
Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-22927-0.

One of the few 'how-to' books that addresses the real issues of landscape painting. Written in the 20's, it reads quite old-fashioned, but it's worth siphoning through all the verbiage for the juice.

Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne
DeRu's Fine Art Books, Belllflower, CA. ISBN 0-939370-03-4

Many landscape painters often cite this book as one of their primary guides. Like "Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting", it is written in an old-fashioned, verbose style, but it's worth siphoning through all the verbiage for the juice. It has many pages of compostional approaches to landscape

Landscape Illusion: A Spatial Approach to Painting by Daniel Chard
Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN 0-8230-2594-2

The author uses his highly realistic and precisionist landscape paintings, with many diagrams, to dissect the geometry and design of the landscape space.

Landscape Painting Inside and Out by Keven Macpherson
North Light Books. ISBN 1-58180-755-4

A visually rich look at the fundamentals of landscape painting by one of the country's leading plein air painters and instructors.

Painting Better Landscapes by Margaret Kessler
Watson Guptill, ISBN 0-8230-3576-X (pbk.)

A good book for the novice, with more specific, practical advice on how to improve you landscapes than most books of this type.

Color In Contemporary Landscape Painting by Charles Le Clair
Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN 0-8230-0741-3

A refreshing look at various approaches to color, demonstrated through the works of many artists for a "full spectrum" overview.

Art in the Making: Impressionism by Bumford, Kirby, Leighton, and Roy
The National Gallery, London. ISBN 0-300-05035-6

For the serious student of Impressionism, this is perhaps the most carefully examined study of their painting techniques.

books on color, composition and DRAWING

Color Choices: Making Sense Out of Color Theory by Stephen Quiller
Watson Guptill: 0-8230-0696-4

A higly practical guide that explores both structured and unstructured color stragegies, plus various technique and a look at master colorists.

Alla Prima: Everything I know About Painting by Richard Schmid
Stove Prarie Press Press. ISBN 0-9662117-1-5

Now available in a much more affordable paperback edition ($50), this book successfully explains many of the fundamental and important principles related to artmaking.

Classical Painting Atelier by Juliette Aristides
Watson-Guptill, ISBN13: 978-0-8230-0658-8

Although not geared toward landscape painting, Aristides' offers a very strong foundation in key concepts such as value, composition, color, and the process-oriented approach to studio painting. With "Notes on Archival Practices from a Painting Conservator," by Peter Malarkey.

Matering Compostion by Ian Roberts
North Light Book. ISBN 978-1-58180-924-4

An extremely lucid guide to composition with many landscape examples. Covers many important topics including color, designing with value masses, and guiding the eye through the picture plane. Includes instructional DVD.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

Simply the best, easiest-to-understand "how to" drawing book ever written. It's a classic for a reason.

Drawing from Observation by Brian Curtis
McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-241024-8

Like "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", Curtis' book is exceedingly practical. It has the most comprehensive set of diagrams and drawings to explain how to use the keys to drawing (angles, measuring, proportion, etc.).

Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland
Capra Press. ISBN 0-88496-379-9

Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking. Few books speak so aptly to the artist's struggles and fears. What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting there? A must-read for anyone on the artistic path.

books on specific artists

Society of Six: California Colorists by Nancy Boas.
University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21055-7

Painters Selden Gile, August Gay, Louis Siegriest, Maurice Logan, Bernard Von Eichman, and William Clapp formed the Society of Six in 1917 in northern California, where they worked and exhibited together into the 1920s. All were outdoor painters who were influenced by both the California landscape and the European Impressionism.

Monet: Nature into Art by John House
Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-04361-9 (pbk.)

Not just another book on Monet, John House carefully analyzes Monet's technique and approach to subject matter, compostion, build-up of the paint surface, brushwork, color, and more. A must for the serious student of Impressionism.

James Lavadour Landscapes
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture 0-295-98176-8

His expansive, gestural, and dreamlike landscapes are an inspiration for those interested in the abstract components of landscape.

Marcus Bohne: Under a Big Sky

Paintings by this popular landscapist have many valuable lessons for the student. Check availability at book page on his website.

Marcus Bohne: Heartland

Paintings by this popular landscapist have many valuable lessons for the student. Check availability at book page on his website.

Wolf Kahn by Justin Spring
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-8109-6322-1

One of contemporary art's most renowned landscape painters. His work holds great appeal through his large, colorful, and sometimes semi-abstracted visions. The definitive monograph on this artist.

Wolf Kahn Pastels by Wolf Kahn
Harry N. Abrahms, Inc. Publishers. ISBN 0-8109-3719-0

Whether of not you're a pastel artist or appreciate the work of the Wolf Kahn, this book is a must read for any landscape painter. Kahn's generous text gives a rare glimpse into the creative process and thinking of a master.