how to paint a sunset with acrylics | Inspired By North Dakota

Learn how to paint a sunset with acrylics in this painting tutorial. This lesson is perfect for beginner artists. It breaks down how to paint a sunset and the beginnings of a landscape, while encouraging creativity. 

Artist Ashley Krieger is traveling and painting in all 50 U.S. states. Today she takes you to North Dakota to capture a sunset over the rolling plains and kettle lakes. I hope you enjoy this video as she paints plein air. You can find the videos for each state she has traveled to thus far here. 

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learn to paint a sunset​

First let's start with art supplies. If you want to use the same art supplies I did, you can grab what I always have on hand here for acrylic paintings. This is the wonderful palette I used that keeps my paint wet for days! (Amazon affiliate link)

Don't worry about using my exact colors, brushes, and brush strokes, Please! Be creative! Use these steps to help you create your very own sunset.  

watch the video tutorial

How to Paint a Sunset, Step by Step...

Step 1 - Sketch your composition. Outline the basic shapes you see with a flat brush. Pay attention to how big the shapes are and how close your shapes are to each other. Give your painting a strait horizon line.

Step 2 - Paint the sky light blue from the horizon line and darker as you go up towards the top of the canvas

Step 3 - Paint the sky as you see it with colors such as purple, pinks, gold, yellow, orange and whites. Follow my video to get an idea of the brush strokes I use and the detail I add to make the sunset look real. However your sunset will not look exactly like mine, and that's okay. Have fun with it and be creative. 

Step 4 - Paint the sky colors into the water. The water reflects the sunset so adding those colors make the lakes look real. 

Step 5 - Paint in the shapes with the undertone color, or what the main color in each shape. This color should be dark as there are many shadows. The trees, bushes, and grasses further away will be lighter than the trees in the foreground. The lighter color used in the foreground is used to add details. 

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