How to Paint the Northern Lights

2/22/2018

One of the things I love about Alaska is the Northern Lights. It is incredibly cold when they love to show themselves, but it is worth it. Today I would love to show you how to paint the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis, with a step by step, painting tutorial. I hope you have fun being creative!

Supplies Needed

Supplies Needed for this tutorial (affiliate links)

1. Acrylic Paint: cadmium yellow medium hue, mars black, naphthol crimson, phthalocyanine green (blue shade), ultramarine blue (green shade), and titanium white. I like to use heavy body acrylic paints. If you have different paints or colors no worries, learn how to mix paint colors to match mine here.

2. Paint Brush Set (small flat, med flat, large flat)

3. 8x10" Canvas Panel - (this size you can easily find a frame for)

4. Pencil or Watercolor pencil for sketching

5. Cup of water, paper plate, surface & clothes protection.

Watch How to Paint the Northern Lights

You're ready to start creating! Thank you for watching!

Follow the Steps for success!

Step 1: Paint sky. Paint Background with large flat brush. Paint side to side for a smooth sky.

Step 2: Paint horizon. Add the light from the horizon with white or pink paint. Make vertical brush strokes reaching almost the middle of your canvas using a dry brush technique shown in the video.

Step 3: Paint stars. Use a bristle brush or a tooth brush and white paint. Add water to your brush and pull back on the bristles with your finger and let go. This is a splatter technique as shown in the video.

Step 4: Draw lines. Draw the aurora lines in the sky using a white watercolor pencil.

Step 5: Paint Northern Lights. Paint vertical lines on the aurora lines using the dry brush technique as shown in the video. Choose colors like green, pinks and purples.

Step 6: Paint trees. Paint the trees using black paint to create a silhouette tree line.

I hope you enjoyed this project! Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future art tutorials and lesson.
You can also check out more acrylic tutorials.