8864 Midwestern Windmill
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television art education Series

A tall rustic windmill rises above a quiet rural pasture with weathered fencing, cattle troughs, and distant mountains beneath a glowing open sky. The warm earth tones and soft atmospheric background create a peaceful countryside scene filled with western charm and simplicity. In this beginner level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this classic farm landscape in a 110 minute session on an 18x24 canvas.

You’ll learn how to construct and paint the windmill using proper proportions, perspective, and clean structural lines while keeping the overall scene soft and atmospheric. Jerry demonstrates how to block in the major shapes first, then refine the details gradually to maintain balance and depth throughout the composition.

Special focus is given to painting weathered wood textures, dry pasture grasses, fencing, and distant landscape elements using layered color and subtle value changes. You’ll also explore how to create soft skies and atmospheric distance that help the windmill stand out naturally as the focal point.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting rural structures, creating depth through atmosphere, and balancing detail with simplicity in an open landscape setting. This is an excellent project for beginners looking to strengthen their composition and perspective skills while producing a calm and visually engaging countryside painting.