8905 New Mexico Sunset
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

A glowing Southwestern sunset fills the sky with rich golds, oranges, and purples as a quiet desert stream winds through rugged terrain, framed by a striking tree silhouette and distant rolling hills. In this beginner level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this dramatic landscape in a 74 minute session on an 18x24 canvas, capturing both bold color and peaceful atmosphere.

You’ll learn how to build a strong composition using the winding stream to lead the viewer’s eye through the painting, while placing foreground elements like the tree and terrain to create balance and depth. Jerry demonstrates how to block in major shapes first, then refine them with controlled brushwork to maintain structure and clarity.

Special focus is given to painting vibrant sunset skies using layered blending techniques that create smooth transitions between warm and cool tones. You’ll also explore how to paint water reflections, rocky terrain, and desert textures that enhance the overall realism of the scene.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting dramatic skies, handling color contrast, and creating depth through layering and atmospheric perspective. This is an excellent project for beginners looking to develop strong foundational skills while producing a bold and visually captivating Southwestern landscape.