8941 Mogollon Rim
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

Towering rocky cliffs overlook a vast forested canyon and distant mountain ranges bathed in soft atmospheric light across the Arizona high country. Layers of misty valleys, evergreen forests, and rugged stone formations create a breathtaking panoramic landscape filled with depth, distance, and western beauty. In this intermediate skill level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this dramatic mountain vista in a 186 minute session on an 18x24 canvas.

You’ll learn how to build a strong panoramic composition using foreground cliffs, layered valleys, and distant mountain ranges to naturally guide the viewer’s eye deep into the painting. Jerry demonstrates how to block in the major landscape forms first, then gradually refine details while maintaining atmospheric softness and visual balance throughout the scene.

Special focus is given to painting rocky cliff textures, evergreen forests, atmospheric haze, and distant mountain layers using controlled brushwork, blended color transitions, and subtle value changes. You’ll also explore how to create realistic depth and distance through softened background forms and carefully placed highlights along the canyon rim.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting expansive mountain landscapes, rugged cliff formations, and atmospheric perspective while learning how to balance detail and softness in a large panoramic composition. This is an excellent project for artists ready to strengthen their acrylic painting skills while producing a bold and visually captivating western wilderness scene.