The Landscape Painter’s Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color

New topics. New lessons. 10 workshop exercises. Suitable for all media.

“I’m 64 and have been trying to paint all my life. I took lessons, classes in college, and never could get it. I’m on the first chapter of Mr. Albala’s book and have learned more in one painting than in all my life. The way he articulates simplification and shape showed me how to put it into practical use, to say the least.” – Amazon Reader

“It encapsulates everything that I want to get across to my students in my workshops … This book explains everything.” – Charlie Hunter, painter

“Mitchell’s new book is like opening a beautiful travel guide to exotic destinations — there’s so much to explore: shapes, composition, color, and more. ‘The Landscape Painter’s Workbook’ will no doubt become my comfortably worn and dog-eared ‘road-atlas’ as I explore the wondrous world of landscape painting. – Carl Olson, host of – The Artful Painter Podcast

“I had thought you covered just about everything in your first book, but Workbook takes it to another level.” – Bill Hook, painter

“Your ability to dissect a painting and clearly describe its important qualities makes the book a valuable asset for any serious student, as well as experienced painters alike.” – Bill Vrscak, painter

” Workbook has great focus and organization. It discusses topics in depth that are often glossed over, if mentioned at all.” – Steve Whitney, painter, instructor

Two pages from the chapter “The Complete Color Strategy.” Left: Jill Carver; right, Ray Balkwill

The Landscape Painter’s Workbook is the long-awaited second book in Mitchell Albala’s landscape painting series. His first book, Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice, has been a best selling-book on landscape painting in the U.S. for 15 years. Now Workbook, released in January 2022, has become the #1 best-selling book on landscape painting at Amazon with over 40,000 copies sold. It addition to the original English language edition, it is also available in French and Chinese, and in 2024, Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese.

Mitchell’s practical and straightforward teaching style is evident in every page of this richly illustrated and beautifully written volume. Workbook drills down more deeply into topics on shape interpretation, composition, and color. The book includes 10 exercises, as well as many lessons not included in the first book. The book features over 45 contemporary painters — over 80 paintings in all — each thoroughly analyzed in terms of shape, composition, an color, with supporting diagrams, thumbnails, and photographs.

What’s new in The Landscape Painter’s Workbook

The Complete Color Strategy. What are the three aspects of color contrast that govern a painting’s color strategy?
Notan. Explore this special type of compositional study, which identifies the underlying shapes and patterns of a composition.
Picture Formats. How does the picture format — horizontal, vertical, or square — affect the composition? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
Color Grouping. A full chapter details this special practice, which helps maintain harmony by organizing colors into a limited number of groups.
Composition. An in-depth review of variation, movement, and active negative space, with illustrations that diagram the action in each example.
Workshop Exercises. Instead of demonstrations that show how the author paints, The Landscape Painter’s Workbook includes 10 skill-building workshop exercises to help you work through essential lessons on your own.

Also see sample pages with Amazon’s Look Inside option.

Ordering Information

THE LANDSCAPE PAINTER’S WORKBOOK:

›› EXCERPT: Active Negative Space

›› VIDEO: Special Book Launch Event with Q&A

Reviews

"It encapsulates everything that I want to get across to my students in my workshops. This book explains everything!"
Charlie Hunter, painter and host of Reasonably Fine Art Talk

"Particularly strong on color and composition"
Artists & Illustrators Magazine

"His rich and informative new guide is particularly strong on color and composition, offering detailed diagrams and simple strategies for getting the most out of your palette."

"Like opening a beautiful travel guide to exotic destinations"
Carol Olson | Host of The Artful Painter Podcast

"Mitchell’s new book is like opening a beautiful travel guide to exotic destinations — there’s so much to explore: shapes, composition, color, and more. The beautiful examples of paintings by many different artists beautifully illustrate the immense dynamic range of expression possible when applying the painting principles Mitchell so clearly and eloquently explains. The Landscape Painter’s Workbook will no doubt become my comfortably worn and dog-eared ‘road-atlas’ by my side as I explore the wondrous world of landscape painting."

"It encapsulates everything that I want to get across to my students when I do workshop ... This book explains everything.”

"Discusses more deeply topics that are often glossed over, if mentioned at all."
Steve Whitney, painter

"Workbook has great focus and organization. It provides practical instruction for applying these fundamental lessons to one’s own work, through concise discussions, abundant illustrations, and excellent hands-on exercises. In other words, this is a true workbook.

"This takes it to another level"
Bill Hook, painter

"I had thought you covered just about everything in your first book, but Workbook takes it to another level. Using so many fabulous artists to illustrate each point works extremely well."

"You have a lot of respect for your readers"
Sue Charles, painter

"The progression of ideas from fundamentals to advanced color theory and design is rewarding — you have a lot of respect for your readers. It's not easy to explain what goes through one's mind when you're painting, but you put into words some very complex ideas and say them so clearly."

"You bring it all clearly to the surface"
Bill Vrscak, painter

"Your ability to dissect a painting and clearly describe its important qualities makes the book a valuable asset for any serious student, as well as experienced painters alike ... You bring it all clearly to the surface."

"Inspiration, strategy, and problem solving in one exceptional book"
Alison Till, painter and Amazon reviewer

"'Workbook' does not fully describe this rich, inspiring guide. It presents a roadmap for the artist to explore options and identify critical decisions during the creative process. In clear language, well illustrated, Albala outlines a sequence of exercises that together provide a comprehensive creative strategy ... The exercises are not recipes, but ask us to explore."

"It IS the missing book ..."
Midge Coleman, painter

"This book covers in fine detail all the issues painters struggle with. I have read many instructional books through the years, which may cover some of the problems Albala cover, but not in the detail he presents."

CHAPTER 1: Shape Interpretation
A Reductionist Approach to Shape
The Benefits of Simplification
The Role of Value in Shape Interpretation
Value Scales and Endpoints
Working with Value Zones
Balancing Simplified Shapes and Detail with the 80/20 Rule
REVIEW QUESTIONS: Shape Interpretation
EXERCISE: Simplified Shape Painting
EXERCISE: Simplify and Differentiate with Limited Values

CHAPTER 2: The Picture Window and Its Format
Limited Focus and the Picture Window
Picture Formats and Directional Energy
The “Landscape” Format: Horizontal Movement
The Vertical Format: Inward and Upward
The Square Format: Containment
REVIEW QUESTIONS: Picture Window and Format
EXERCISE: One Subject, Different Formats

CHAPTER 3: Composition in Action
Variation: The Cardinal Rule of Composition
Movement: Animating the Composition
Active Negative Space
REVIEW QUESTIONS: Composition in Action
Exercise: Cut Paper: Aspects of Variation
Exercise: Mapping Pathways of Movement

CHAPTER 4 - Notan and the Compositional Study
Defining Notan: How the Notan Works
Shape and Pattern Definition, Not Value
Strict and Liberal Forms of Notan
Building a Better Study: Notan Technique
Notan Apps
REVIEW QUESTIONS: Notan and the Compositional Study
EXERCISE: Orienting to Notan
EXERCISE: Notan from Observation

CHAPTER 5: Color Precepts, Color Paradoxes
Reconciling the Differences Between Pigments and Natural Light
Direct Observation vs. Informed Modification
Convincing Color, Believable Color

CHAPTER 6 - The Complete Color Strategy
Defining the Color Strategy
Contrast, the Animating Force of the Color Strategy
Defining the Strategy in Terms of Hue, Value, and Saturation
Aspect of Color Contrast: Hue Interactions
Aspect of Color Contrast: Value
Aspect of Color Contrast: Saturation
The Harmony of Neutrals
REVIEW QUESTIONS: The Complete Color Strategy
Exercise: Color- and Value-Priority, Side by Side
Exercise: One Subject, Different Strategies

CHAPTER 7 - Color Grouping
Defining the Color Group
Following Nature’s Lead: Grouping by Color
Color Grouping in Action
The Color Study: Testing Color Groups and the Strategy
REVIEW QUESTIONS: Color Grouping
Exercise: Identifying Color Groups

CHAPTER 8 - Palette Strategies
The Limited Palette
The Targeted Palette
Targeted Palettes in Oil and Pastel
The Split Primary Palette
Two Roads to Neutrals

Contributing Artists

Mitchell Albala
Tony Allain
Ray Balkwill
Cindy Baron
Rodger Bechtold
Hester Berry
Jill Carver
Alvaro Castagnet
Sue Charles
Bill Cone
Brent Cotton
Bill Cramer
David Curtis
Oliver Akers Douglas
Kim English
Scott Gellatly
Cathe Gill
Mark Gould
David Grossmann
Lisa Grossman
Marc Hanson
Greg Hargreaves
Ray Hassard
Frank Hobbs
Tom Hoffmann
Bill Hook
Charlie Hunter
Barbara Jaenicke
Paul Kratter
Lisa Snow Lady
Dale Laitinen
David Lidbetter
Carolyn Lord
Karen Margulis
David Mensing
Renato Muccillo
Tibor Nagy
Tad Retz
Loriann Signori
Colley Whisson
Marilyn Simandle
Peter Van Dyck
Bill Vrscak
Carol Strock Wasson
Brent Watkinson
Chien Chung Wei
Kim Matthews Wheaton