Impressions of Hawaii in Acrylic

Week 1 — Introduction to Impressionism & Beginning Your Hawaiian Landscape
In this first lesson, you’ll explore the essential tools, brushes, and paints needed for Impressionistic work. We will examine how Monet began his paintings: with big shapes, simple values, and thoughtful composition. You will sketch a simple layout and create a thin, warm underpainting that becomes the foundation for your artwork.
By the end of this lesson, your canvas will have a strong, luminous foundation ready for color.
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Week 2 — Painting Sky and Water the Impressionist Way
Next you will use color to build atmosphere, without relying on heavy detail. In this lesson, you’ll explore the look of Hawaiian skies and clear tropical waters. You’ll learn to layer colors using loose brush movements rather than blending everything together—an essential Impressionistic skill.
We’ll practice how to paint moving water using horizontal strokes, broken color, and carefully placed highlights. You'll also learn to create light clouds using soft, wet-on-wet transitions while still keeping the spontaneity of Impressionist texture.
After this lesson, your painting will have a vibrant sky and shimmering ocean, setting the tone for the entire scene.
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Week 3 — Building Your Landscape: Mountains, Palms & Tropical Foliage
This lesson focuses on using layered color to create depth, soften distant elements to push them back visually, and energetic strokes to bring other areas to life.
You’ll also learn how to deepen shadows and brighten sunlit areas using warm–cool contrasts. By this point, you’ll begin to see your Hawaiian scene taking shape with structure, depth, and recognizable elements.
By the end of the week, your foreground and mid-ground will be established and full of tropical character.
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Week 4 — Finishing Touches, Impressionist Highlights & Presentation
This is where your painting comes alive. In this final lesson, you’ll learn to apply finishing touches: lively color accents, shimmering highlights, and small but expressive strokes that guide the viewer’s eye. We’ll also talk about how to unify the entire painting through selective glazing, edge adjustments, and focal-point refinement.
Finally, you’ll place your signature and learn the basics of varnishing your painting after it cures—so it remains vibrant for years. At the end of the class, everyone will share their completed Hawaiian Impressionist landscape in a friendly showcase.
Your finished painting will be a vibrant Impressionistic tribute to Hawaii—full of color, light, and expressive brushwork.