Painting landscapes might seem easy – until you actually start painting. Landscapes are among the most common scenes for beginners to paint. Many beginner painting classes use landscapes as a starting point. Painting a good landscape is harder than it looks. Here are some of the best tips for painting better landscapes. ​ 1) Create the illusion of numbers. You can’t paint every item in a landscape, so create the illusion of a crowded space uses swaths of color and other techniques. 2) Draw the image first. Planning the scale of your landscape is hard if you haven’t drawn out your image first. Sketch the basic outline of your image. 3) Paint the darkest and lightest areas first. Many professional painting instructors recommend painting mountains, trees, and other solid objects first in your landscape, then filling in lighter objects. 4) Pick and choose landscape elements. Maybe you’re painting a cityscape – but you don’t have to paint every building. Or, maybe you’re painting a mountaintop but want to ignore the city to your right. It’s your painting, and you can pick and choose landscape elements to make it your own. 5) Emphasize a focal point. What separates good and average landscapes is a focal point. A focal point gives viewers an anchor for their eyes from which they can explore the rest of the painting. Without a focal point, your landscape could look muddy and messy. By following these tips, you can quickly start painting better landscapes regardless of your painting experience.