Magic realism art

Step 1: Transfer image to sketch

-    Tape the mixed media paper to a drawing or painting board

-    Print out the A3 guide from our project page

-    Shade the backside of the printout with your pencil, flip it over, and place on your art surface

-    Retrace the linework with a sharp pencil to transfer the image

Step 2: Drawing clouds

-    After transferring the image, lightly sketch in some clouds around the sky area

-    Use the completed painting as a reference (also available for printout)

Step 3: Painting the sky

-    Squeeze out Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, and Cerulean Blue onto your palette

-    Apply these colours into the sky in layers, starting with the darker blues at the top

-    Gradually lighten with white as you move downward

-    Focus on creating smooth transitions for added interest

-    Remember to test your colours on a spare sheet before applying them to the painting

Step 4: Painting the clouds

-    Mix Titanium White with a touch of Orange and Scarlet to create warm tones for the clouds

-    Lay the clouds in with varied shades, starting with a light orange and adjusting as you move across the page

-    Lighten the orange with more White to create an apricot colour for the softer cloud highlights

Step 5: Painting the house

-    Use a light Burnt Umber wash to paint the roof and wooden parts of the house

-    Keep the coats light by adding water to your brush before applying the paint

-    Apply a light grey wash over the rest of the building and allow it to dry

-    Use a 0.7 Technical Drawing Pen to outline and detail the building

Step 6: Airship painting

-    Paint the ship’s body with a wash of Yellow Ochre and Burnt Sienna

-    Use Black for the sides of the ship and paint the sheet holding the balloon with a light Yellow Ochre

-    Paint the balloon with a light grey wash and use the technical pen to outline the ship and balloon

Step 7: Floating island painting

-    Start by applying a thin coat of Black over the top of the island and the vegetation on the tree

-    Squeeze out Pale Green and use a dabbing technique to apply it over the Black areas

-    Apply Yellow over the green with the same dabbing technique to add more dimension

Step 8: Detail the island

-    Paint the base of the island with Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna, and add shadows with Black

-    Highlight areas of the island by adding a lighter tone over the top

-    Use a fine liner to profile the bottom of the island, adding definition and contrast

And that’s it! You’ve created a magic realism-style artwork commonly found in anime backgrounds. We hope you enjoyed this project and learned some new techniques to incorporate into your art journey. Happy creating!