Yes, there’s nothing quite like standing in front of a mountain.
The air feels different. So does the light. Shadows spread, shapes shift, second by second. The sheer scale of it all takes your breath away.
As a sketcher, these moments are what you live for. And capturing them in watercolour is what you strive for — whether you’re actually there, or in the comfort of your studio.
Peaks and Valleys:
Sketching Mountains in Watercolour
Helps you bring the majesty of
mountain landscapes to life. One sketch at a time.
Glowing granite peaks in late-day sunlight. Jagged snowy peaks wreathed in clouds. Distant slopes and rolling hills descending through wooded alpine valleys.
So how do you translate all that drama, scale and awe to your sketchbook page? That’s what this course is about.
In Peaks and Valleys: Sketching Mountains in Watercolour, you’ll learn how to capture it all — the sense of scale, light and wonder — through expressive watercolour. I’ll show you, step-by-step, how to simplify shapes, build values and bring depth and atmosphere to your mountain scenes.
In this course, you’ll learn how to:
- Sketch three distinct mountain scenes, each with its own character, challenges…and rewards
- Convey distance and atmospheric perspective through colour and colour temperature
- Mix subtle alpine greens to separate foreground trees from distant forests
- Create accurate mountain colour mixes — from cool granite greys to warm sunset hues
- Use value sketches to plan for depth, variety and focus in your scene
- Practice watercolour techniques such as wet-in-wet washes, edge control and layering
-
Combine ink and watercolour for expressive, confident mark-making
You’ll follow along through real-time demonstrations and practice exercises, accompanied by clear explanations — all designed to help you see mountains in a new way and sketch them with confidence.
By the end of this course, you’ll have a collection of luminous, expressive mountain sketches — and the skills to capture their beauty wherever you go.
Watch the course trailer!
Course Length: 3.25+ hours
Skill Level: All Levels
Peaks and Valleys includes:
- Warm-up exercises, where I’ll show you how to use a variety of brushes and also share my recipes for alpine greens
- 3 full-length step-by-step video demos you can watch at your own pace, as often as you like
- Closeup views of my brush and paper so you can see how marks are applied
- Downloadable reference images, so you can draw and paint along
- A video show-and-tell of the tools and materials you’ll need, along with a downloadable list
- A comments section where you can ask questions and post your finished mountain sketches
- NEW: And, since so many of you have been asking for it, the option to turn on English subtitles!
Join me for a peak experience!
Whether you’ve painted landscapes before or you’re near the start of your sketching journey, Peaks and Valleys will help you see the world’s most inspiring mountain views with fresh eyes — and capture them beautifully in your sketchbook.
So grab your paints and brushes and let’s get started!
Plus 3 exercises that'll really
elevate your skills!
BRUSH UP ON MOUNTAINS
We'll look at various brush shapes, and how to best use them to create everything from broad, flowing washes to crisp details and edges.
MIX ALPINE GREENS
We'll practice mixing natural, harmonious greens that capture the freshness and light of high mountain scenes.
BEGIN WITH VALUES
I'll show you how to create a value sketch: a simple plan that'll guide how you lay down shapes and tones before diving into colour.
Course Curriculum
- High Snowy Peaks: Drawing Demo (7:54)
- High Snowy Peaks: Final Drawing Download
- High Snowy Peaks: Sky Wash Demo (6:17)
- High Snowy Peaks: Mountain Wash Demo (6:55)
- High Snowy Peaks: Shadowed Darks 1 Demo (9:41)
- High Snowy Peaks: Shadowed Darks 2 Demo (9:01)
- High Snowy Peaks: Defining Details Demo (9:01)
- High Snowy Peaks: Final Sketch
- Peaks and Valley: Value Sketch Demo (7:49)
- Peaks and Valley: Final Value Sketch
- Peaks and Valley: Initial Drawing Demo (11:17)
- Peaks and Valley: Final Drawing Download
- Peaks and Valley: Sky Wash Demo (3:59)
- Peaks and Valley: Mountain Wash Demo (3:36)
- Peaks and Valley: Mountain Layers Demo (7:30)
- Peaks and Valley: Foreground Greens Demo (8:20)
- Peaks and Valley: Darker Greens 1 Demo (9:44)
- Peaks and Valley: Darker Greens 2 Demo (9:22)
- Peaks and Valley: Chalets and Details Demo (14:37)
- Peaks and Valley: Final Touches Demo (2:58)
- Peaks and Valley: Final Sketch
FAQ
How long is this course?
It’s over 3 hours in duration, and includes THREE full-length demos plus practice exercises so you can strengthen your drawing, paint mixing and painting skills.
How long will I have access to this course?
Once you sign up, the course is yours to watch as often as you like.
Who is this course for?
This is a course that any sketcher with basic drawing and watercolour skills can follow. We cover all the steps, including pencil drawing and ink sketching.
What tools will I need?
We’ll cover sketching tools in some detail at the start of the course, and you can download a list of materials.
Will I have access to all the lessons at once?
Yes, once you register you’ll have access to all the lessons so you can start learning, drawing and painting immediately.
How do I find the courses I am enrolled in?
Go to the top of the page and look for the "My Courses" tab. All the courses you have registered for are right there.
