Yeah it can be so frustrating, completely understand. I’d not abandon it, though. I think you can do it. If I were you, I’d create another layer and start blocking out the shadows for all the other places. Then mid values. You made a lot of progress, and while it may be out of your comfort zone/skill level, I don’t think you need to leave it.
This is a great demo of painting alla prima in digital, searched for a landscape since it applies to the things you want to do with the backgrounds.
Back to practicing what I preach now
Edit: Just saw that the artist in the YT-video samples from the ref photo, I’d not do that, though. Best to practice seeing the colors/values yourself
You have a lot more confidence in me than I do but you know what, you’re right, it’s extremely difficult but that’s no reason to push it to another time. I will check out that tutorial and see what I can do with it. Thanks for encouraging me to be better than my limitations, I’m not naturally great at that so it’s very helpful
Side-note: tomorrow I’m going to be trying out landscape painting with actual gouache with my wife. Should be fun.
We don’t have anything to lose when pushing/finishing things that are out of our comfort zone. Talking to me at the same time, though. You can and will do it. The worst thing that could happen is learning new things and re-painting it at the end for your short film. That’s completely normal, it’s like different drafts in writing. No writer publishes their first draft, especially not when learning.
Hello! As an art student with academic education (lots of painting and live drawing), I am gonna follow up with a suggestion that was already given to you. When it comes to coloring, block out first, otherwise it’s gonna be hell.
Also, don’t put too much effort into getting things too good in the beginning. Less details can also be good; try out many things and you will find your own style and you will go from there. It will become way easier for you, for it will be something that really belongs to you.
Keep up the great work! I can already see a lot of improvements
I’m jealous of your academic training, I’ll turn that into something useful by taking your very good advice yeah, I definitely got myopic about details. I’m going to tackle this again with a better perspective- block out first, then detail
More gouache technique practice- I’m really just trying to nail down the brushstroke needed for leaves. These leaves are better than my last leaves, so that’s progress!
Ah very nice thats a good thing to practice. With the mixing greens I learned you can make pretty ones with orache yellow or lemon yellow and a dark blue like prussian. Use blue to darken your green lemon yellow to lighten and orche to add a nice brown tint. That way you can keep your colors bright for using white changes the value.
I’ve been practicing pretty much every day but I’m not sharing all of it, as it’s not really all that interesting. However, today I painted the smoothest gradient I’ve ever painted, along with some pretty decent grass, so I’m going to share that
If I were you, I’d create another layer and start blocking out the shadows for all the other places. Then mid values. You made a lot of progress, and while it may be out of your comfort zone/skill level, I don’t think you need to leave it.
but you know what, you’re right, it’s extremely difficult but that’s no reason to push it to another time. I will check out that tutorial and see what I can do with it. Thanks for encouraging me to be better than my limitations, I’m not naturally great at that so it’s very helpful 
yeah, I definitely got myopic about details. I’m going to tackle this again with a better perspective- block out first, then detail
