Creating Atmospheric Perspective in Landscape Painting

Date: March 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th, 2026 (4 Fridays) 

Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (PDT) 

Location: Online via Zoom

Level: Open to All Level!

Medium: Acrylic

All sessions are recorded!

Workshop Overview:

This 4-week acrylic landscape workshop introduces students to the core principles of atmospheric perspective. Participants learn how colour, value, edges, and composition create a sense of depth, and they practice applying these concepts through demonstrations, exercises, thumbnails, block-ins, and a final landscape painting. Each week builds progressively—from understanding the science behind atmospheric perspective, to designing compositions with depth, to applying layering techniques, and finally refining a cohesive, atmospheric landscape. 

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the workshop, students will be able to:

• Understand atmospheric perspective and how distance affects colour, value, contrast, and detail.
• Mix acrylic colours that create depth, including muted distance hues and richer foreground tones.
• Plan strong landscape compositions using overlaps, size scaling, value structure, and leading lines.
• Create value thumbnails and a monochrome study to map out spatial depth.
• Apply layering, glazing, scumbling, and edge control to build atmospheric effects in acrylic.
• Block in and complete a landscape painting that clearly shows foreground, midground, and background planes.
• Use selective detail, balanced saturation, and unifying glazes to create a cohesive final artwork.

About the Instructor - Samantha Williams-Chapelsky: 

Samantha Williams-Chapelsky is an abstract landscape artist based in St. Albert, Alberta. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with distinction from the University of Alberta in 2009, majoring in painting and art history. Over the past two decades, Samantha has exhibited her work extensively worldwide, with her paintings included in numerous corporate and private collections and represented in commercial art galleries across Canada and the United States. ​

Known for her large-scale abstracted landscapes, Samantha employs a range of tools—including brooms and palette knives—to apply thick layers of paint to birch panels. Her work emphasizes the materiality of paint to convey emotion and feeling within the natural  space. She references landscapes from across Canada, creating works with unique finishes and sheens that vary from shiny to matte, indicating an intuitive feeling of a geographical element in the landscape. ​

In addition to her artistic practice, Samantha is an international art instructor and lecturer specializing in plein air painting and abstraction. She has been named the Alberta Artist-in-Residence for 2024–2025, during which she will create a series of 100 plein air paintings at locations throughout the province. Her project aims to connect artists, communities, and the land through the practice of painting outdoors.

Website:  www.samanthawilliamschapelsky.com 

Student Testimonials:

• "One of the best! Samantha is a gifted instructor who brings along her students seamlessly no matter where they are in their skill level. Though not all students will paint in a similar style, Samantha has a clear sense of what she can offer to each and every student. A strong communicator, Samantha is able to demonstrate and break down the painting process for all to understand. Samantha emphasizes simplifying and creating dynamic compositions. Her colour theory and mediums knowledge are exceptional." - Artist Edmonton

• "A heartfelt thank you to the amazing Samantha Williams-Chapelsky for sharing her time, talent, and creative energy with us—both online and in person! Her presentations are always a highlight: engaging, inspiring, and full of great tips. Many of our members have been excited to try new mediums or products thanks to her recommendations. We’re so grateful to have her as part of our arts community!" —Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove

• "Samantha was such an AMAZING Mentor! I would recommend her to anyone! I have learned so much from Samantha and will cherish the time I got to spend with her!" —Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove

• "Samantha is such a confident and strong female artist and her guidance has meant so much to me. She is honest, direct, caring and encouraging. I have felt so empowered!" —Artist Arizona