How to Fix an Almost-Finished Landscape Painting | Glazing, Color & Problem Solving

What do you do when a painting is almost finished—but something still isn’t working? In this full-length Inspired to Paint lesson, Shanna walks through her decision-making process for revising a landscape painting, testing ideas in Procreate, then applying those changes to the canvas. Follow along as she adds blue-green accents for more drama, uses transparent glazes to shift color and temperature, adjusts value and edges, and brings more depth to the trees and atmosphere. The goal isn’t to follow a formula—it’s to learn how to assess a painting, try options, and respond to what you see. In this lesson: Diagnose what feels unfinished in a painting Preview possible changes digitally before painting over the canvas Use glazes to adjust color temperature and create harmony Build depth with value, edge variety, and warm-cool shifts Keep refining without expecting every decision to work immediately For more in-depth painting instruction, explore the Intermediate subscription at Minfulartmentoring.com Subscribe for more painting lessons, demonstrations, and practical guidance for developing your work. What’s the hardest part of finishing a painting for you? Let me know in the comments. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: How to solve problems in an almost-finished painting 00:48 Diagnosing what isn’t working 01:53 Testing ideas in Procreate 02:27 Assessing color, value, and the need for more drama 03:35 Exploring a blue-green accent 05:20 Avoiding predictable shapes and lines 06:34 Adding variety to the tree line 07:21 How surrounding colors affect the green 08:49 Testing stronger contrast 10:41 Bringing a little green into the foreground 11:22 Why digital testing helps with problem solving 12:28 Translating the plan back to the painting 13:03 Planning transparent glazes 13:47 Finding a color triad 14:26 Preparing glazing medium and paint 15:10 Mixing and tempering the blue-green 15:51 Applying medium before the glaze 16:17 Following the Procreate plan 17:00 Applying the glaze 19:01 Softening edges and wiping back 20:24 Handling paint that lifts 21:30 Adding dark accents 22:25 Trusting the process and testing changes 23:13 Softening a glaze and adjusting edges 24:41 Creating dimension with value and temperature shifts 25:32 Breaking up hard lines 26:28 Refining edges and warming selected areas 27:35 Developing a varied tree line 29:19 Balancing soft edges with confident shapes 30:14 Why finishing a painting takes time 31:40 Assessing the new green and added drama 32:13 Refining space around the trees 33:11 Checking shapes and edges in the mirror 34:18 Adjusting the glaze with thicker, more opaque paint 35:09 Correcting temperature after adding white 36:12 Lifting paint to soften and connect planes 37:03 Using dominance to make the focal trees stand out 37:46 Shifting from cool atmosphere to warmer color 39:04 Checking abstract shapes and push-pull 40:03 Integrating shapes with soft and hard edges 40:53 Working as the glaze begins to tack up 43:18 Combining transparent and opaque paint 44:30 Varying brush marks without making them predictable 46:01 Comparing the new contrast with the original 49:01 Creating soft, atmospheric edges 49:41 Revising an awkward shape 50:11 Making intuitive choices while avoiding repetition 51:34 Using soft edges to build dimension 52:17 Direct painting versus indirect painting 54:11 Adjusting color as it recedes into the atmosphere 55:04 Mixing cooler, grayer colors 57:47 Revising a color choice that doesn’t feel right 59:14 Balancing warm and cool color shifts 1:00:09 Keeping quieter areas simple 1:03:29 Bringing selected shapes forward 1:04:39 Recognizing and balancing personal color tendencies 1:06:26 Tempering the green with orange 1:07:14 Using temperature contrast in selected areas 1:09:07 Blending colors at the same value 1:10:34 Deepening the value to push space back 1:11:38 Breaking up a solid shape and edge 1:14:16 Pulling color into the trees 1:15:04 Mixing a grayer blue 1:17:28 Softening edges with medium 1:18:02 Deepening the mix with indigo 1:19:33 Following an established edge 1:22:57 Using a tool to adjust the paint 1:25:36 Solving the “wall” of trees 1:26:55 Referring back to the original reference 1:32:02 Softening edges and building atmosphere 1:35:50 Correcting an edge that feels too strong 1:38:23 Adding drama to the upper cloud area 1:43:12 Evaluating a color that feels too light 1:45:16 Varying direction and temperature in the plane 1:47:38 Checking whether the green feels natural 1:48:08 Defining edges with negative shapes 1:48:59 Comparing the painting with the digital plan 1:50:03 Considering a future glaze adjustment 1:51:58 Calling the painting done—for now 1:52:34 Key takeaways: keep working, glaze, and problem-solve 1:53:09 Final thoughts and sign-off