An Italian Landscape with Mountains and a River

Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, river, and foreground elements, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.

Establish the sky gradient with soft blues and yellows, blending carefully to avoid harsh lines.

Block in the distant mountains with muted greens and blues, using lighter values for areas closer to the horizon.

Paint the mid-ground hills and trees, gradually increasing the saturation and detail as you move towards the foreground.

Add the castle on the hill, focusing on its basic form and using darker values to create contrast.

Develop the foreground with darker greens and browns, adding subtle highlights to suggest texture and form.

Introduce the mist/fog effect in the valley by lightly glazing over the existing colors with a diluted white or light gray.

Refine details and adjust values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.