Three Keys to Inspire More Authentic Landscape Paintings
How do you free yourself from becoming a slave to the reference photo? What is the secret that allows some artists to create such dynamic interpretations of the landscape that really look like works of art, while the rest of us struggle along trying to paint something that “looks like the photo?”
I’m not a natural landscape painter, but I’ve always wanted to paint the landscape. It felt so much easier to interpret floral subjects loosely, but for years, a loose style of watercolor landscape felt impossible. Every time, I found myself pulled back into trying to paint to match the photo.
One day it occurred to me that there had to be principles I was using in my floral paintings that could be applied to landscapes as well. I just had to figure out what they were. I began to pay closer attention to how I looked at floral subjects, and apply the same vision and planning to my landscapes, and over time, I saw change happen.
I began to develop strategies that did result in looser landscape subjects, and not only that, I found that these principles of learning to think and see my subject would work for any subject. And I fell in love with my own work as it began to represent who I was to the world more and more. I love my paintings and am proud to show off the ones that tell the world “This is who I am.”
Isn’t that why we make art, after all?
3 Keys to Getting to the Heart of Your Landscape Paintings
Establish a Foundation using Strong Technique
I don’t know what I don’t know when I start a new scene! I recognize that I need to get to know my subject in order to paint it with honesty and confidence that I know what I want my painting to say. Preliminary exploration, studying value, color, and composition will help you get to know the skeleton of the scene, elements you can build the “meat” of the painting around. Artistic principles are your framework.Fill your toolbox with visual strategies to depict the elements in the scene.
Everything we paint is a symbol - an icon that is representing the actual object. When I have a collection of strategies that I use for painting different elements; different kinds of trees, grass, masses of trees, mountains, etc, it becomes much easier to confidently paint those elements while focusing on the expression in the scene. Having a strong mark making style, options for negative painting, adding texture and expressing repeated elements as icons and makes painting more instinctive.Adapt to accommodate the voice of the subject and repeat to refine and simplify.
Refuse to make assumptions and let the painting surprise you!I have committed to exploring a scene as many times as it takes to get to the heart of what I really want to show in my painting. So often this is a cycle of experiments, study, boredom, frustration, and finally breakthrough as I challenge everything I think I know about the scene and work to make it my own. There is a feeling of incredible excitement and satisfaction in pushing through; in looking finally at the finished painting and thinking, “This is IT.” Often that feeling is accompanied with, “I don’t know why, but I love this one.”
What will your heart-led landscape future be?
If you’re looking to add more life to your landscapes, why not join me from July 14-August 14 in a special online event? Over the next four weeks, we’ll be unpacking each of these 3 keys and more in my online course, Heart Led Landscapes in Watercolor.
While this course is always open for self-paced study on my web site, by enrolling today you can join the rest of the class in participating on my Fearless Artist community. From July 14-August 14, we’ll be going through the course content together, with live lesson sessions, painting coaching and critiques, and bonus articles and videos that align with the course.
Find out more by watching the information session (I share a real behind-the-scenes look at my own growth and past & present landscape paintings) here:
Join us! Enroll before July 21, 2020 to receive a coupon for one month’s enrollment in my Fearless Artist Community: