Creating landscape paintings can be really difficult if you don’t know these 3 essential techniques. But don’t worry because I will share 3 simple yet effective tips on how to create better landscape paintings like the below one that I completed recently. So are you ready to know what those 3 things are?
So let’s dive in!
Below are my top 3 tips for a better landscape painting;
Finding the perfect painting subject
Composition technique: The Rule of Thirds
Color mixing & Brushwork
Let's discuss these topic in more details;
1. Finding the perfect painting subject:
Decide which main category & subcategory you want to paint.
Let's say Landscape is the main category whereas Moonlight Landscape OR Sunset painting will be the subcategories.
Similarly Portrait (Main Category) whereas Pet Portrait, Animal Portrait are the subcategories.
But today we will discuss landscape painting.
Then decide what are the elements that excite you the most for creating the painting?
For example, here in this painting, I have really a rough idea in my head of different elements like;
A cozy snow covered hut or cabin.
Painting Mood- Moonlight & Snow.
Mountains in the backgrounds.
Big or Small Trees.
A small river passing by the stone bridge etc...
2. Composition technique: The Rule of Thirds
According to this rule, the image should be divided into nine equal parts with the help of two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines. And the focal point should be placed along any of these lines of their intersection.
Now balance out other elements in the sketch by asking the below three questions;
• What’s working?
• What’s not working?
• And what if…?
The Importance of Composition:
• Composition is the foundation of all kinds of visual arts; a good composition is the key to a successful work of art. It has a great importance in film, design, photography & painting etc.
• Colours, lines can be great in the painting but without a solid good composition, the painting fails miserably.
For example let’s look at my painting below, here the focal point is the snow covered cottage itself. In the same way you can create very interesting paintings by using this simple composition technique.
In the next step, we will discuss the color mixing & brushworks.
3. Color Mixing & Brushworks:
To make your painting more dynamic and attractive, you need to learn how to apply colours and brushworks in a proper way. Below are the 3 tips that every artist should know;
• Thin to Thick: Always make sure to apply the paint from thinnest thin to thickest thick. It means start applying the first layer of thin colours. Then gradually make the colours thicker as the paint layer increases.
• Darkest Dark to Lightest Light: Similarly always start with the dark colour first, then gradually add the highlights in the lightest light colours.
• High Value Masses to Smaller Details: Always start with the high value masses, it means start applying paints with the big brushes first, then gradually use the medium & small brushes for final detailing.
If you want to create a better landscape just try to learn the basics of the above tips starting from finding a beautiful painting subject, creating an interesting composition & finally learning how to use colors and brushworks. That’s it and gradually you will create more dynamic & interesting paintings that your viewers will be attracted to see! Hope you like this article so far.
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Until next time, Happy Painting!