Streamlining Complicated Scenes: A Step-by-Step Guide
In the heart of Queensland, Australia, nestled amidst dense rainforest, an artist embarked on a creative journey at Secrets on the Lake. The artist's adventure was documented in a series of photographs, including a captivating image of a blank canvas, ready to be transformed.
The journey was not without its challenges. The constantly changing light demanded swift work from the artist, who had to work quickly to capture the transient beauty of the landscape. The original scene was too complex to paint on location, so the artist cropped out much of the detail, focusing on the lake, mountains, repetition of tall tree trunks, and dappled light hitting the trees.
The artist found an interesting location from a balcony, overlooking a picturesque landscape. However, the overwhelming number of colours, shapes, lines, shadows, and highlights made it difficult to find a subject to paint. To simplify the scene, the artist believed in capturing the essence of the scene and cutting out the rest, much like a great writer uses fewer words to say more.
Simplifying a complex outdoor scene for plein air painting involves reducing visual noise by identifying and painting the average colour or value of major forms. This approach emphasises larger shapes and colour harmony rather than minute details. The artist used selective editing to establish clear focal points through value contrast or colour intensity, and isolate promising sections of the scene using tools like viewfinders.
Composing a concise subject requires choosing a clear focal point, utilising directional lines, balancing detailed and simplified areas, creating rhythm, and considering framing carefully. The artist employed quick, confident brushwork using large brushes for major areas and small brushes sparingly for details. Techniques like colour blocking and lost-and-found edges were used rather than rendering every detail.
Towards the end of the painting, the artist needed to work from memory because the shadows and colours had changed significantly. The end result was a rough study and a beautiful way to remember the trip. The author used the trip to test out new plein air painting equipment.
These quick-studies, though not meant to capture a finely rendered version of what is seen, can be used along with photos to create a more detailed version back in the studio. After all, while photos are great, painting captures how the artist sees the scene. The plein air painting experience at Secrets on the Lake was a testament to the artist's ability to simplify complex outdoor scenes, yielding bold, expressive, and cohesive paintings that capture the essence rather than intricacy of the scene.
[1] Simplifying a Complex Outdoor Scene for Plein Air Painting [2] Plein Air Painting Tips: Simplifying a Complex Scene [3] How to Simplify a Complex Scene for Plein Air Painting [4] Plein Air Painting: Tips for Simplifying a Complex Outdoor Scene [5] Plein Air Painting: Simplifying Complex Scenes
[1] While painting landscapes at the artist's retreat, Secrets on the Lake, the artist discovered that simplifying complex outdoor scenes was essential for plein air painting, resulting in bold, expressive, and cohesive paintings that captured the essence of the beautiful landscape.
[2] The artist's plein air painting experience at Secrets on the Lake demonstrated the importance of reducing visual noise by focusing on the major forms and colour harmony rather than minute details, creating a lifestyle of sketching and painting scenes reminiscent of home-and-garden settings.
