Composition Before Color — Considerations in the First Phases of Plein Air Painting
In the rush to color, plein air painters often overlook the essential first steps that will establish a strong composition.
Browsing: Landscape Theory
Jerry Fresia: “On Painting The Sun: Monet’s Choice”
Contemporary Impressionist Jerry Fresia talks about the tradeoffs between a value-emphasis or a color-emphasis when painting brilliant light.
Landscape Painting Exercises: Limited Focus, Shape, Color, and Notan
One painter’s journey through exercises in simplification, limited focus, color and notan.
Demonstration: Exploring Landscape Composition Through a Limited Focus
The first step in composition — a “limited focus” — isn’t limiting at all, but expands our options in landscape composition.
Evaluating Photo Reference for a Series of Landscape Paintings
Words of advice on evaluating photo reference for series of landscape paintings.
Painting Fog in Plein Air with Simplification, Values, Edges, and Neutral Colors
The unique attributes of fog make key lesson more obvious — massing, value zones, edges and neutrals.
Carlson’s Theory of Angles: The Four Value Divisions in Landscape Painting
Landscape values are easier to understand when viewed as falling into four major divisions or zones.
Plein Air Setup: Establishing a Consistent Light on Your Palette and Painting
How should the plein air painter orient themselves to get the best light on the subject and canvas?
The Not-So-Simple Art of Simplification
Learning how to simplify requires a practiced shift in perception — an ability to see the forest and the trees.