4 Elements Of Painting A Landscape
Landscaping paintings are common, but not all landscape paintings are created equal. However, the thing to keep in mind is that many landscape pieces have several techniques in common, and fortunately, many of these techniques are not hard to learn. Discover some of the techniques you can use to bring your landscape canvas to life.
1.Research
Most artists begin landscape pieces with research. To create the most accurate piece, you need to know what you're painting, and the only way you can do so is to study the scene. If you're painting a landscape of something local, plan some time to visit the area, take notes, and collect a few photographs. If you visit the area more than once, make sure you visit at the same time of day, since the landscape will look different depending on the position of the sun.
2. Sketching
Many artists often take time to sketch their pieces. Painting freehand is possible, but it is a skill that often takes quite some time to master. Sketching your landscape scene beforehand is an excellent way to get familiar with re-creating the scene on paper and highlight any areas where you might need to rework your design. Always try to sketch on a piece of paper that is the same or close to the size of canvas that you plan to create your image on.
3. Personality
Even the most experienced artist never hesitates to add a certain level of personality in their piece. In terms of personality with landscape pieces, it's the idea of adding personal elements to the piece rather than trying to make the piece 100% accurate. Consider a landscape featuring a beach, for instance. Instead of creating a clean line between the water and sand, use a blending or blurring technique. If there are any imperfections, these techniques make it much harder to detect them.
4. Difficulty
Artists also consider the difficulty level of the landscape before they create it. Generally, for the novice artist, the least amount of detail the better. For example, a green pasture would be easier to recreate than the skyline of a large city, given the amount of detail that would go into the process. While you might be eager to create a harder piece, do yourself a favor and take your time, improve your skill, and then take on the harder pieces.
All of these techniques, along with attending classes at a canvas painting studio, can help you bring more clarity and beauty to your pieces, but keep in mind, art is individual. There is no right or wrong. Enjoy the process, be creative, and you will surely create a masterpiece.