Understanding Simplification and Massing for Landscape Painters
The ability to to simplify — to covert nature’s complexity into fewer and more readable shapes and patterns — is the most important skill for the landscape painter. Working from your own photos and those supplied by the instructor, you will do several painting and drawing exercises designed to encourage your eye your eye and hand toward broad, simplified shapes. You will learn about the power of "limited focus," how limited values and “value zones” can be used as a means to simplify, and how to work with shapes of varying size and density. The workshop will conclude with a segment on preparing for painting outdoors, from materials to best practices. Note: This class uses acrylic paints because they are ideally suited for quick changes and the shape-oriented nature of our work. Please review the Guidelines for Choosing Photos and the Materials List.
Guidelines for Selecting Photos for Class
Since we will be working indoors, we will be referencing photos for our subject matter. In order to select the best material possible for your exercises, please review the following guidelines. If it is not possible for you to gather photos before class, I will have several samples available.
Any photograph that you like doesn't necessarily mean it will make a good reference for a painting. A good reference photo, just like a good painting, must include certain essential cues that will help suggest depth and make for a good composition.
Ordinarily, I recommend that you only use photos you have taken yourself. You will have more personal connection to subjects that touched you in some way, and your own photos are more of an authentic statement about what interests you in the world. However, if it is not possible for you to gather photos before class, or the photos you have are not good, then you may select photos from other sources.
Not all photos will meet these requirements, but the more they include, the better.
Differentiation. Always make sure you are able to distinguish one shape from another. Ambiguous passages — places where the form and structure are unclear — are poison to a reference photo. If your painting is to capture spatial cues, the photo must have them, as well.
Select subjects with a clear cross-light. A clear cross-light provides the essential patterns of light and dark that create volume and model form in three-dimensions. Think of the subject as you would a still life, with a ¼, ½ or ¾ light on it. You would never set up a still life that was backlit or front-lit. Morning or late afternoon offers these conditions best, while midday light tends to wash out colors and values.
Interposition (overlap) and scale. In terms of visual perception, it is elements overlapping one another that tells us whether something is in front or behind, near of far. Scale, the relative size of elements, also supports this spatial perception.
Foreground, middle-ground and background. Establishing a foreground, middle-ground, and background is a tried and true method of organizing a composition into spatial layers.
Find perspective cues. Landscapes exert a very strong horizontal energy. Diagonals — and the perspective they create (think: the proverbial railroad tracks vanishing into the distance) — are a powerful way to suggest depth. You do not have to be an architect or know how to plot one, two, and three-point perspective to take advantage of perspective. A road, a winding stream, a fence, a furrow in the foreground, or even a few unconnected objects that align at an angle can be all that’s needed.
Avoid problem subjects. There are a variety of subjects that make for difficult translation. They may be scenes that have wonderful color or seem spatial because our natural depth perception, but in fact lack enough spatial cues to hold a two dimensional painting together.
Be wary of backlit or front lit subjects. Subjects without a clear crosslight, such as sunrises and sunsets, can make for some very dramatic paintings; however, the essential cues for volume are compromised and shapes lose some or all of their modeling.
Shapeless wall of trees. Large, complex clusters of foliage or close ups of trees can become an indistinguishable mass of foliage and limbs, especially when there are few other landscape elements to relate to.
Strips of landscape that run horizontal to your field of vision without any verticals or diagonals will impose too much horizontality and minimize other spatial cues.
Patterns of light and dark don’t correspond to the actual forms, such as might be found in a densely wooded area.
Enlargements. Snapshots are usually only 4 x 6 inches, but enlargements are much easier to work from. If you’re unfamiliar with how to make enlargements, here are some suggestions: If your image is digital and you have the capability to print from your home inkjet printer, then you can print out your own enlargements. If you don’t have a printer at home, then you can bring the image file to a do-it-yourself Kodak kiosk. The Kodak printers at Bartell’s are fantastic. If your photo is not digital, and all you have is a print, you can make color enlargements at Kinko’s or another copy store.
Black and white version of the photo. Also make a black and wwhite (grayscale) copy of you image. A black and white photo makes it easier to read basic value patterns without the subjective distraction of color. If your image is digital, you can print out a black and white version from your home printer. Or, if you have an existing print, you can make black and white copies at Kinko’s. More contrast is better.
Materials List
Brushes
The painting exercises will be done in acrylic because acrylics are ideally suited for quick changes and the shape-oriented nature of our work. The best brushes for acrylic are synthetic brushes. Be sure to get brushes that are not too soft and flimsy; the bristles should have some snap and resistance. Note: Some synthetic brushes are strictly for acrylics, while others are for both acrylics and oils. (If you already have hog bristle bristles, and do not want to incur the expense of buying synthetic brushes, you can use the hog bristle.) Numbering systems vary, so brush sizes are listed in approximate widths.
1 bright, 1-inch wide
1 filbert, 1/4-inch wide
1 filbert, 1/2-inch wide
1 filbert, 5/8–3/4-inch wide
Paint
1 tube of titanium white acrylic
1 tube of black acrylic
1 tube each of cadmium yellow medium or equivalent, ultramarine blue, and cadmium red light or equivalent. You may certainly bring more acrylic colors if you have them, but these three are the minimum.
Painting Surfaces
Any of these surfaces should work:
Fredrix canvas pad, 9 x 12
Individual canvas panels, 8 x 10 or 9 x 12, at least 6 (Fredrix recommended)
Do not use canvas pads that are plastic or paper! They may say "canvas" on the cover, but they are just canvas-textured. It must be real gessoed canvas. The Fredrix "Medium Texture Real Canva" pad is ideal.
Additional supplies
Palette (approx. 9 x 12) - Disposable or any type that you are comfortable with
Backboard, 11 x 14 - this is a firm backing on which to tape your small painting studies. An old canvas panel or board of equivalent firmness is fine.
Small Bulldog Clips (small) to hold edges of palette down
Roll of cheap masking tape, at least 3/4" wide (not blue!)
Palette knife, metal. The spade-style is better than the the long blades.
Plastic container for water, 12 – 16 oz.
“L” shaped croppers - Make your own from cardboard. Approximately 9 x 12.
Drawing Tools - 1. Pencils that make a dark mark are always preferred, such as a 2B or 6B. The Koh-i-Noor lead holder, that holds a 3/16-inch 2B or 4B lead, is an excellent bold drawing instrument. 2. A bold black or gray marker; Berol Prismacolor with the broad an medium nob in one marker, is good.
