Whether you’re capturing the beautiful fall foliage or a majestic mountain range, landscape painting is perfect for nature and art lovers. However, landscape painting requires different techniques and methods in order to properly capture nature’s beauty. Here we discuss some top tips for beginners trying their hand at landscape painting.
Simplify
Oftentimes, artists get caught up in the details of their landscape rather than capturing the entire picture. While detail is certainly important, it’s better to emphasize certain areas of your painting and then leave the rest up to the imagination of the viewer. And remember, you don’t have to put everything you see into your painting.
Use your artistic license
Unless you’re painting a very identifiable image (such as Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon), you don’t have to copy your landscape exactly. You have the liberty to play around with your scene. Granted, you want to keep the general appearance of your scene the same, but you can experiment with details and characters.
Know your greens
The most common color in your landscape painting will ultimately be green. But it won’t be the same shades of green. You can try mixing your own greens, or you can buy different green paints. Keep in mind that if you decide to buy your greens, they will not be natural greens. This means you’ll still have to mix your greens to achieve the right colors. Either way, you’ll want to have more than just one shade of green when you start painting.
Use a palette knife
A palette knife is a helpful tool when it comes to landscape painting. Not only can you use it for mixing your greens (see above), but it can also help add crisp edges.
At Creative Ventures Gallery, our art classes and workshops can help you master landscape painting. Contact us today to learn more!