Creating a Successful Landscape or Seascape

Luccombe to Culver - an original painting by Lee Papworth 2015

Here are a few ideas to assist you in creating successful landscapes and seascapes:

Choose the correct size and shape support (Canvas, board, paper etc.) for your intended painting

Armatures, plan and organise the direction and flow of the composition

(5 best ones – S, L, Diagonal, Triangle and Radiating Lines)

Think in terms of abstract shapes (masses) forget detail at the start

Be dynamic with your composition, crop for drama

Create an entrance

Choose a point of view (low, high or normal)

Have a focal poiint

Think foreground, middle ground and background when choosing

a composition

Don’t be afraid to modify/edit a composition to make it visually stronger

Remember in the western world we read text left to right (this also applies to reading art) have something of interest on the left hand side

Try to lead the eye into and around a landscape painting, try to avoid too many horizontals or objects in the centre blocking your progress into the painting also avoid awkward edges

Have a strong sense of perspective (both aerial and linear) make sure your painting gives the illusion of depth, make it recede

Detail and definition get less towards the background (choose cool colours in the background to achieve this)

Choose an interesting subject (use a view finder/L shapes - ‘en plein air’)

Do prep work – pencil sketches, colour sketches in paint

Commence painting fully prepared 

Paint the details last

And most importantly - Enjoy!!

Best wishes

Lee

Walking to Shanklin - an original painting by Lee Papworth 2015