| If you're a true oil painting landscapes aficionado, you | | | | you. When mixing a green, bear in mind that green |
| find true inspiration in a beautiful landscape! | | | | has either a blue or a yellow bias as the starting |
| There's something about a breathtaking landscape | | | | point. In addition, remember that the shade of green |
| that motivates the artist in all of us to capture its | | | | in a landscape will change depending on the time of |
| essence on canvas. Speaking for myself, I always | | | | day. It's a fact that a bluish green hue in the morning |
| want to create a piece that reflects my level of | | | | may well be a yellowish green by dinner time. |
| emotion, and I want all future viewers of the painting | | | | Each different blue/yellow combination will give a |
| to feel the transference of these same feelings. | | | | different green, plus the variations from the |
| Since you are reading this article, I assume that you | | | | proportions of each you mix. With practice it |
| feel as I do. So, in order to help everyone create | | | | becomes instinctive to mix the shade of green you're |
| some beautiful pieces, I've listed some ideas to help | | | | after. |
| with your next project. | | | | Oil Painting Landscapes Idea #4: The Foreground Is |
| Oil Painting Landscapes Idea #1: Use Your Imagination. | | | | Top Priority |
| It's permissible to rearrange the elements in the | | | | Don't paint the entire landscape with the same |
| landscape, if you think it'll make a better painting | | | | degree of detail. It's important to paint less detail in |
| composition. Another option is to borrow elements | | | | the background of the landscape than you do in the |
| from different landscapes and put them together in | | | | foreground. It's less vital there and gives more |
| one piece. (Of course you shouldn't do this if your | | | | 'authority' to the foreground. The difference in detail |
| landscape is a readily identifiable scene) | | | | also helps draw the viewer's eye into the main focus |
| Oil Painting Landscapes Idea #2: It's OK To Leave | | | | of the landscape painting. |
| Some Elements Out. | | | | Oil Painting Landscape Idea #5: Consider Creating A |
| No one is forcing you to include everything that you | | | | Series |
| see in the landscape you're painting. Please feel free | | | | OK, you've followed these guidelines religiously, and |
| to be selective. You should include the elements that | | | | you now have a masterpiece hanging on the wall. |
| you feel are important, and that characterize this | | | | What do you do next? My advice is to paint another |
| particular landscape. And you should definitely use the | | | | one. Be like the Impressionist Claude Monet and paint |
| landscape as a reference, but its also OK to insert | | | | it again and again, in different lights, seasons, and |
| your own personality, temperament, and/or tastes in | | | | moods. You may think you'll get bored with the |
| the painting. After all, It's your work of art. You | | | | scene, but in reality you start to see more in it. The |
| should paint it anyway you wish! | | | | difference may be the way a tree's shadow tracks |
| Oil Painting Landscapes Idea #3: It's Not Cheating to | | | | around it through the day Or possibly it's how the |
| Buy Green Paints | | | | different light of the harsh midday sun changes the |
| There is this notion in the oil painting world that a | | | | feel of the painting. |
| true artist has to mix their own greens. Hogwash! It's | | | | It was Picasso that put put it best: "Painting is a blind |
| permissible to buy green paints in a tube rather than | | | | man's profession" He paints not what he sees, but |
| mixing your own. One of the main benefits of doing | | | | what he feels, what he tells himself about what he |
| so is that you'll have instant access to particular | | | | has seen". So if you follow these guidelines, and let |
| greens. By the same token, don't limit yourself to | | | | your inspiration guide you, then I'm confident you'll |
| only store-bought greens. Go ahead and extend the | | | | create better works of art. |
| range of 'ready-made' greens as your inspiration leads | | | | |