Streamlining Intricate Scenes: A Guide
In the heart of Queensland's lush rainforest, nestled amidst a sea of towering trees and overlooking a serene lake, lies a secluded lodge that served as the backdrop for an artist's captivating plein air painting journey.
The author, a firm believer in simplifying complex scenes, approaches painting as a process of narrowing down on the essence and cutting out the rest, much like a great writer using fewer words to say more. This philosophy was put to the test as he attempted to capture the vibrant, intricate beauty of the surrounding landscape.
However, the abundance of colours, shapes, lines, shadows, and highlights made it difficult for him to find a suitable subject. The fog that filled the air during the early morning of the painting session only added to the challenge, obscuring the lake and mountains from view. Recognising the need to simplify the complex nature into something more concise, he cropped out much of the detail, focusing on the repetition of tall tree trunks and the dappled light that filtered through the fog.
Starting with an underpainting using loose, warm tones, he established the mood and texture of the scene. Employing an 'alla prima' technique, he applied paint in confident, decisive strokes, allowing for minimal layering and early accuracy. Selective focus was used to emphasise the lake and mountains, while the surrounding areas were left more abstract to avoid overworking.
As the fog cleared, he began blocking in some of the basic colour shapes, capturing the essence of the objects and forms without clutter. The cropped version of the painting still served as a beautiful way to remember the trip, with the lake, mountains, repetition of tall tree trunks, and dappled light all vividly depicted.
Throughout the process, the author engaged in visual memory and gestural exercises to loosen his brushwork and improve spontaneity. Understanding and planning the strong value structure from the start helped organise the composition and maintain clarity without relying on colour complexity.
Painting plein air presented its own set of challenges, but by applying these simplification strategies and composition exercises, the author was able to convey the complex scene with immediacy and expressive clarity. The end result was a rough study that served as a personal and creative way to document his life at Secrets on the Lake.
[1] Plein Air Magazine. (2018). The alla prima technique. [online] Available at: https://www.pleinairmagazine.com/techniques/alla-prima-technique/
[2] Plein Air Magazine. (2020). Simplify your plein air paintings. [online] Available at: https://www.pleinairmagazine.com/techniques/simplify-your-plein-air-paintings/
[3] Plein Air Magazine. (2019). Painting moving light. [online] Available at: https://www.pleinairmagazine.com/techniques/painting-moving-light/
[4] Plein Air Magazine. (2018). Breaking complex scenes into simple shapes. [online] Available at: https://www.pleinairmagazine.com/techniques/breaking-complex-scenes-into-simple-shapes/
[5] Plein Air Magazine. (2019). Progressive drawing exercises. [online] Available at: https://www.pleinairmagazine.com/techniques/progressive-drawing-exercises/
The artist, inspired by his experienece at Secrets on the Lake, might find himself featured in home-and-garden magazines for showcasing his plein air painting of the lush rainforest landscape, now adorning the walls of many homes. After sharing his techniques through articles in Plein Air Magazine, such as breaking complex scenes into simple shapes, progressing drawing exercises, and the alla prima technique, his works have influenced a lifestyle of simplification in plein air painting, even during travel.
