Because nature is so expansive and complex, so varied in its range of
light, landscape painters often have to look further and more deeply to
find form and structure, value patterns, and an organized arrangement of
shapes. In Landscape Painting, Mitchell Albala shares his concepts and
practices for translating nature's grandeur, complexity, and color
dynamics into convincing representations of space and light. Concise,
practical, and inspirational, Landscape Painting focuses on the
greatest challenges for the landscape artist, such as: - Simplification
and Massing: Learn to reduce nature's complexity by looking beneath the
surface of a subject to discover the form's basic masses and shapes.-
Color and Light: Explore color theory as it specifically applies to the
landscape, and learn the various strategies painters use to capture the
illusion of natural light.- Selection and Composition: Learn to select
wisely from nature's vast panorama. Albala shows you the essential cues
to look for and how to find the most promising subject from a world of
possibilities. The lessons in Landscape Painting--based on observation
rather than imitation and applicable to both plein air and studio
practice--are accompanied by painting examples, demonstrations,
photographs, and diagrams. Illustrations draw from the work of more than
40 contemporary artists and such masters of landscape painting as John
Constable, Sanford Gifford, and Claude Monet. Based on Albala's 25 years
of experience and the proven methods taught at his successful plein air
workshops, this in-depth guide to all aspects of landscape painting is a
must-have for anyone getting started in the genre, as well as more
experienced practitioners who want to hone their skills or learn new
perspectives.
