Simplify Your Paintings
Many artists are aware that one of the hardest skills to learn in painting is how to keep things simple. Artist Eric Jacobsen often gets questions from artists on how to keep the painting process simple. To initiate a simpler way of painting, you can begin by establishing what kind of painter you want to be. From there, you can begin using Eric’s tips and tricks below for a simpler process.
For outdoor or landscape painters, Eric and Gabor recommend taking fewer supplies with you outside (or wherever you paint if you are not an outdoor painter). This can start by taking on a smaller palette; only having three primary colors and white. For example, if you paint with one primary color for blue and you see something in your painting going toward blue, you will only have one color of blue to choose from rather than a full palette of various blues. Having fewer options to choose from can prevent feeling overwhelmed by which blue to choose. It will also give you a clear idea if you need to purchase a new color of blue or if you can use your primary color to create what you need.
Simplification can also be as straightforward as focusing on the shape of what you are seeing rather than focusing on lines in your painting. Many artists also choose too large of a canvas, and simplifying can be using a smaller canvas to concentrate on the subject matter more than size of the painting.
One last tip from Eric Jacobsen is this: challenge yourself by using a brush size out of your comfort zone. Using a larger brush may help you start seeing things in a larger picture rather than focusing on too many details at a time like you would with a small brush.
If you are not as experienced of a painter yet, do not worry about simplifying the process until you are solid with the fundamentals of painting.
“A bonus [to these methods of simplification] is you may not have drawing skills, understand design fully, or have a great idea how to vary edges, but you will have a harmonious painting just by simplifying.” - Eric Jacobsen
To learn from Eric Jacobsen, join him in his video download series “"A BRUSH WITH NATURE: CREATING LOOSE PAINTINGS"
To listen to Eric and Gabor’s full podcast on how to “Keep it Simple” click here.