Essays

Landscape

“Plein Air” (outdoor) painting of course requires a different mode of observation from when we work in the studio. In general, light inside a building is warm, whereas outside, sunlight is considered a cold light. This fact must be borne in mind because it very much influences the choice of colors we use to represent light and shade: for example, the Impressionists thought of shade as purple or blue, and, in short, granted it cold color tones.  

There are a number of theories on color combinations: dark-light, warm-cold, clear-murky etc. and this is a subject I find particularly interesting, both for myself, and also for my students. When one paints from observation and not from theory, it’s sometimes possible to find warm light and warm shade and also cold light and cold shade, so that it’s not always advisable to “know” too much! Generally, if we paint with our full attention and are true to the moment…and how it looks exactly at the time… a lot happens and it’s usually good!  

The light in landscape painting reaches us from the sky, and after we make our preliminary drawing – with charcoal or brush on the canvas - it’s advisable to paint in first the color and tone of the sky. This immediately helps us to make a comparison with whatever meets the sky and then we can better distinguish their colors and whether they’re light or dark. In most cases, the sky is much lighter that what it first seems to us, and consequently, the hills, trees and everything else take on a darker shade. It usually takes time – if we are working on white canvas – to sense the overall harmony while the pale canvas competes with the light from the sky. From this point on, the painting can methodically develop downwards - and I’ll discuss this at a later date.