It’s so easy if you just don’t make it hard. This seemingly complex scene of a plaza in Laguna Beach may seem intimidating, but when I broke it down into simple steps it almost painted itself.
With a brush and paint on a gray panel I sketched the architectural shapes very simply. This established a good start.
Then I waited. As people strolled by I added figures, one by one. That brought life and interest to the subject. (See the center image.)
When I was satisfied with the placement of figures, I carefully established the light source in the sky.
Then I spotted in key areas of color in the foreground, especially the dominant figures and a pattern of light and shadow on the plaza. At this point I knew I had a solid composition.
Then I simply allowed the painting to take on a life of its own. One piece at a time, I brought each area to completion. It was pure joy all the way.
This painting:
“IT’S SO EASY IF YOU JUST DON’T MAKE IT HARD”
8x8 inch original plein air
oil painting by Tom Brown
As always, comments or inquiries are welcome: tombrownstudio@cox.net
For other artists who follow my work, this may be of interest:
I currently have 17 downloadable art lessons available that are delivered via email as PDFs, which are readable on any computer. They can also be printed out on a desktop printer for hard-copy reference. The full list is shown below.
Two popular lessons are PUTTING FIGURES IN YOUR PAINTINGS (lesson #5 below), and COLOR MIXING MADE EASY (lesson #9).
Figures bring scenes to life, and they are very easy to paint in a convincing way even if you have limited drawing skills.
1 ) OIL PAINTING MADE EASY ($20) (details are shown on my website)
2 ) PLEIN AIR PAINTING MADE EASY ($20) (also shown on my website)
3 ) NESTLED IN – a landscape ($20)
4 ) Painting PORTRAITS With Flair ($20)
5 ) Putting FIGURES In Your Paintings - painting the clothed figure. ($20)
6 ) BLUSTERY DAY - a landscape with a house among lush trees ($20)
7 ) ROCK & ROLL - a sailboat and rowboat at anchor ($20)
8 ) CLASSIC STILL LIFE - orange slices, grapes and a white vase ($20)
9 ) COLOR MIXING MADE EASY (an absolute “must” for most artists) ($20)
10 ) “THE LOADED BRUSH” (special brushwork techniques) ($20)
11 ) “PALETTE KNIFE PAINTING” ($20)
12 ) “LANDSCAPE SCENE AT SUNSET” (step-by-step demo from a live workshop) ($20)
13 ) “HOW TO PAINT TREES” ($10)
14 ) “HOW TO MAKE A POCHADE” ($10)
15 ) “HOW TO PAINT NOCTURNES” ($10)
16 ) “HOW TO CREATE RED-HOT ART SALES” (only for artists who wish to sell art) ($20)
17 ) “PAINTING REFLECTIONS IN WATER” ($20)
Email for ordering details: tombrownstudio@cox.net
With a brush and paint on a gray panel I sketched the architectural shapes very simply. This established a good start.
Then I waited. As people strolled by I added figures, one by one. That brought life and interest to the subject. (See the center image.)
When I was satisfied with the placement of figures, I carefully established the light source in the sky.
Then I spotted in key areas of color in the foreground, especially the dominant figures and a pattern of light and shadow on the plaza. At this point I knew I had a solid composition.
Then I simply allowed the painting to take on a life of its own. One piece at a time, I brought each area to completion. It was pure joy all the way.
This painting:
“IT’S SO EASY IF YOU JUST DON’T MAKE IT HARD”
8x8 inch original plein air
oil painting by Tom Brown
As always, comments or inquiries are welcome: tombrownstudio@cox.net
For other artists who follow my work, this may be of interest:
I currently have 17 downloadable art lessons available that are delivered via email as PDFs, which are readable on any computer. They can also be printed out on a desktop printer for hard-copy reference. The full list is shown below.
Two popular lessons are PUTTING FIGURES IN YOUR PAINTINGS (lesson #5 below), and COLOR MIXING MADE EASY (lesson #9).
Figures bring scenes to life, and they are very easy to paint in a convincing way even if you have limited drawing skills.
1 ) OIL PAINTING MADE EASY ($20) (details are shown on my website)
2 ) PLEIN AIR PAINTING MADE EASY ($20) (also shown on my website)
3 ) NESTLED IN – a landscape ($20)
4 ) Painting PORTRAITS With Flair ($20)
5 ) Putting FIGURES In Your Paintings - painting the clothed figure. ($20)
6 ) BLUSTERY DAY - a landscape with a house among lush trees ($20)
7 ) ROCK & ROLL - a sailboat and rowboat at anchor ($20)
8 ) CLASSIC STILL LIFE - orange slices, grapes and a white vase ($20)
9 ) COLOR MIXING MADE EASY (an absolute “must” for most artists) ($20)
10 ) “THE LOADED BRUSH” (special brushwork techniques) ($20)
11 ) “PALETTE KNIFE PAINTING” ($20)
12 ) “LANDSCAPE SCENE AT SUNSET” (step-by-step demo from a live workshop) ($20)
13 ) “HOW TO PAINT TREES” ($10)
14 ) “HOW TO MAKE A POCHADE” ($10)
15 ) “HOW TO PAINT NOCTURNES” ($10)
16 ) “HOW TO CREATE RED-HOT ART SALES” (only for artists who wish to sell art) ($20)
17 ) “PAINTING REFLECTIONS IN WATER” ($20)
Email for ordering details: tombrownstudio@cox.net
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