#23 Paul Troulillebert - 'Landscape' - 25 Days of Tonalism
Hello, and welcome to Tonalist painting with M Francis McCarthy.
Today's painting is a study painted after Paul Troulillebert - 'Landscape'.
Our video features the progression of this painting from its early underpainting stages on up through the final finishing brushwork. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
Today's blog post is a repost from my old blog. I wrote this originally back in 2013, but I think it makes some good points so I am sharing it with you again today.
"Unify, Simplify, Amplify"
I borrowed this term from Ken Carbone over at Co-Design. He uses it for marketing advice but I think it applies very well to landscape painting as well.
When we create a landscape painting it has no reason to exist other than it pleases the eye of the beholder. If it does not accomplish this there is nothing else that it can be used for, other than to possibly re-use the surface for another painting.
How does this motto this help us create beautiful pictures that deserve to be beheld? Let's break it down with some handy bullets:
Together, these three ideas add up to better paintings. It's taken me awhile to apply these concepts to my landscape painting. It's an ongoing process.
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| Painted after - "Landscape" by Paul Desire Trouillebert, Study by M Francis McCarthy - Size 5x7, Oil on wood panel |
Today's painting is a study painted after Paul Troulillebert - 'Landscape'.
Our video features the progression of this painting from its early underpainting stages on up through the final finishing brushwork. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
Today's blog post is a repost from my old blog. I wrote this originally back in 2013, but I think it makes some good points so I am sharing it with you again today.
"Unify, Simplify, Amplify"
I borrowed this term from Ken Carbone over at Co-Design. He uses it for marketing advice but I think it applies very well to landscape painting as well.
When we create a landscape painting it has no reason to exist other than it pleases the eye of the beholder. If it does not accomplish this there is nothing else that it can be used for, other than to possibly re-use the surface for another painting.
How does this motto this help us create beautiful pictures that deserve to be beheld? Let's break it down with some handy bullets:
- Unify - This mean that every part of the painting should work with every other part. Some aspects dominant while others are supportive, but all parts must reflect and coordinate with each other to create a unified whole.
- Simplify - This directs us to look for and represent in our painting a simplified pattern of pleasing large shapes subdivided by smaller shapes. Simplifying the scene is vital to creating unity and amplification. It is difficult to create unity from immense amounts of detail all vying for the eye's attention.
- Amplify - Adding contrast and amping up the color creates more interest and attraction for the viewer. However, to successfully amplify a picture it must be clearly stated before it is amplified. Otherwise, you just get a loud mess.
Together, these three ideas add up to better paintings. It's taken me awhile to apply these concepts to my landscape painting. It's an ongoing process.
M Francis McCarthy
Landscapepainter.co.nz
Landscapepainter.co.nz
A bit about my study painted after Paul Troulillebert - 'Landscape': I like Paul a lot. He's one of my favorite Barbizon painters by far because his work has great colors and composition.
To see more of my work, visit my site here
To see more of my work, visit my site here
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| Original painting by Paul Troulillebert - 'Landscape' |
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| Painted after - "Landscape" by Paul Desire Trouillebert, Study by M Francis McCarthy (Detail) |
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| Painted after - "Landscape" by Paul Desire Trouillebert, Study by M Francis McCarthy (Detail2) |