ArtistsNetwork.com 37Andrew Wyeth was a master of sim-
plifi cation. I looked at a book of his
paintings of Maine and realized that
he usually painted only one subject,
using just two contrasting values.
Sometimes the large light shapes
dominate; sometimes the large dark
shapes dominate. When you look at a
Wyeth painting upside down, you can
see a wonderful abstract design of two
simple shapes with contrasting values.
With Wyeth in mind, I’ve taken a
student’s well-painted but complicated
painting (at right) and sketched one of
its subjects separately (below).
I never make pencil compositions
when planning a picture. Instead,
I create small color sketches like the
one shown. Th ey help me plan my
colors and values more eff ectively
than pencil.
- KEEP IT SIMPLE
Simplifying the House
Remember that details get lost and colors fade with distance. In this reworking of the house on the hill, I’ve
either lightened or lost details such as the shutters to create a sense of distance and to avoid cluttering the
mostly white building.
I’ve darkened the ground on the horizon at the right, the chimneys and the cupola, and the cast
shadow next to the house to stress its whiteness.House at Gundy’s Harbor
In this painting by one of my students, we can see a bridge and rocks, a shed and truck, and a
house on a hill. These smaller groups would have worked better as separate paintings.KEEP IT SMALL
The bigger the picture,
the harder it is to
simplify. When working
outside, limit yourself to
quarter sheets of paper.
Simplify, and then
simplify some more. Can
you make a picture with
only two simple
shapes—one of
connected darks and
one of connected lights?