Abstracting the Landscape in Oil

In this art instruction video, accomplished conceptual impressionist Ann Templeton leads students of all levels through an intimate discussion of her favorite oil painting techniques. Throughout the course of this 2 hour DVD oil painting workshop, Templeton explains how to simplify and abstract a landscape so that artists can improve their creative expression. This workshop begins with a discussion of brushes and technique so that students can begin to learn her concepts behind “abstracting the landscape.” Templeton demonstrates how masses, line direction, value, intensity, the push and pull of color, brushwork, surface mixing, and painting mediums are all important elements to the overall story told by the landscape. Next, Templeton instructs students about the proper technique for locating the center of interest in an oil painting and controlling the visual movement by linking darks, lights, hues and exploiting the opacity of paint. Learn Templeton’s signature methods for creating clean, vivid transparent hues that are contrasted with opaque passages of light tints of color. You’ll learn the preferred method for choosing palette colors and the personality of each. Watch as Templeton fearlessly visually carves up a landscape into a jigsaw puzzle of shapes, values and color, and then realizes this form on the canvas with swift, sure strokes. Students will benefit from the discussion of shapes, edges, and silhouettes, and the way that they can be anticipated and utilized to create a design that makes the painting work. Participating in this workshop with Templeton will inject a feeling of depth and atmosphere into your oil painting, and give you more confidence as you progress with this medium.