How to Create Depth in Landscape Painting, Part I--Atmospheric Perspective

"Look to the Hills",  demonstrating atmospheric perspective

     Atmospheric perspective in landscape painting is one tool artists have to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Using this tool well requires careful observation of subtle differences in color, contrast, and sharpness of objects as we see through the atmosphere from near to far. 

     No, it is not really complicated. Think about a time you could see a great distance into a scene with hills or mountains. The furthest ridges appeared bluer (or maybe a bluish purple) compared to near ridges as well as having softer edges (looking "fuzzier"). In general, colors become cooler as distance from the viewer increases, dark/light contrast lessens, and edges soften. A landscape artist needs to consider all these qualities carefully.

     I almost always paint from my own photos (as well as using field notes and sketches), but I have discovered that photos seldom show atmospheric perspective well. It is up to me to create that perspective as I paint. Merely copying a photo is unlikely to be effective in creating depth.

"On the Jones Creek Trail"

     Also called aerial perspective (although it has to do with looking through the air and whatever is in it, not at all with a bird's eye view), atmospheric perspective rendered well will make a stunning difference in your work. To create realistic looking depth, artists often exaggerate these effects.

     I am absolutely not an expert, but will show you a few paintings to illustrate my efforts at creating depth. "Look to the Hills", shown top right, pictures a favorite place near Warwick, New York with a long view into the distance. Notice that even though the distant foothills are heavily wooded, they don't look very green. Rather, they are a neutral sort of bluish shade with minimal appearance of contrast. Also, the far side of the valley is blurred and muted in color and tone, becoming a bit brighter and more defined nearer to the viewer. The trees, chair, and grasses closest to the viewer have sharper edges, more intense color, and greater light/dark contrast.

     "On the Jones Creek Trail" presents a different sort of challenge; the viewer cannot see very far because of heavy foliage. Here, you can see that I have definitely exaggerated the effects of atmospheric perspective to create several visual planes and to avoid a flat look. In my next post, I will describe some specific techniques I use with acrylics to paint landscapes with the appearance of depth.

Question of the day: Are you interested in descriptions of artists' techniques? What else would you like to hear about perspective?

Growing--A New Home for a Painting, a Surprise Sale

"Look to the Hills", one of two versions of a lovely view at a conference center in Warwick, New York, has been displayed at Trends Home Decor on Hendricks Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida, for several months. Some of you may recall a post several months ago about the two versions I painted of this scene, based on a peaceful, renewing place we love. On Saturday, I phoned Lori Taylor, the Trends shop owner, a very sweet person and wonderful supporter of her artists, offering to bring in a new piece ("Spring Breeze", a Jacksonville Beach scene finished and posted on this blog a couple of months ago). Knowing that she has mounted an "angel wall" of special pieces for the season and that the shop is fairly full, I suggested that I could take one of my other paintings home for awhile to make room for the new one. That worked for her. A note: you can use the search box in the upper left corner of this blog to enter terms like "Trends Home Decor", "Look to the Hills", "Spring Breeze" or "paintings" for more photos and information.

She had decided to keep the Florida scenes I was showing in her shop and to rotate this New York landscape out for awhile, so we took it down. I set it aside on a chair while we chatted. Then, a couple came in to ask her about buying two brightly painted Adirondack chairs displayed out front (she sells unique home accessories and furniture in addition to moderately priced original art works). The woman came in to browse while her husband arranged payment, and she spotted my painting propped sideways on a chair. "Oh, I love that!" she said, "Don't tell me you just bought it, and I missed out." I was happy to say that is was still for sale, and we began to talk. Discovering I was the artist who painted "Look to the Hills", she described what it meant to her in more detail, how peaceful she felt it was, and how well it would fit in their bedroom.

Talk about serendipity! The pleasure of meeting the couple who took this piece home and of hearing how it spoke to them was delightful. And if I had taken it straight home instead of chatting with Lori for awhile, we would have missed each other, and that particular piece would not have found its new home.

Question of the day: Where would we be without the occasional perfectly magical connections and moments that sparkle in otherwise ordinary days?