The lesson this week demonstrates how to paint figures in a landscape. Portrait paintings feature the human figure so artists often paint realistic, detailed figures. But in the landscape, the figure becomes less important than the setting and can be rendered as simple shapes. However, these simplified figures often become the focal point of a painting because we are so sensitive to the human form. So make sure that you place these simple forms in a good focal point spot in your painting. The figures shown here are silhouettes of groups of people. Notice how easy it is to recognize that these are figures even though we see only shapes with no detail. Even the colors are totally unrealistic. Notice also how I painted the feet. Feet! What feet? You're right, there are no feet and also no hands or arms. What you are looking at are just simple shapes showing the basic masses of the body. A good way to practice painting these kinds of figures is find a photo of a group of people in the distance (walking on a beach for example). Then, cover the photo with tracing paper and just outline the figures. Transfer or redraw this outline onto watercolor paper, wet the inside of the shape, and drop in color.
Stay tuned, in my next blog, I will demonstrate how to draw and paint U-W-O people.
