Share to XIn painting, we tend to judge each work purely by the outcome. Good or bad. Success or failure. But we rarely talk about the inherent difficulty of the painting.
Some paintings are much more difficult to create than others. The following are some factors that increase the difficulty:
- Complex subject.
- Changing light.
- Multiple light sources.
- Moving subject (water or people).
- Working plein air.
- Working plein air in extreme conditions (rain, storm, snow, etc.)
- Subjects that have little margin for error, such as people or architecture.
- Working under time constraints.
You can overlay several of these factors to make things really tricky for yourself. That’s what happened with my plein air study. It was a complex subject, with moving water, changing light, an uncomfortable environment, on a tiny surface with oils and palette knives. At no point did I feel I could take it easy. I had to be in full focus mode for the hour I was there.
Why is this important?
Because if you know you’re taking on a difficult painting, then you can prepare accordingly and ensure you’re in the right mindset. Think of your next painting as an opponent that you must figure out and beat, like you would in boxing or tennis. The more you know and understand your opponent, the better your chances.
You’ll also be able to adjust the difficulty scale of your next painting based on what you’re feeling up to. If you’re not up for a challenge, then tone down the difficulty. Perhaps paint a simple landscape or still life in the studio. If you’re feeling focused, then perhaps paint a portrait or a plein air landscape. And if you want to really challenge yourself, try a plein air portrait with a time constraint. Just to give you a few ideas.
I never really thought about this until I was doing that plein air study and I was caught off guard by the inherent difficulty of it.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
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