Introduction to landscape painting, composition, and atmospheric perspective. For educational purposes only.

1. Landscape Painting
Looking at nature

2. Landers Peak, Bierstadt
Great example of Atmospheric Perspective.. Hudson River School

3. Atmospheric Perspective
 Objects farther away appear more bluish
 Objects farther away are less detailed
 Objects farther away have less contrast
 Objects farther away have softer edges

4. Watercolor painting “The Rapids” by Winslow Homer (American painter)

5. Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog
Frederick Church
Romantic painter, 19th century
Note atmospheric perspective
Where is the horizon located?
Note portrait format instead of
traditional “landscape”
Can you see how the sky and far
away mountains relate?

6. Rule of Thirds (Da Vinci’s Golden
Mean)
 Note that horizon is usually located about
1/3 up or down the canvas
 Focal point of picture often located at
intersection of roughly 1/3 up, 1/3 across
 Da Vinci discovered this to be a visually
pleasing composition
 Composition: how picture is laid out

7. Grand Canal, William Turner …. Note different types of perspective used!

8. Bridge, Alfred Sisley
Example of Impressionism (19th century)
Impressionists
painted quickly,
outdoors to
capture a
fleeting moment
in time
Used dabs of
color rather
than smooth
blending
Note rule of thirds… where is focal point?

9. Westminster Abbey in Fog, Claude Monet
Example of Impressionism (19th century)
Monet was one
of the key
Impressionist
painters in Paris
Painted the
same scene at
different times
of day
Note rule of thirds… do you see how Monet changed the treatment of edges?

10. Wheatstacks, Claude Monet

11. Wheatstacks in Summer, Claude Monet

12. Mount Saint-Victoire
Paul Cezanne
Cezanne was a
post-
Impressionist
Painted
somewhat
geometrically
Simplified
shapes and
exaggerated
colors

13. Crows in Wheat Field
Vincent Van Gogh
VanGogh- Post Impressionist. Used thick impasto paint, visible brush strokes,
lines to add movement and emotion.