Painting without restrictions, spring landscape

Being in spring landscape

What to do during the dull and dark February days? Probably, just keep painting. Acrylic painting is a bit more difficult with heating on, but it is also very rewarding. I pick myself up and place in the middle of spring. We used to go for walks along the Highland creek which offers attractive views and many varieties of trees, wild plants, chance to watch animals, jump over rocks and rushing water. Creek is wide in the middle part and water stays quite still in some spots. This is like mental transition in time and to another place. Thus, spring landscape is born.

Central part of spring landscape painting
Central part of Highland creek flood water painting

Imaginated reality

As you know, art has no restrictions. That includes the painting subject, colors we use, parts we paint and parts we don’t. I’m usually not that worried about how realistic something looks when painted. There must be some joy and fun put into every brushstroke. I usually paint as I see something in my head. When I look at empty canvas, I can easily visualize what is going to be there, in this spring landscape for instance. Similar to when we have a piece of fabric and we can imagine how the ready outfit will look. Imagination has no borders, too.

Top of spring landscape painting
Top part of Highland creek flood water painting

Spring landscape as painting subject

This Highland creek flood water painting was done for the private art classes. I thought spring landscape was very fitting since we can paint much less of it or add much more to any part. We can leave the distant part completely abstract. Well, my student was impatient and here and there jumped over the gradual steps which processing an acrylic painting requires. My demo steps got jumpy, too, but, nevertheless, this painting was brought to completion just a few days ago. What you are seeing, however, is not the painting, but images of it. I straggled getting all parts of it onto pictures.

Spring landscape project, steps
Painting steps

Getting correct colors in acrylic painting

What’s most important for me personally, is whether the mood in an artwork can move us, inspire us, make us want to be there, in that place which doesn’t actually exist in the real world. I am trying to also teach my students patience and correct use of acrylic paints. While any wet acrylic painting might look perfectly right, it will definitely dry darker. The weaker the paint we use, the darker our painting might become. I regret noticing how Liquitex heavy body professional grade paints have lost some of their quality over years. That refers to Titanium white and yellow shades.

Front part of spring landscape
Front part, close-up

The usual acrylic painting principles

Regardless of our artistic intention, we always work from dark to light in acrylic, always from underneath upwards, always from back to front. With heating on, acrylic paint can dry immediately, therefore, we glaze separate parts and work in small segments. The lore layers acrylic painting has, the better it will look. That especially refers to the moment when somebody sees the actual painting in person. I sometimes go over even the final layers if the paint has become too dull in some spots.

Highland creek, spring landscape
Highland creek flood water, acrylic painting 24 x 18″ or 61 x 46 cm

Place yourself in this spring landscape

I hope you love this spring landscape and its mood. I believe you’d hear birds singing and water rushing over wet rocks and grasses if you are able to forget the surroundings for a moment and be immersed in this painting. It’s in great size, not too huge, not too tiny, 24 x 18″ or 61 x 46 cm. The steep vertical format adds a good quality to this spring landscape and pushes compositionally important elements close to the viewer.

Painting in progress, Highland creek landscape

Just like always, thanks if you read my post! I intend to catch up with likes and comments.

Private art lessons

Group art classes

Art collections by Inese Poga

12 Replies to “Painting without restrictions, spring landscape”

    1. I definitely did. It took a while, though, for reasons I’m listing in this post. The paint dried immediately, but also Liquitex professional grade Titanium white doesn’t have white in it. So, I had to just layer on.
      Thanks for your nice comment!

  1. The painting is beautiful, and I feel as if I could walk into the scene. I did not know acrylic paints dry darker. I also enjoyed seeing the steps in its creation.

    1. Thank you very much Lavinia!
      It’s great to know that looking at this painting makes you feel like that.
      Big part of painting is knowing our tools and materials, just like with everything else.
      I hope you have a good weekend!

    2. The weather is erratic here, but there are enough good walking days. This morning is 18 degrees. Some outside projects I would normally start now might have to wait a bit longer. I can’t complain much though. Life is good.

    3. Thanks Lavinia!
      It’s great to know you’re doing well. I mean after the previous year, it might just get better and better. It would be great to start spring projects, absolutely!
      I’ve spent the last week shoveling snow. I didn’t have time for anything else.
      Other than that – waiting for something good to happen which it right now isn’t.
      All the best to you!

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