Painting figures and animals in landscapes
Tissa Hewavitarane
Through the ages, artists have been concerned about two major aspects
of painting when putting figures into landscapes, and painting people
and light. I have observed many beautiful landscapes ruined by what
looked little gnomes wondering about them. It is by far the most common
fault when putting figures into landscapes, figures can make or mar a
landscape.
So many artists know this and are afraid to take the risk. We have
all looked at pictures when the painting of the landscapes is fresh and
direct but the figures are stiff, akward and tight.
Be sure, whatever figure you do put, is an intergal part of the
picture and not just a small after thought. They can be used in
different ways to give life, movement, depth, and scale to a scene. How
can you get your figures to match your landscapes in freshness and
liveliness. A sketch book in your pocket and a soft pencil, say a 2B, is
the answer.
Take it around with you in your pocket and make rapid sketches of
people in parks, cafes, trains, bus stops, markets and streets. Keep
them small and simple the most important thing is the action and the
gesture. Don’t bother about putting any details like fingers, features
or feet.
You don’t need to bother or know anything about anatomy, just that
the parts should relate together correctly and are in the right
proportion. Your figures will soon start to have life of their own and
will be useful for years to come as a source of reference. When I talk
of sketching figures it also includes animals like goats, elephants,
cows and horses to name a few.
Correct scale
When you put figures into your picture be sure they are at the right
place and in the correct scale to each other and to the building near
them. Make sure that the figure next to the door can get through it
without going down on its knees, and that the style of execution is
similar in style to that of the rest of the painting. Often figures are
used in water colours to show scale or relative size and bring life to a
painting.
Variety
The principles of design apply to a figure study or portraiture as
well as to a landscape. Various artists use a variety of styles and
techniques in approaching the painting.
Washes, careful studies, sketchy drawings, design concepts, and
casual likenesses are all proper techniques. Some artists like to
emphasise the human figure and even paint portraits in watercolour.
Because the aqueous medium is likely to produce accidental running and
soft ages, accurate portraits are very difficult to make. But whether
used alone or in combination with other media, watercolour portraits or
figure paintings offer an exciting challenge.
People and light
Study how light strikes a group of figures and particularly in
watercolour, how to capture the elusive luminous quality of light in a
painting. Observe the painting done, its titled ‘Jaffna’. It expresses
close of day.
The impression given of light and luminosity is much greater.
When painting sunsets, use pure transparent pigments which allow
light to reflect off the paper and up through the colours, thus
increasing the impression of light and luminosity colours like cardamum
red, and lemon yellow should be used sparingly, because they are
relatively opaque. Subtle tints can also be mixed from vermilion or
alizarin crimson, crome yellow and cobalt blue. For example, cobalt blue
with just a hint of alizarin crimson added will give a rich glowing
violet.
The artist therefore must use cunning skill in order to create the
illusion of radiant light in his or her painting.
One way to do this is by including both warm and cool colours in the
sky because a warm colour always appears warm and brighter when places
next to a cool colour. See how the artist interweaves the warm pinks and
golds of the setting sun with cool blues and violets of the clouds. When
we look at the painting the warm and cool colours ‘vibrate’ against each
other and create a radiant glow.
Notice the palmyra trees at the distant along with the thatched
houses. The palmyra leaf is used for the roof and as a raw material for
manufacture of handicrafts. See the pose of hen as it stops to peck up
food.
The two village damsels carrying pots of water draped with colourful
clothing. Colours suited to express their taste. To capture this
beautiful sun set I spent few days in Jaffna. It has a rich cultural
heritage and a history that goes back to many years, and the routine of
their lives that go on, inspite of the raging war that has left the
magnificent city of Jaffna in ruins.
Painting animals
Like people animals can be used to show scale and depth in a
painting, or they can become the central object. They can be set in
their habitat or put against a simple background wash as a study in form
or movement.
When painting animals, the tendency is to try to put down every
detail. But the warning again persists: Keep it simple.
Of course, when talk of sketching figures on a painting we should be
mindful of animals like elephants, goats, cows, dogs and horses to name
few. Again avoid details but try to get the silhouette right.
No need to bother about putting in any details like fingers, or
features. You don’t need to know anything about anatomy. But just the
parts should relate together correctly and dropped in the right place.
A wish to paint animals and put them in landscapes often develop from
interest in love for animals. Whatever medium is intended for carrying
out a painting it must start with drawing.
For this to be done successfully, careful study and observation must
have been carried out in the past, over many years.
Familiarity with the animals anatomy, through studying the skeletal
structure, will help in analysing what underlines the movements of the
running animal; the position of legs, head, tail and so on.
The more you draw the living animal, the easier it will become.
The result of this demonstration, the artist’s stored knowledge of
the subject enables him to produce a true and a completely perfect
presentation.
When talk of painting animals and birds in watercolour, a detail
study of the subject will be presented in another chapter.
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