Painting landscape

[bryandaman18]

Im painting a landscape from a photo i have that my dad took when he was in portugal. Im having a hard time painting the landscape im to focused on the detail and im not getting anywhere with it. notice in the front all those stick and weeds, i dont know what to do with them because i dont have many paint brushes i have 7 and 3 are straight like a normal paint brush just smaller and they other ones are pointy. If you could give me some tips on how i should go about it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Mirana]

Post the painting and image in the Critique Center. You'll also have to find sample pictures, or better description of "normal" and "pointy" brushes...do you mean rounds?

Generally speaking, you should be trying to paint this stuff not as "weeds" in your mind, but as the abstract shapes and colors that are depicted in the photo.

[Dizon]

Hi. I'd like to help out here. I've been practicing from references as well. My advice is to focus on the BIG masses of shapes, colors, and values first. Do those small details( like the weeds) last. It's best to simplify as opposed to being obsessive and detailing the hell out of everything in the picture.

Have a look at John Singer Sargent's oil studies. He did a lot of landscape in oils and watercolors. Try to observe how he simplifies. Do a google search on him.

Goodluck!