WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT A SCENE

Try to reduce everything you see to the utmost simplicity.  That is, zero in on the important things.

In a crowd of people, when you look at the hairstyle of a person directly in front of you, you'll see that person's hair in great detail.  The hair of the person to the left or right is out of focus.

Let nothing but the things which are of utmost importance to you enter your view of the scene.  When you look at your center of interest in a scene, it will have the most detail.  All the rest will not be so interesting or as detailed.

The more simply you see, the more simply you will render.  People see too much, scathingly.  Your eyes try to take in too much -- be selective in what you let your eye see.

A landscape has got to mean a great deal to you before it can be pained in any worthwhile way.  It is harder to see a landscape than to paint it.  This is true because there are lots of clever people who can paint anything but, lacking the seeing power, they paint nothing worthwhile.

The technique an artist uses to express a dull idea, no matter how well painted, will still be dull.  Painting an idea that you have a burning interest in will come easy, even if your skill level isn't so great.

A good painting is born when you paint something that truly moves you, when the subject is one you find fascinating.  You'll spend whatever time it takes to design a good composition.  Good preparation is the key to a good painting.