Abstract Masses 101 - Simplify Landscapes Before You Paint

Before you touch paint, you need to see masses. Not trees. Not clouds. Not individual blades of grass. This is how you begin learning acrylic landscape painting!

What are masses? Big, simplified shapes that make up your scene.

This lesson is part of the Acrylic Landscape Painting Fundamentals Course - learn to paint expressive landscapes from scratch.

Watch video: hit play and begin your landscape painting journey.

The 6-7 Group Rule

Here's the deal: If you're grouping your landscape into 10-12 different shapes, you haven't simplified enough.

Aim for 6-7 groups max. This keeps your painting clear and prevents visual chaos.

How to See Masses

Look at the reference photo above. You could paint:

• Every individual tree
• Each branch
• Every cloud
• All the grass blades

Or you could group them:

1. Sky - one big shape
2. Distant trees - purple mass in back
3. Ground plane - yellow field area
4. Middle ground trees - the tree line
5. Path - orange winding road
6. Left trees + shadows - red group

Six groups. That's it.

The Crayon Trick

In the demo, I use crayons to color-code each group. Why?

Because it forces you to see the scene as big shapes, not details.

• Red = trees on left + their shadows
• Blue = sky
• Purple = distant hills
• Yellow = ground plane
• Orange = path
• Blue = trees flanking the path

Each color represents one cohesive mass that flows together.

Don't Draw Details Yet

Notice the "SIMPLIFIED" sketch at top? Just contour lines. No leaves, no branches, no texture.

That comes later.

Right now, you're training your eye to group complex scenes into manageable chunks.

Why This Matters

If you skip this step and jump straight to painting, you'll get lost in details. Your painting becomes overworked, confusing, and loses its energy.

Master masses first. Details second.

Course Navigation

Next Lesson: Light & Shadow Drawing - Learn how light defines your masses
Course Hub: Acrylic Landscape Fundamentals

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Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

• Princeton Catalyst Brushes – Flats (#6, #12), Rounds (#4, #8), Fan (#4), Liner Brush
  Durable synthetic bristles for versatile acrylic techniques
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Essential Colors
  Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White
• Winsor & Newton Cotton Canvas
  Reliable stretched canvas for studio and plein air work
• Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper
  Heavyweight, acid-free paper for acrylic and mixed media
• Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press Paper
  Excellent for acrylic, mixed media, and textured effects
• Blick Multi-Colored Painting Knife Set
  Variety of shapes for texture, scraping, and bold strokes
• Miscellaneous: Two pint-sized water containers, paper towels (from Home Depot or Walmart)
• Note: I use canvas or sturdy cardboard as my palette — no store-bought palettes needed.