Simplifying Complex Scenes
from Skip Whitcomb
Let’s take a look at different ways artists simplify complicated subjects. Studying how other painters approach this challenge can open your eyes to new possibilities in your own work.
The painting below by Jill Carver is a perfect example. This scene could easily become overwhelmingly complex—but Jill simplifies it by seeing big. Squinting helps. Asking a few key questions helps even more:
What are the big shapes? Which shapes matter most? How much attention do the details deserve?
In Jill’s painting, the fall trees along the creek become a major lead-in to the large, powerful shapes in the background. To make that work, she makes a bold choice: she sticks with large brushes and a fully loaded palette, resisting the temptation to reach for tiny brushes or constantly remix small piles of color. It takes bravery, but it pays off.
“It’s learning to see simply, and allowing it to happen on the canvas.” - Skip Whitcomb
Jill often uses a restricted palette—one that shifts from painting to painting. And again, the big brushes matter. It sounds simple, but mentally it’s hard. It takes discipline to stay with larger tools, whether you’re painting outdoors, in the studio, still life, or figure work. But it forces simplification, and that’s the point.
The next example is a piece by Greg Packard. He, too, relies on large brushes and avoids the trap of fussy little tools. He works with a limited palette, but the real lesson is in how he simplifies the scene. Look at the stand of winter cottonwoods—deciduous trees stripped of their leaves. They could easily turn into a mess of intricate branches, but Greg keeps them readable and elegant. Even the sheep below become a soft texture rather than individual creatures. They read beautifully because they’re handled with bold, simple strokes.
Greg paints many of these scenes on location in the winter. Watching him work is a reminder of what’s possible when you lean into big brushes, thick paint, and a simplified vision. The key is not getting bogged down in details.
There’s no secret to any of this. It’s about learning to see simply, trusting that simplicity, and being brave enough to commit to it with the tools in your hand. You won’t hurt anything by trying.
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