The Foundations of a Successful Painting
from Kenn Backhaus
When approaching a new painting—whether it's plein air or a larger studio piece—one of the most important steps often overlooked is developing the foundation of the scene. This foundation isn’t just a technical starting point; it’s the structure that supports everything else in your painting. Without it, details become meaningless, and depth is lost.
Whether you're painting landscapes, still lifes, or figures, this foundational thinking is essential. Here’s how to approach it.
Recognize the Focal Point First
Before you even begin simplifying shapes or establishing zones, it’s critical to recognize and establish the focal point of your scene. Where do you want the viewer’s eye to rest?
If the focal point lies in the middle distance, for example, the foreground might be painted with softer edges and less emphasis so the middle ground can carry more clarity and contrast. On the other hand, if the focal point is in the foreground, the middle distance may fall slightly out of focus to push the eye forward.
Keeping the focal point in mind ensures your “foundation study” is not just organized but purposeful—everything else in the scene should support that central area of interest.
Think in Simplified Shapes and Zones
Before diving into details like tree branches, reflections, or textures, it’s important to break the scene down into its most essential elements—large, simple shapes of value and color. Imagine you had sheets of colored construction paper and scissors. How would you cut out the major shapes of your scene?
This exercise forces you to simplify: a dark green shape for a tree line, a lighter ochre for dry grasses, or a soft gray for distant hills. These simplified shapes serve as placeholders for major compositional areas—almost like puzzle pieces that fit together to build the scene.
Identify Key Zones
Divide your scene into four primary zones:
Zone 1: Foreground – The most detailed and warmest area in the painting.
Zone 2: Middle Ground – Less contrast, still detailed but not dominant.
Zone 3: Distance – Cooler colors, lower contrast, softer edges.
Zone 4: Sky – The lightest and furthest “zone” that can tie everything together.
Separating your painting into these zones helps you organize depth, color temperature, and value relationships right from the beginning.
Start with a Strong Foundation
Instead of jumping straight into “bells and whistles,” build up your painting in thoughtful stages:
Stage One: Construction Paper Mindset
Break the scene into flat, value-based shapes—no details. Think only about where the darks, mid-tones, and lights are. This is your blueprint, and it's how you freeze the light and overall structure of the scene before anything shifts (especially important when painting outdoors).
Stage Two: Develop Transitions
Begin softening the edges and allowing shapes to relate to one another. Connect darks where needed, refine transitions between value zones, and begin considering form and atmosphere.
Stage Three: Add Details
Once the foundation is solid, begin adding the details—the tree branches, textures in the grasses, ripples in the water. This is the fun part, but only when built on a structure that supports it.
Example
In the study below, the scene featured a quiet stream flanked by marsh grasses and distant trees, with morning light coming in from the left.
Before adding any detail, Kenn simplified the scene into big, flat shapes—just like cutting construction paper: a dark mass for the creek, a lighter shape for the grasses, muted tones for distant trees. This blocked-in foundation defined the values, light direction, and spatial zones (foreground, middle ground, distance, and sky).
From there, transitions were softened, shapes refined, and details added gradually—warm tones brought forward, cool ones pushed back. The result? A clear, atmospheric painting grounded by a strong, deliberate foundation:
Skipping the foundational stage often leads to paintings that feel flat, cluttered, or confusing. Details alone can’t save a weak structure. Like a house, your painting needs a solid framework before the decorations go up.
Thinking in zones and simplified value shapes:
Establishes depth
Clarifies light and shadow
Makes painting more efficient
Improves composition and balance
Developing the foundation of your painting is one of the most important habits you can build. It helps you respond to a fleeting light effect, simplifies decision-making, and brings greater coherence to your work.
So next time you're standing in front of a scene or starting a new canvas, pause. Squint. Simplify. Build the structure. And only then, let the painting begin.
Learn more from Kenn through his mentorship below: