"For this piece, I spent more time developing the composition and picking just the right spot to set up than I did actually painting."
Beth Bathe’s reductive approach to plein air painting, combined with simplification, strong design, and a unique perspective, distinguishes her from other artists. Here are a few elements that contribute to her distinct artistic identity and how you can use them to set your own work apart.
6 Ways to Develop a Distinctive Style
by Beth Bathe
- Reductive Techniques: Simplify your forms and use negative space to create visual impact. Eliminate unnecessary details and focus on the essence of your subject. I often “carve” the image into being, wiping away paint with paper towels or using squeegees to subtract rather than add.
- Limited Palette: Choose a small set of colors that resonate with you and explore their range. A tight palette helps create a cohesive look and forces you to be more creative with color mixing and application. I use Cobra water-mixable oils in raw umber, ultramarine blue, Payne’s gray, yellow ochre, and transparent red oxide, along with touches of an accent color or two.
- Tight Cropping: Crop your subject tightly to create intimacy and sharpen the viewer’s focus, enhancing the emotional impact of your work.
- Unconventional Canvas Orientation: Break the mold with vertical or panoramic formats. I often use 1:2 panels in portrait mode, such as 24 x 12 inches, or stretch to a 1:3 horizontal, such as 12 x 36 inches. These shapes challenge traditional perspectives and refresh the viewer’s experience, making your artwork more memorable.
- Consistency and Evolution: Develop a recognizable style, but don’t let it stagnate. Keep experimenting and allow your work to evolve naturally over time. A distinct style isn’t something you settle on once — it’s something you keep discovering and refining. Growth keeps the process fresh — for both you and your audience.
- Add a Personal Touch: Let your personality and experiences shine through in your paintings. This authenticity gives your work emotional weight and makes it unmistakably yours.
Which of these will you try next? Share it with us in the comments below!
Connect with the artist at www.bethbathe.com.
The editorial above is part of a series that spotlights the work of an accomplished plein air artist featured in PleinAir magazine.
Published bi-monthly, PleinAir magazine is focused on landscape paintings by historical and contemporary artists, art collections, events, and the process of creating plein air paintings. Beautifully designed with rich reproductions on high-quality paper, PleinAir features the top artists and artworks from around the world. Start your subscription here.
Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
