Outlet is based on a scene at String Lake in Grand Teton National Park. What first stopped me was the remarkable arrangement of logs that had collected in the water. Their light shapes against the dark water created an almost abstract pattern in the foreground, and some of the submerged logs could still be seen beneath the surface. That active, complicated foreground contrasts beautifully with the quieter landscape and the Tetons beyond. I had to work my way through some bushes along the water to find this particular viewpoint, but when I saw it, it was one of those wonderful “aha” moments when you know you’ve found a composition worth painting. In this tutorial, we’ll look at how strong shapes, lights and darks, and the transition from an active foreground to a quieter distance can organize a complicated scene and lead the viewer through the painting.

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