Paint Outings in the Secluded Noosa Backcountry
Art Journey in the Noosa Hinterlands
Hey there! Just back from a couple of nights in the picturesque Noosa Hinterlands, along with my trusty companion Kobe and nature's beauty. We even had a unexpected horse guest for company.
Lately, I've been battling my ever-busy schedule in search of solitude to focus on my art. From a loving family life to the sheer madness of two adorable daughters, it's been tough finding uninterrupted time to create. This trip was all about letting my mind wander, drawing, painting, seeking inspiration, and immersing myself in the beauty of nature.
At 13 years old, Kobe deserves a bit of pampering, especially after we've added two new members to our family. Remember, he was our only child at one point!
So, here's what went down and the lessons I learned along the way.
Day 1
Arrived on a Tuesday afternoon, too exhausted to paint after the long drive. Instead, I scouted the place for promising spots, snapping photos for further reference. Kobe, however, had his own plans. He made a dash for the creek, which was chocolaty brown from the flood. Being a well-trained pooch, he swam upstream and found himself stuck. I thought for sure I'd end up in there after him, but he managed to find his way back. Welcome to our wild adventure!
The location was beautiful, but identifying "paintable" subjects presented some challenges. I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of colors, shapes, and details. It took me some time to simplify my vision and see the world through the eyes of an artist. I managed to identify a few subjects I'd revisit the next day.
Day 2
Full day ahead, and a productive one I hoped.
I got up early and wanted to cram as much painting as possible. But a lack of inspiration had me exploring once more, this time sketching potential subjects. Sometimes, photos don't capture all the important details - they flatten and stereotype the subject matter. Sketching forces you to observe carefully and notice the interesting characteristics and patterns that photos may miss. The sketches served as tremendous inspiration!
Set up my equipment on the bank of the creek. It was muddy and wet, but I loved being surrounded by the raw, natural elements. My subject? A tree draped over the water, displaying reflections that looked like near-white shapes on the water. Below the leaves and branches, different greens danced in the shadows, while on the water's surface, raindrops and insects caused circular ripples reminiscent of a psychedelic disco.
I approached the subject as an arrangement of simple shapes and colors, doing my best to avoid getting lost in the details. Started with the water, then the creek edge and the feature tree, followed by the background, the overhanging leaves, and finally the sky reflections on the water and other tiny details. I learned that for complex subjects with many overlapping areas, the order in which you paint matters.
As I painted, the rain gradually picked up. I stood my ground until I could no longer endure the torrent, at which point I packed up and headed indoors. Not bad considering the weather!
In the afternoon, I started a new painting - simplified landscape inspired by Claude Monet's View at Rouelles, Le Havre. (Fun fact: This is one of Monet's earliest documented paintings!) Unfortunately, the rain got the better of me, and my oil paint turned into a mess.
That night, I went over all my photos and sketches, planning what to paint the following day. This downtime was both productive and valuable - a crucial step in ensuring my art journey was a success. And Kobe gave me another scare. It was pitch black outside, and he wandered off deep into the dense vegetation. I lost sight of him and could only hear the sounds of rustling branches and crunching leaves. Kobe is completely deaf, so my calls went unanswered. Barefoot, in my underwear, and armed with my phone's flashlight, I set out to find my lost wanderer. Found him stuck in a deep trench - wheeled tires are no match for determined dogs! Of course, Kobe's nighttime off-leash privileges came to a screeching halt after that adventure.
Day 3
One more painting to finish off the trip. The subject that caught my eye was a dirt path leading up to another part of the property. It was a fascinating interplay of space and color temperature, with a lovely, misty atmosphere.
Checkout time was 10 am, and there was still packing to do, so I needed to work quickly on this last piece. Began with a brush but eventually switched to a palette knife to work faster. Guess who came to join me again at one point? The resident horse!
And there you have it, a recap of my art journey in the Hinterlands. Two decent paintings, a handful of rough sketches, hundreds of reference photos, and a freshly inspired mind. Not bad at all!
Happy painting!
Dan ScottDraw Paint Academy
Meet Dan Scott, the founder of Draw Paint Academy and a self-taught Australian artist with a passion for landscape painting. Alongside his wife Chontele, Dan runs Draw Paint Academy to help budding artists make the most of their artistic adventures. Learn more about Dan on our About page!
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Draw Paint Academy's founder Dan Scott delved into plein air painting during his art journey in the Noosa Hinterlands, creating landscape paintings that merged his lifestyle with travel. On the third day, he completed a remarkable painting of a dirt path using a palette knife, with a resident horse adding a picturesque touch. The combination of home-and-garden and nature's beauty inspired Dan to simplify his artistic vision, capturing the essence of the landscape painting in each piece.
