Landscape paintings should make viewers feel as if they are part of the scene.
The term "landscape" - from the word "landschap," Dutch for "region or land" - is often taken to suggest paintings which are wider than they are high, but this is by no means the definitive case. What's more important to a landscape is the scene. Meadows, rivers, cities, coasts, nearly every outdoor scene conceivable can be the subject of a landscape. Though not always a faithful representation of what the eye sees, the goal of a landscape is to let the viewer see and feel the totality of the scene, even up to the weather.
Panoramic Landscape
Panoramic landscapes are a great and easy-to-recognize class of landscape painting. These paintings are often many times as wide as they are high. They can depict anything from a city line or rural landscape to battles and historical events. Most panoramic landscapes (and landscapes in general) require the contrived positioning of elements in the picture to achieve harmony and balance. A panoramic landscape gives you freedom as to subject, but not much when it comes to dimensions. The remedy for this is freeing yourself to rearrange the objects in your landscape to improve your composition, but only if absolutely necessary.
Cityscape and Hardscape
Generally, a landscape tries to focus the viewer's attention to one or two important elements in the picture, with the rest of the painting acting as background. In no type of landscape is this more observable than in cityscapes and hardscapes. These landscapes depict outdoor scenes on the streets, in towns and in industrialized cities, and more often than not give preference to subjects in the foreground, lending them more authority and detail than any other part of the painting. This prevents the viewer from being overwhelmed by detail and losing the message you wish to convey.
Seascape and Coastal Scene
Seascapes and coastal scenes, often referred to as marine or maritime art, derive inspiration from the sea and other bodies of water such as rivers, lakes and estuaries. Many seascapes are selective. For instance, if you wish to bring focus to a ship, you can choose to eliminate elements which could draw attention away from it. If the focus is the busy dock, zoom the frame to exclude the bustling fishing community that would otherwise be in the picture. A seascape can be as simple or complex as you wish.
Aerial Landscape
Another idea for a landscape painting is an aerial landscape. Here, your goal is to show a scene as it would look from above, as if you were on an airplane. You don't need to actually hop on a plane to get inspiration for an aerial landscape; many artists base their works on maps or aerial photographs. The beauty of aerial landscapes is that they lend themselves so easily to expressionist and semi-abstract to abstract styles. This makes them a starting point for painters who are so inclined.
