Painting is like language. After learning the fundamentals of the "painting" language, you must decide what it is you want to "say".

THE IDEA IS THE KEY

What is it that motivates you to choose a particular scene to paint? Is it the light...the mountains...the atmosphere? Consciously recognizing what has attracted you to a specific spot or scene is the first thing you must answer. Take your time to walk around and sketch, if you feel it will help, but understand why you are going to paint this place.

Most paintings are ruined at the start. Some artists never get The Idea down, thinking it will be revealed once they start drawing. Often painters don't get the drawing right believing they can fix the drawing during the painting stage. By the time the artist starts to apply the paint, the underlying problems are insurmountable. Remember, each step of the process must be finished to satisfaction before going to the next step.

The reason most people fail to paint well is a lack of concept.

The desired effect can only be achieved by deciding The Idea from the very beginning. A conscious effort allows the artist to go back and analyze each step of the painting to understand what was done right...or where a passage was misjudged.

It is not enough for the artist to slavishly copy what they see. Elements must be edited and emphasized to personalize your vision. The artist chooses what is to be included in their painting and what is to be left behind. The Idea decides these choices and ultimately determines the outcome of the painting.

There should be only one unifying concept in a painting. The center of focus in your painting should carry the idea, holding more weight than any other element. You do this by increasing contrast, color or detail in the center of focus. This is the core of good painting.