Brushwork and structure: a practical guide to how the paintings “work”
A non-technical explanation of van Gogh’s brushwork, composition, and the way color carries meaning.
Brushwork as direction
Van Gogh’s marks often behave like arrows. Strokes follow the curve of a tree, the slope of a hill, or the swirl of a sky. This creates movement and makes the surface feel alive.
Composition first, drama second
Even the most intense paintings usually have a clear structure: a strong horizon, a stable central form, or a repeating rhythm of shapes. That structure gives the emotional energy somewhere to “sit.”
Color as relationships
Instead of treating color as a local property (“this object is green”), he often treats it as a relationship (“this green becomes brighter next to that red”). It’s one reason the paintings can feel luminous.
Try this when looking
- Find the main directional flow of brushstrokes.
- Identify the simplest geometric shapes that organize the scene.
- Look for the strongest complementary color pair.