Dark Moon: Environments Source: Albert Bierstadt

The German-American painter is know worldwide for his large canvas paintings of the American west. During the 1800's the west was coming becoming more and more accessible, this new land must have been incredible to capture at the time, and I feel that Bierstadt captures the essence of the new world, through his strong techniques with lighting and impeccable attention to detail.

Bierstadt was one of the first artists I considered concerning environments and landscapes as his paintings possess a great atmosphere within them. Bierstadt seems to capture beautiful moments in time, and in some of his paintings, (and I probably only speak for myself here) I'm left wondering as to whether that particular landscape actually exists, they seem so 'serene' and epic. However what I find most inspiring in his works is his use of composition and lighting.

The vastness and atmosphere that Bierstadt captured in his painting is exactly the type of effect I am aiming for in the development of my 'Dark Moon' concepts.