I've been painting for a few years now, but I feel like I'm only beginning to grasp the importance of this concept. I'll quote Robert Henri (1865-1929) from his book, The Art Spirit, which is packed full of such profound wisdom.
Robert Henri stresses this point:
"Insist on the beauty of form and color to be obtained from the composition of the largest masses, the four or five large masses which cover your canvas. Let these above all things have fine shapes, have fine colors. Let them be as meaningful of your subject as they possibly can be. It is wonderful how much real finish can be obtained through them, how much of gesture and modeling