Hello, and welcome to the final segment of Expressions class. This is where we are going to be putting everything that we have learned so far together. Or this might be your first class here, and in that case, you will start in a very fun and expressive way. We are going to play,
The tools you will need
Canvas if you are using acrylics – any size you like, have space for or is comfortable for you
Mixed media paper if you are using watercolors, inks, sprays inks and crayons
Acrylic paints, crayons
Stencils, sponges
brushes or sponge applicators
waterbottle
You can also use color papers to glue on if you like, you might need Mat Medium for that
Now that we have played a little, you can do as many substrates or canvases as you like any time the creative spirit calls you, then you will already have them ready to add some other images to them when it strikes your fancy.
Usually I have few canvases like this laying around, and something might call me back to them, it could be an image floating around my head, and it will fit right in, or the color combination is just right for what I am trying to envision.
To help us with how we place an object or objects on our already painted canvas, or maybe even an empty canvas, it is helpful to know some rules of composition.
Here might be few to glance over or remember
Rules of Composition
There are numerous approaches or “compositional techniques” to achieving a sense of unity within an artwork, depending on the goals of the artist. For example, a work of art is said to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye if the elements within the work are arranged in a balanced compositional way. However, there are artists such as Salvador Dali whose sole aim is to disrupt traditional composition and challenge the viewer to rethink balance and design elements within art works.
Conventional composition can be achieved by utilizing a number of techniques:
Rule of thirds
The is a guideline followed by some visual artists. The objective is to stop the subject(s) and areas of interest (such as the horizon) from bisecting the image, by placing them near one of the lines that would divide the image into three equal columns and rows, ideally near the intersection of those lines.
Rule of thirds: Note how the horizon falls close to the bottom grid line, and how the dark areas are in the left third, the overexposed in the right third.
The rule of thirds is thought to be a simplification of the Golden Mean. The golden mean is a ratio that has been used by visual artists for centuries as an aid to composition. When two things are in the proportion of 1:1.618 (approximately 3 to 5), they are said to be in the golden mean.
Dividing the parts of an image according to this proportion helps to create a pleasing, balanced composition. The intersection points on a golden mean grid appear at 3/8 in and 3/8 down/up, rather than at 1/3 in and 1/3 down/up on the grid of thirds.
Rule of odds
The “rule of odds” states that by framing the object of interest with an even number of surrounding objects, it becomes more comforting to the eye, thus creates a feeling of ease and pleasure. It is based on the assumption that humans tend to find visual images that reflect their own preferences/wishes in life more pleasing and attractive.
The “rule of odds” suggests that an odd number of subjects in an image is more interesting than an even number. Thus if you have more than one subject in your picture, the suggestion is to choose an arrangement with at least three subjects. An even number of subjects produces symmetries in the image, which can appear less natural for a naturalistic, informal composition.
An image of a person surrounded/framed by two other persons, for instance, where the person in the center is the object of interest in that image/artwork, is more likely to be perceived as friendly and comforting by the viewer, than an image of a single person with no significant surroundings.
Rule of space
The rule of space applies to artwork (photography, advertising, illustration) picturing object(s) to which the artist wants to apply the illusion of movement, or which is supposed to create a contextual bubble in the viewer’s mind.
This can be achieved, for instance, by leaving white space in the direction the eyes of a portrayed person are looking, or, when picturing a runner, adding white space in front of him rather than behind him to indicate movement.
Simplification
Images with clutter can distract from the main elements within the picture and make it difficult to identify the subject. By decreasing the extraneous content, the viewer is more likely to focus on the primary objects. Clutter can also be reduced through the use of lighting, as the brighter areas of the image tend to draw the eye, as do lines, squares and colour. In painting, the artist may use less detailed and defined brushwork towards the edges of the picture.Removing the elements to the focus of the object, taking only the needed components.
Shallow Depth of Field
In photography, and also (via software simulation of real lens limitations) in 3D graphics, one approach to achieving simplification is to use a wide aperture when shooting to limit the depth of field. When used properly in the right setting, this technique can place everything that is not the subject of the photograph out of focus.
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The blurred background focuses the eye on the flowers. |
At a smaller aperture, the background competes for the viewer’s attention. |
Geometry and symmetry
A simple composition with cloud and rooftop that creates asymmetry.
Related to the rule of odds is the observation that triangles are an aesthetically pleasing implied shape within an image. In a canonically attractive face, the mouth and eyes fall within the corners of the area of an equilateral triangle. Paul Cezanne successfully used triangles in his compositions of still lives. A triangular format creates a sense of stability and strength.
Creating movement
It is pleasing to the human eye for it to constantly move around the image. Using the techniques stated above you can try to avoid a static composition. In image A the 2 mountains are equally sized and positioned beside each other creating a very static and uninteresting image. In image B the mountains are differently sized and one is placed closer to the horizon, guiding the eye to move from one mountain to the other creating a more interesting and pleasing image. This also feels more natural because in nature objects are rarely the same size and evenly spaced.
ImageA
ImageB
Other techniques
- There should be a center of interest or focus in the work, to prevent it becoming a pattern in itself;
- The direction followed by the viewer’s eye should lead the viewer’s gaze around all elements in the work before leading out of the picture;
- The subject should not be facing out of the image;
- Exact bisections of the picture space should be avoided;
- Small, high contrast, elements have as much impact as larger, duller elements;
- The prominent subject should be off-centre, unless a symmetrical or formal composition is desired, and can be balanced by smaller satellite elements
- the horizon line should not divide the art work in two equal parts but be positioned to emphasize either the sky or ground; showing more sky if painting is of clouds, sun rise/set, and more ground if a landscape
These principles can be means of a good composition yet they cannot be applied separately but should act together to form a good composition.
- Also, in your work no spaces between the objects should be the same. They should vary in shape and size. That creates a much more interesting image.
This might me quite a bit of rules to remember, but I usually have just one rule. I think that we all have an innate sense of what is pleasing to us to see, and we all innately follow these rules without even knowing. You know when something is done, because you will see that nothing needs to be changed, it all false in the right place. Is as if your soul was aligned with whatever it was perceiving.
I would like you to try this one exercise. maybe next time you go for a walk with your dog, or just by yourself, take a camera with you and notice your surroundings. What would be an interesting snapshot that would make an interesting and visually pleasing composition. Here are some examples from my walk.
Ok, so now we will have some fun with this. Choose one or couple pictures you like the most and gather up some supplies.
Things you will need
Mixed media paper, you could also use cardboard cards and prepare with gesso
assorted acrylic paints
ink sprays
crayons
charcoal or stabillo pencil
gesso
stencils
varios color papers, leftover papers, tissue paper
stamps
sticks, mat medium, plaster, glitter, sticks or anything you would like to add
And watch my lesson
Expressive Journalling
Now that you might have experienced an expressive play, we can expand on it to give more structure to our creation and still not necessarily worry about the outcome. Journals are our own creations for ourselves, they don’t need a critic or judge, they are simply a space for our emotions, feelings and our creativity to evolve. By progression they show us how we grow and learn.
Journal is a great tool to learn about composition and color in a very free spirited way.
Supplies you will need
Journal of choice, hopefully a mixed media journal paper
Magazine clippings or printouts from an internet, colored/stenciled paper leftovers
Acrylics, gesso, Matte Medium
Scissors, Stencils, brushes
Stencils, stamps
So lets get started – I have created this page in my used book journal. The pages are prepared with gesso and then I used the clippings from magazine to create a collage on my page. Then I used acrylics over the the collage to complete my story.
The story that inspired this page was inspired by this little writing –
“Take a daring leap. Begin to pave your own trail. Listen to the wishers within your own heart. Take micro-actions. Commit to change. Take responsibility for how you live your life. Embrace joy and release sorrow. Accept that within this moment, you can rewrite your story by taking one step in a different direction, followed by another step…one action at a time.” Carolyn Rubenstine
Part One
Part Two
I lost part of the recording in the beginning of the video part two. My camera ran out of space, and when it stopped the video, it did not save it. But all the necessary parts are in anyway. Maybe the video would have just turned out too long, so it worked out after all.
I am assuming that you are comfortable with painting faces and hands, and you are pretty comfortable with putting everything together. You might still want a little guidance or little bit more inspiration or pointing in a certain direction. I like to get inspired as well, I love when my creative juices are flowing and I get flooded with creative ideas to plunge right in.
I think of inspiration as something you have to let in, it’s kind of like opening the doors. If we closed ourselves in, we are also stopping everything else to enter. So in order to get new ides, you have to practice opening up to something divine that is outside of you, or inside as well. You listen carefully to what is offered. What ever comes to mind, don’t judge it, grab onto it and use it, if it does not work, paint over it.
Following our video on creating a playful background, we can look at our canvas again and see if it will show us something more. Pull out one of your favorite substrate paintings you did and watch this video. Ses if you get inspired to create your final painting.
Things you will need
Your substrate painting
gesso, stabillo pencil
Acrylics that would go with your color scheme
optional stencils and anything else you might add.
Part one
Part Two – Detailing a Face
In this Third video I am starting to add more details to the background and constantly playing wit the colors in her face. That never seams to stop changing, until I am completely satisfied with it. You can see that the face coloring changes many times, and then in finally settles into something. I like the layers, I am not afraid of them, I think they add more depth to the skin tone.
The other thing you can see that I change the background many times, I play with her hat, the shape and position and I use stencils to use add interest and textures. Even hands keep changing and moving with different colors. That is how I like to create, in a free and expressive way. I have sped up this video, it would have been too long, and I just wanted you to see the process of layering.
In this last section we will create a painting starting from a blank canvas. You can find a picture that inspires you and then use it to create your own story. There might be already images in the pictures that you can carry into your painting or add your own, you can also add pieces of collage as I did. Sometimes we can cut out an image, just to see what it would look like in the painting, and then just paint it in ourselves.
Part One – Starting with a drawing, thinking about a layout.
The image I have used for this painting is in the links section of Pinterest Upturned Side Face.
Part 2, adding more parts
Part 3 and 4 are speeded up videos, accompanied with music
Part 5, now we will finish her.
Expressions 