One basic form of composition separates one vertical side and one horizontal side from the rest of the painting. This shape is similar to the letter “L” so why not call it that. The reason this kind of composition works well is because it is not formally symmetrical and so it follows the rules of
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Balance is the proper distribution of color, value, and size weights in a painting. See some more in-depth discussions on calor and value in the color section! To achieve informal balance (the most interesting kind), these should not be even or else we would violate our compositional rule of even numbered or even proportioned pieces.
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Lines and shapes should not be left alone. Create paths, fill up the painting, and connect stranded objects. This sounds trivial, but it’s hard to realize sometimes and depends on good analysis of the scene you intend to paint. This sketch is only a basic example of how objects in a scene can be chosen
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Lines are certainly created by the long strokes in a painting. However, lines are also created by the outlines of shapes and positions of shapes relative to each other. The idea of creating interesting paths with diagonal and curved lines does apply to the entire painting, but lines in general can help to create the
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Focus is something we have to consider because it helps to make a painting interesting. The focus is the area of a painting which is meant to draw significant attention, and there can be more than one in a complex piece. A focus can be created by using detail, color, direction, and value. Value is
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Highlights are an excellent way to dramatize lighting in order to make an impact. Highlighting is really any area of an object that is lit while other parts of the object are in shadow. It also tends to occur on the shadow side of objects due to reflected light. Highlighting is all about value contrast.
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Essential to lighting is an understanding of how light influences objects at different distances. The atmosphere scatters light, typically making far away objects more blue. More distant object will always be close to the atmosphere’s color, for instance, at sunrise, distant objects can be much more purple rather than blue. Distant objects also tend to
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As the day becomes later, the light becomes warmer and can be very intense when looking towards it. There are some easy steps to remember when painting strong light like this. Keep the light source area tinted with warm color. Objects tend to lose their edges in front of the light. The piece of land
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At midday, especially during the summer months, daylight is actually very cool as well as bright. Objects can become washed out as your eyes are blinded. This is one effective use of lighting that can make viewers feel like they have to squint, recreating the experience as if they are in the scene. In the painting, much of the color
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Here are a few examples of basic color scheme’s that can be used in seascapes and landscapes. In order to be successful at using a color scheme, the colors must be mixed before painting begins. Of course, most paintings overall follow one scheme but can include small amounts of color outside that scheme. Monochromatic—A single
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