A mixed media painting I did on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Predominantly acrylics with Sharpie pens that formed the tree. There is a call for artists and the theme is twisted, so I thought I would start a few sketches to see what takes my fancy. My problem with my paintings, I am beginning to realise, I need to work on composition. Not sure why but in all my time during art and design study I was never taught composition. I understand their are 8 principles:
- Unity
- Balance
- Movement
- Rythmn
- Focus
- Contrast
- Pattern
- Proportion
It sounds simple but it really isn't. The picture has to flow and move the eye around to all the elements but when I am painting I do not consider this, I paint what I want without considering the composition. I have watched some YouTube posts to assist me, I have a vague idea of what it is all about.
The one thing that frustrates me about art is: someone, somewhere has constructed rules so that the canvas is supposedly perfect and the one thing that allured me to art was that I thought there was no structure just wonderful images people can create using the imagination. It seems I was wrong. Shame because the rules constrain art somehow.
It looks like I have something to learn!
Stephanie Matthews
You're confusing rules with tecnique. Forget the rules. Just paint. You'll pick up techniue as you go and incorpotate into your own style. Warhol painted Campbell soup cans and they raved. Kids paint grafitti and they hang it on gallery walls. Rules are just guidelines. Don't let them hinder your creativity.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. I need to get my own style before conforming to rules. I think I am trying to figure out what it is that I feel is missing, I find my work is somewhat flat. Creating more will help. :)
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