B 1 - Chapter 1 Jan 2015 lesson 1

FINE ARTS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT A division of Redfox Hill StudiosBook 1Chapter 1 Lesson 1 In other words - Know when to Quit Messing with your Painting!The Struggle:A common struggle for many artists is when to quit…How Do I know when my painting is finished?The canvas is covered, every element has been painted in, and now you begin to play…and play…and eventuallyoverwork…Sound familiar? You’re not alone; everyone has done this.Over the years I have compiled a mental checklist that helps me analyze my paintings, evaluating how to makeadjustments and corrections. It’s a more efficient way to bring my painting to the next level and nearer to completionrather than undoing all the good stuff and painting in relentless circles.Following the Rules:When we learned how to paint, we also learned to follow some rules. These rules are established guidelines that make asuccessful composition or a painting worthy of a signature. The principles and rules apply to creating originalcompositions. But even if we are reproducing a work of art for study purposes, we can still learn how to improve what1|Page Laurentian Art Institute© lessons by Margaret Ann Adams

FINE ARTS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT A division of Redfox Hill StudiosBook 1Chapter 1we paint. When we evaluate our painting, it’s best to do so while we are developing the painting and again when wethink we are nearing the end. This helps catch mistakes and make small corrections before they get out of control.This notebook is from my system for evaluating a painting and is important to the creative process. While painting thecreative process is a complex one. It’s a personal journey that takes us through a range of powerful emotions. It has itsmoments of bliss, but it also takes us on a roller coaster of ups and downs like no other! Know this…You’re not alone;every artist has been on this ride, we have this in common. The most important quality you can develop is a goodattitude towards the process. With time the journey from caterpillar to butterfly gets shorter and easier…and so worththe effort we make!From Caterpillar to Butterfly - The Creative DanceEverything has an ugly stage. I rather think of it in terms of an unfolding dance, like a structure that's slowly incubatingwith adjustments...thinking that eventually the idea will come into its own. To what am I referring? …The painting andthe creative process.We begin...broad strokes covering blank canvas, somewhat tentative, yet thinking strokes, unguarded but with purpose.An idea is forming; a seed is searching for a place to sprout. Atmosphere is created, the seed makes a foothold. Theloose sketch, a mark or pattern locks in a potential outcome. A set of lines...some straight, some curved, someintersecting, crossing each other and giving direction to blank canvas. With the glaring white canvas gone, the storybegins with the general outline of a thought.Coloe at first is unimportant. Value rules...the degree of light will establish mood and dimension...rough form willgradually appear. Shadows divulge light, there is none without dark! Slowly relationships are made... touching or not,their placements reveal relative closeness or distance from each other. Some bathed in light; their dimensional shapesestablish illusions of realism. In the mind they change into moments of reality. The artist lost in thought. Colourawakens, it is assigned and refined...an orderly palette becomes a tapestry of mixed hues.The characters upon the stage slowly reveal themselves…Some stronger than others, yet no less important to the cast ofmany players. The story won't play well without hierarchy. The brush gives voice to many, their assigned status madelouder while others whisper...finding their tiny voices from the quiet corners of the stage. Some costumes areglorious...the details are many. Light shines bright on select faces making them dominant and all important! Oh to bethem...Dressed only in the finest and brightest, the drama of their attire will surely capture the attention of viewers!A butterfly in the making calls for continual adjustments. Deep in thought the artist is lost in a creative trance...Inwardchallenges test our outward patience. Even with learned confidence, and a growing understanding of rules beauty is stillthe ultimate goal. Questions asked, rules spoken and broken...In our thoughts we are alone with the canvas...wechoreograph the brush with care...dancing with joy as we work our way across the stage. Ideas churn like milk intobutter, the story slowly develops while cast members polish their acts. Shadows deepen and lights shine brighter...asparkle here and a shine added there... Out of the shadows details are revealed...Reflected light hinting to the subtleoutlines of those lost in shade. The caterpillar has spoken...she has spun her cocoon.2|Page Laurentian Art Institute© lessons by Margaret Ann Adams

FINE ARTS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT A division of Redfox Hill StudiosBook 1Chapter 1Put down the tools...clear the mind and step away. Time passes, eyes rested and spirit renewed, the cocoon opens andthe butterfly reveals herself. With evaluation and mind full critique, we scan the stage and follow the path of light... It'silluminating the butterfly. Dress rehearsal is over, now its opening night. The star...Does she sparkle like a jewel? Is sheflushed with warmth? Does she appear excited as she stands in the glow of spotlights? To the artist...YES! She is setagainst the cool backdrop of a supporting stage. She glows with pride from a humble yet great effort!Curtains back...Wings dry, she bashfully flutters and bows her head...we hope her beauty captivates her viewers. Thecreative journey has come full circle, from caterpillar to butterfly; she is dressed with the finest brush strokes. She riseson the winds of creativity! Fluttering effortlessly, she circles both canvas and artist like Tinkerbell leaving a trail ofcolorful light...For a moment the artist smiles with satisfaction and watches her fly away in search of countless newideas...The Cart before the Horse – The StartLet’s start the creative process at the planning stage. Don’t put the cart before the horse; we can’t finish what wehaven’t begun. Planning is important. This might happen on paper, on canvas or in our minds. How it happens isn’timportant, that it happens is! The following is a loose list of subjects to think about at the planning stage…So let’s beginour conversation here… When laying out your original design, consider the following.The Planning Stage:1. Composition - Principles of Design and the Formal Elements of Art.I cannot stress this information enough…if you are composing original paintings, knowing the key principles of paintingwill make your artwork look professional and result in more successful compositions.2. Mood – What’s your overall frame of mind for this painting? Is it joyful, somber, serious, whimsical, calm or ominous?For example heavy dark clouds might create an ominous mood, is that your intention? What color palette will best suitthe temperament of your painting?3. Key or Tone – The overall key (value – lightness or darkness) of your painting is important and often in keeping withthe mood – Is it going to be a low key (dark) painting or will it be high key and an overall lighter painting?4. Center of Interest – Is there an area of the painting that has been assigned greater importance to first attract theattention of the viewer?5. Color Scheme – How will you approach color? What will your dominant color be? What are the supporting colors?Will you choose to work with a formal color scheme? Think about creating color balance and harmony through thepainting, and not having any one color isolated in one location.6. Theme – Sometimes this will be important. Do you need a theme? Do the elements in your composition create aspecific theme? For example, pumpkins, dry leaves and a scarecrow might create a fall theme? A collection of antique3|Page Laurentian Art Institute© lessons by Margaret Ann Adams

FINE ARTS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT A division of Redfox Hill StudiosBook 1Chapter 1toys used in a still life composition might create a theme about childhood memories. Have you created a theme or isyour theme disjointed because of unrelated items or elements? Analyze your composition for unity7. Texture – Are there different textures used throughout? A variety of textures will create interest; avoid boredom bymaking all surface textures the same. For example, vases that have the same surface texture (all shiny) might lack visualinterest? In a garden theme, painting small masses of details that are all the same textures may appear busy or tiring.Change this by mixing plant types, sizes and shapes and reduce the details. Variety is always better.8. Painting Style – Will you use one style (loose and impressionistic) in one part of the painting and switch tophotographic realism in another? Try to avoid doing this, be consistent throughout the painting. Stick with one style ofexecution. Avoid over-working the paint; apply brush strokes in a deliberate fashion to keep your color fresh andspontaneous.NOTE: I only mention the above as a reminder. Without their consideration, there will be greater challenges down theroad…For the Sake of this GuideWe will assume you have already taken these principles into consideration and have only cosmetic adjustments to makerather than rebuild an entire composition. I always tell my students, “Making cosmetic changes are so much easier thanconsidering major plastic surgery!”Point of view: Here are a few examples.Shape, Line and Movement: These are three of many design principles. Learn more about them here… (Principles ofdesign)Take a look at the painting on the left below…Here we see elements that are pointing the viewer out of the composition.Think in terms of shapes, lines and movement. The shapes of objects can act like arrows…When arrows point in aspecific direction the viewer naturally looks to see what they are pointing at. If they are pointing outside the painting wehave guided our viewer away from the painting…that’s not a good thing! Look at your painting for any object that mightdo the same thing. Observe the following two examples… Image #1 & Image #24|Page In image #1 the large leave shapes together with the strong diagonal line of the railing and the lines (trunks) of the distant trees, make us look to the upper left corner Laurentian Art Institute© lessons by Margaret Ann Adams

FINE ARTS EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT A division of Redfox Hill StudiosBook 1Chapter 1and out of the painting…While the smaller leaves in image #2 point in different directions and add greater overallbalance. Organize the shapes and lines in your painting to help move the viewer’s eye around the painting, rather thaninvite them to leave…Look at shapes that behave like a pointing arrow…This could be found in leaves, a flower, a road, a pathway, or even acloud. Sometimes we don’t notice the shape of an object at close range…but step away and voila! There’s the arrowgiving bad directions to the viewer!Observe the pointers in image #3…the branch and the parrot’s tail could both potentially pull the viewer’s eye up andout of the composition from the top and the bottom.In Image number #4 the branches are added to the top and bottom; however they still leave the viewer falling out thebottom of the composition.Finally a solution…Image #5 - by extending the lower branches and turning them upwards near the end of the bird’s tail,the viewer’s eye is lifted upwards…back into the painting. Movement is created.IMPORTANT: In the above examples, we see where the addition of larger elements can help eye movement in acomposition. We see how misplaced shapes or lines can create unwanted distractions…In a perfect world, it is alwaysbest to correct our design early on. We can avoid major structural changes before one gets close to the end of thepainting. It’s so much easier to make modifications early on. However it does happen, and when it does we know whatquestions to ask.5|Page Laurentian Art Institute© lessons by Margaret Ann Adams