“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” — Edgar Degas The background of a painting creates the atmosphere for the entire artwork. The success of the subject matter comes to life as the viewer steps into the background, becomes engaged, and is guided to the point of focus. A close up of a flower, a bowl of fruit, a mountain cabin on a Continue Reading
How the Middle Ground Creates Harmony
“It is the brushwork of the right value and color which should produce the drawing.” —Camille Pissarro Space, as defined in art, relates to the relationship of the elements in your composition to each other. A typical layout will include these three spaces: Background Middle Ground Foreground In most painting compositions the foreground Continue Reading
The Quickdraw Challenge
“Sketching regularly requires you to pay close attention to the visual world around you. With practice, you begin to see things you never noticed before.” —Paul Laseau One of my favorite creative activities is the Quickdraw Challenge. The idea is to set a timer for a specified amount of time, such as an hour, and practice in your medium of choice. How to Continue Reading