The Principle of Dynamic Contrasts This simple principle will add power to your art: If you have one area that is complex, keep the other areas relatively simple.
For Instance:
When the face in a portrait is complex - keep the background and clothing simple
If your landscape is complex - then keep the sky simple
If the sky is filled with drama - keep the landscape simple
If your vase full of flowers is complex - keep the background, table top, etc… simple
Notice how Picassoin his ‘Still Life with Skull, Leeks and Pitcher’, uses this principle. His simple background creates a foil for the complex subject matter.
Smart guy, eh?
Remember this SIMPLE FORMULA:
Focal Area = Complexity
Everything Else = Simplicity
Practice Comparing
. . . and I don’t mean practice comparing your art to others art - especially to a professional’s. In my classes I teach that you should only be comparing the art you create today, to your previous creations. This way you see how you’ve grown rather than beating yourself up for not being ‘perfect’. There is no perfect or right way in art.
Compare Relationships
The comparing I’m talking about is the comparing of relationships.
Relationships of:
Values
Colors
Shapes
Textures
Movement
Position
and Light
Your eye will become more and more sensitive to all the delicious, delicate relationships as you increase your powers of observation - thus increasing your skills in your art.
Yup - this was a trick. Practicing Comparing is still Practicing Seeing.
“When Everyone is Shouting, No ONE is Heard”
I learned this from one of my college art instructors and I pass if forward to all of my students. Truer words were never spoken!
If all of your colors are intense and bright (screaming), then no one AREA stands out. You have no focal point and your viewer doesn’t know where to look. If all you have is chaos, your viewers’ eye will run away screaming.
Offer Resting Areas
Kind of like a roller coaster, if you don’t have some slower, resting areas, there is no thrill for the BEST part. Bright color stands out best against grayed colors. Grayed colors are your resting areas. So save the intensity for your focal point.
Gargoyle Commission
In 2005 I was commissioned to create this Gargoyle in watercolors and I usually take photos during the progression of a painting to share with the client.
My students often ask to watch me paint - I have a sneaking suspicion that they learn a great deal from the observation . . . Their asking triggered the idea of creating this slide to share with you. Although it does not show me actually painting, it will give you some idea of how I develop a watercolor.
Watercolor Technique
My style of watercolor painting is different than the ‘norm’ and I credit this to my most favorite instructor, Kathy Sutherland. She is a genius, a wonderful mentor, and beloved friend who I was blessed to have studied under.
Gargoyle was created on 300# Arches watercolor paper, is 22″ x 30″and took approximately one month to complete. Although the original is in a private collection, limited edition giclees are available upon request.
