If these cows were to be our subject for a painting, what distractions might we eliminate?
We'd probably all agree that the frontal tree needs to go first. A bit of rough photoshopping will show us how that might work.
There's still too much stuff confusing the composition. Let's get rid of those limbs and twigs in the front and the tree trunk in the rear.
Not bad, but could that foreground ditch go, too?
The whole composition and feeling of the scene is changed. Now it feels like the cows can be the focus, but what if we wanted to make them a bit more cozy? What if we close in the background?
This takes away the distance. If we choose this interpretation, the emphasis will be totally on the cows without drawing the viewer into the distance behind them. But they seem a bit isolated. Perhaps cropping the view would be the next step.
Now we have a tighter composition. If we want the painting to be about just the cows, we have eliminated all non-essential elements. However, to broaden the interpretation, the distance could also be a part of the painting, and to add more information about where they are located, the frontal ditch could be made to work. The important thing is that we include in the composition only what we need to give the interpretation we're wanting.
I chose just the cows in this painting.
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| Dianne Mize "Sautee Herefords" Oil on Canvas |
Tip: In the words of painter Mary Whyte, "Simplify. Don't try putting everything in the picture. Keep only the essential elements." I couldn't have said it better.
Happy painting,
Dianne
P.S. Join us on the Facebook forum where there are now twenty-two challenges. You can do any challenge at any time. They are there for your enrichment and enjoyment. If you post your results, be sure and do so in the comments portion of the challenge to which you responded so as to keep the responses with their corresponding challenge. I will continue to add challenges from time to time.
