Every image, every mark we make has a visual pull. Try this. Look at the white rectangle below and try NOT to look at the black dot.
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| Image A |
The dot pulls your eyes to it, doesn't it?
Now, look at this one and try to look at one dot without looking at the other.
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| Image B |
Your eyes can't decide where to land, can they? Now, close your eyes for a few seconds, then without any effort, look at the next one. Pay attention to what your eyes are doing.
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| Image C |
Most likely, your eyes will land on one place and move to the next in a counter-clockwise direction. That's because the shape C moves counter clockwise. Our eyes will go from it to one dot, then to the next dot and back to the C.
Now try the next one, noticing what your eyes are doing without your help.
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| Image D |
Did the C shape take over the movement and carry you right off the edge of the page?
Two things are happening in these exercises: Visual pull by isolation and visual pull by a directional path. In the Image A, there is one dot in isolation, therefore your eyes go straight to it, in Image B, two identical dots placed on opposite sides of the rectangle cause your eyes to be attracted to both, but because they are the same, we don't quite know where to look.
In Image C, a directional shape has moved in giving guidance to your eyes, so now they move within the rectangle with confidence. But in Image D, that directional shape is taken out of context with either dot and is causing your eyes to move out of the rectangle in spite of there being two isolated dots.
Now look at this little study I did a few years ago. What do you see first?
Most likely, your eyes went to the bright light reflecting on the water. Now, I'm going to add something. The light is in contrast with the rest of the piece and, in a way, isolated, but now I'm going to give it some competition.
Close your eyes for a few seconds, the open them and notice at what place you first look.
Now try to make your eyes go to the light on the water and notice how they will insist on glancing back at the people fishing. Notice that the directional movement takes the eye towards the bright light, but the isolated image of folks fishing still demands your initial attention.
Tip: Isolated images, shapes and colors will attract and guide the viewer's eye, but so will a directional path. When composing a painting, we want to be sure the directional path and the isolated elements relate to one another.
Happy painting,
Dianne
P.S. February 1 is the date my first video Tip will be ready for download. That's little more than a week away.
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| Dianne Mize Art Videos |
I will continue your free email newsletter tips. Meanwhile, if there's a subject you'd like me to address in either the newsletter or in video, feel free to make your suggestion by email.
P.P.S. The Facebook forum now has over 400 members, some who are sharing their art work. We have twenty-three challenges for you to play with. 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.
