One mantra that has stuck with me for years is this: "The space around the images is as important as the image itself." So, what is it that makes space so important in a painting? And why is it that when two objects are touching, we feel a discomfort? And what is there about where we place our images that gives rhythm to our work?
I hashed up one of my paintings you've probably seen before. Take a look and notice sections that feel awkward, uncomfortable and static.
Here's what I see:
I've placed red arrows where there are tangents. (A tangent in a two-dimensional art work is created when edges or shapes make an awkward or uncomfortable alignment or are touching rather than being overlapped or having space between them.)
Red arrow #1 points to an area where a pointed shape is aiming towards a corner, #2 is pointing towards the edge of one shape touching the edge of another, and #3 points to the edge of one shape aligning with the edge of another. The green arrows point to the same amount of space on either side of the subject, from the edge of the painting to to image.
When a shape points to a corner shape (#1), the two get visually stuck. When a shape touches another shape (#2) or the edge of one shape aligns with another (#3), the two feel visually welded. In all cases, there is a disregard for the space between shapes, the necessary pause between one visual activity and another.
When placing shapes, if we make the spaces between them the same size (green arrows), we weaken the dynamics of the painting. This applies to shapes within a painting as well as the edges of shapes as they relate to the edges of the piece.
Here's the painting unhashed.
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| Looking Back Oil on Canvas |
TIP: Developing an awareness of the space between edges will make our paintings more dynamic and rhythmic. Just as the pause between notes in music creates interesting rhythms, that attention to pause between images can make our paintings sing.
Happy painting,
Dianne
NEWS & UPDATES
___In this week's
video tutorial , we delve into the importance value gradation plays when creating foliage. We distinguish between linear and curvilinear gradations.
___ Continuing to answer requests, in this week's Quick Tip I show you my method for preparaing sheet canvas for studio painting, when I prefer a hard surface to the springy surface of stretched canvas.
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____Here's a preview our video lessons for October, Series 9: Exploring Value Patterns.
