There is a difference between rules of convention and principles of composition. A conventional rule is an accepted attitude among artists, but a principle of composition is a functioning law of physics that gives an art work its life. It's like the law of gravity. When we find out how it works, we can make things happen with it like Alexander Calder did with the principle of balance.
One convention that is not a principle tells us never to place an area of interest in the center of a painting. Like all conventions this one can be successfully defied by a painter who understands how to play with the balance principle. If we know thatvisually heavier elements will overpower lighter weight elements, and if we learn what causes images to have visual weight, we can open multiple doors for exploring ways to place a focal point in the center of a painting and make it work.
Winslow Homer did it successfully in his painting, The Herring Net.
Winslow Homer "The Herring Net: 1885
Contemporary artist Mary Whyte made it work in her painting, Red.
Mary Whyte "Red" 2008
Georgia O'Keefe employed the symmetrical balance principle to make work her painting, Cow's Skull.
Georgia O'Keefe "Cow's Skull: Red, White & Blue" 1931
And Leonardo used the same approach as O'Keffe in his Last Supper.
Leonardo da Vinci "The Last Supper" Circa 1495
Tip: Never stop asking "Why Not?"
Happy painting,
Dianne
NEWS & UPDATE
___Speaking of defying conventional wisdom, our newest series of video lessons do just that. Series 12: Perspective without Rules gives you four ways to create with linear perspective without rules or even a ruler. Lesson One, Many Shapes, One Point is now available for downloads and on DVD.
___ This week's Quick Tip is the first of several to make drawing second nature.
