Rules?

[llis]

Just what are some rules that one should look to follow with creating art works?.... Thought this would be a good place to start a collection for all to see and maybe we might discuss a few that spark some interest.

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Phy...llis (sounds like Lizz)
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[LarrySeiler]

There are many fine books that speak of composition and design, but I will attempt to mention a few.

First...one must preclude to a particular style one is approaching. Different styles follow different rules, including rules of nonconformity for the nonconformists! http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/wink.gif

For realism in general, the viewer's eye will enter the picture at the largest mass of the painting...and whatever devices the artist sets up there will either lead the viewers eye throughout the picture, or lose attention right off.

Some devices are lines or shapes that lead horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Each new area the eye is led, is subordinate to the last...

On the other hand, if an object, person, etc., is THEE subject, all other things must lead for example to the eyes...the face, or hands (depending on artist's emphasis) and everything will be in subordination to that. Still...the eye will enter the picture plane where the larger mass exists.

One other generalization which I believe is a major rule is that often quoted thing I say that says "anytime there is a problem with a painting, 90% of the time it is due to a problem associated with contrasts."

The eye attempts to makes sense of an image, and orders things. If a painting's contrasts are too similar, for example if colors and lighting and shading are too near a mid-grey scale...then the eye has trouble figuring out what to look at first, what second, etc;

IF everything is given similar emphasis in detail, then the eye is also confused. If the main subject, or main area in direct light received great detail, and all else downplayed in comparison...this is using one contrast device to assist the eye.

Other ways to create contrasts? Well- light versus dark, warm versus cool colors, texture versus lack of texture; etc.,

Another device...is to reserve your darkest darks, lightest lights, whitest whites, purest colors, greatest texture, and most defined details...for the subject, and downplay all else.

Other rules?
Warm colors come forward, cool colors recede. This is a principle related to the moisture in the atmosphere that refracts and diffuses lighting and detail. Thus...as objects such as forested hills gets further away...they become less detailed, and cooler in color. For example, distant hills looking bluish or shades of violet.

The sun striking a distant hill will look warmer than that hill's shadows, BUT...the color temperature of that sun's lighting will be cooler than the same sunlight striking objects in the foreground.

'nuff for now.....

Larry http://lseiler.artistnation.com