Approaching Sunset
oil on canvas mounted on board
9" × 12" (23cm × 30cm)
Developing great compositions is as simple as understanding structure, value and color. With the information in this chapter, you will be on your way to composing successful oil paintings. Structural drawing will help you to understand drawing, form and linear perspective. You will learn about lights, darks and shadows and atmospheric perspective in the values section, and color relationships and temperature in the color section. Work through the mini demonstration in this chapter so that the concepts become a natural part of your painting experience. If you are working on a painting and it seems like something is just a bit off, you will probably find the solution in this chapter.
oil on canvas mounted on board
9" × 12" (23cm × 30cm)
Drawing involves observing a subject and visually interpreting it. Structural drawing is reducing the subject to its basic shapes without shading. Drawing is the foundation for most art, so the principles you learn through drawing can be carried over into other forms of art. The more confident you are with drawing, the more confident you will be when you paint.
drawing pad or sketchbook
2B pencil, kneaded eraser
Observe the big, basic shapes, such as circles, squares and triangles, that are evident in the structure of the subject.
Start by drawing the biggest, most obvious basic shapes.
Progressively add smaller shapes to fill in the subject.
Add the details to the basic structural shapes and develop the overall form of your subject.
The simplest way to improve your drawing skills is to do it. Sketching on a regular basis, just 5–10 minutes at a time, will help you develop your drawing skills through active observation.
Using correct proportions makes your art believable. Use a pencil, brush handle or sewing gauge to observe and compare the proportions of the elements in your drawing. For more precise measurements, use a ruler or dividers when working from photo reference.
Tools used for observing proportions of a subject can be as simple as a brush or a pencil. Other tools include a sewing gauge, dividers and an angle ruler, which can be used bent or straight.
When proportioning a subject from a distance, hold your arm straight out to measure the subject with a brush handle, pencil or sewing gauge, using the top of your thumb as your stopping point. Don't bend your arm at the elbow because this may affect your measurements.
To proportion the front of a building, observe the height with a pencil in hand, placing the top of the pencil at the top corner of the building. Move your thumb so that it lines up with the bottom of the building.
Without moving the placement of your thumb on the pencil, reposition the pencil horizontally across the building front.
With this example, the front of the building has the same height as width. This information can be used when working out the proportions of the artwork.
When drawing or painting, it is necessary to determine where the elements are in relation to each other. The placement of the elements of a subject may align them with other elements. These observations can be carried over into the execution of the artwork.
In this sketch, the dome is aligned with part of the tower.
Notice how the corners of the steps are aligned.
Angles in artwork can be reproduced through observation and careful plotting.
With a rigid wrist, align the tool with the angle of the subject; then, keeping it at that angle, hold it over the painting surface. Place two dots, one at the beginning and one at the end of the angle line, to plot its placement.
To check accuracy, compare the angle of the subject to the dots on your paper. Adjust as necessary. Connect the dots to complete the angle.
Depth and distance can be implied in art through the use of perspective. Linear perspective uses lines and size variation of objects to make a two-dimensional image appear three-dimensional.
Inherent to linear perspective are parallel lines that converge at one or more vanishing points on the horizon line. The vantage point (where the scene appears to be viewed from) is affected by these elements and their placement in the scene.
Vanishing point placement and perspective can be challenging subjects to tackle. For in-depth instruction on these drawing principles, check out our book Drawing for the Absolute Beginner.
As the name suggests, one-point perspective is linear perspective that uses only one vanishing point. Looking down a long, straight stretch of railroad tracks is a great way to examine one-point perspective (just stay clear of any oncoming trains!). Notice how the tracks and any lines parallel to the tracks visually converge at a vanishing point resting on the horizon. Objects of similar size appear smaller in the distance.
Linear perspective wasn't fully understood until the Renaissance, when artists intentionally sought to comprehend it better.
Perhaps more common than one-point perspective, two-point perspective uses two vanishing points and works with the same principles as one-point perspective. This scene of the corner of a building is a clear example of two-point perspective.
The placement of the horizon will affect the vantage point. If the horizon is placed high in the scene, the vantage point will look as if it is from above.
The distance separating vanishing points can affect how close a subject appears to be in your artwork.
Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. The lights and darks of a scene are referred to as values. Shadows, shading and the play of contrasting values make an image identifiable and give depth by expressing form.
Value differences make contrast. The greater the difference in the color values, the greater the contrast.
Using similar values creates a muted, low-contrast painting.
Using values of higher contrast adds more depth and drama to the subject.
The placement of the light source affects the values of a scene. By changing the direction of the light source, you will change a subject's lights, darks and shadows in ways that may be subtle or dramatic.
With the light shining on the front of the building from the left, the building's shadow falls to the back right.
With the light shining from above at a slight angle, the building creates a small shadow.
Shining from the sky above the building on the right, the light source creates a shadow coming forward and darkening the walls of the building.
Atmospheric perspective (also referred to as aerial perspective) implies depth by means of differing values. As elements are more distant, they become muted in value and less defined. The color of the distant objects may become more bluish gray.
Depth can be enhanced by use of atmospheric perspective. The use of values causes the mountains to seem to fade into the distance.
A value scale is a tool that shows a range of values, from light to dark. It is used during painting to compare the values of a scene to those of the painting. You can buy a value scale or make your own by painting different values of a dark color on a piece of primed cardboard or canvas and trimming it to size. The holes punched through the scale allow you to isolate, identify and match the value of the subject with the value of the painting.
Our eyes have over 100 million light-sensitive cells, designated as rods and cones. Rods are more abundant and they register lights and darks to distinguish form and shape. Cones comprehend color (red, blue and green) and sharp details.
Choosing and mixing the right colors for your paintings is easy once you have simple tools to work with such as a color wheel.
A color wheel is helpful for choosing and mixing the right colors for your compositions. Make your own or buy a printed color wheel, which includes helpful tips and color options.
Of the colors we perceive, the basic colors are red, yellow and blue. All other colors are made from these three primary colors. The colors I used in making this color wheel are Lemon Yellow, Permanent Rose and Phthalo Blue (Red Shade).
Combining two primary colors creates a secondary color. Orange, purple and green are the three secondary colors.
Combining a primary color with an adjacent secondary color creates a tertiary color.
Complementary colors are colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Mixing any combination of complementary colors will create a neutral gray-brown color.
Analogous colors are a group of colors that are near each other on the color wheel. Because they are all similar in origin, they will keep their bright, pure appearance when used together.
Any two colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary. Notice that any two complementary colors are derived from all three primary colors.
Combining complementary colors results in neutral colors. If you are in a painting session and you want to make one of your colors muted, just add a little of its complement.
A group of analogous colors makes up about a quarter of a color wheel.
While red, blue and yellow are the three primary colors of reflected surfaces, such as paintings and print material, red, blue and green are the primary colors in light, such as found when light is refracted by a prism.
Colors can be thought of as warm or cool. Yellows, oranges and reds are warm colors, while greens, blues and purples are cool colors.
Yellow, orange and red objects tend to appear as if they are coming forward.
Green, blue and purple objects tend to appear as if they are receding.
Warm and cool colors can be used to enhance depth in a scene. The orange ball in the painting on the far left appears to come forward from the background, while the painting on the near left makes the placement of the ball harder to comprehend. The blue ball appears smaller in a background that is bright and advancing.
Intensity, also referred to as saturation, is the potency of a color. Color in its purest form, without white, black or any other color added to it, has the greatest intensity. Color intensity is different from value, which considers how light or dark a color is.
Some colors, such as yellow, can vary in intensity but remain similar in value.
Other colors, such as purple, can change in both intensity and value.
With the strategic use of color intensity, value and temperature, you can create a warm, glowing feeling in your paintings. Notice how the warm colors surrounded by cool colors, make the window appear to glow.
Linear and atmospheric perspective along with color temperature can be combined to convey depth. Before reading further, see if you can pick out and identify elements that contribute to linear perspective, atmospheric perspective and color temperature in this painting.
Paintings generally combine multiple techniques to indicate depth. The following is a breakdown of the separate elements that create depth in this painting.
oil on canvas mounted on board
8" × 10" (20cm × 25cm)
Composition is the arrangement of elements in a work of art. It involves using design elements, such as lines, shapes, values and colors. A painting with a good composition is one that communicates its intended message to the viewer. Here are some tips for successful compositions.
The number of elements can affect the balance and movement of a scene. An even number of elements usually isn't as interesting as an odd number.
An even number of elements can seem dull and predictable.
An odd number of elements can make the scene more interesting.
This principle also applies to the number of elements reaching the edge of your paper. Similar elements reaching two edges may not look bad, but the overall composition could be better.
Here, the trees reach three edges, giving the composition a more interesting appearance.
Though a symmetrical composition can be orderly, it may also look mechanical and bland. An asymmetrical composition can give a more random, yet balanced feel.
Though evenly balanced, a symmetrical composition can be boring.
The dominant and subordinate elements balance each other for a more natural feel.
Use a grid to divide the picture into thirds, then place the elements along the grid lines. This is called the rule of thirds and results in compositions that are pleasing to the eye.
Movement is an important part of composition and keeps the viewer engaged.
One way to lead the viewer is with lines and other elements, pointing out where the eye should look next in the painting. Notice how the path, tree, house and shadows direct the eye through the scene.
A more subtle way to direct the eye is to alternate elements, creating movement through pattern. In this example, the red flowers act as stepping stones to lead the viewer.
The shape of the picture area can influence the overall feel of a composition.
Stable and serene, horizontal formats lend themselves to pastoral scenes.
An intense, powerful subject may be best stated through a vertical format.
A composition with a square format can be predictably boring.
It is necessary to determine the picture area by cropping the subject. This is especially true when painting outdoors (en plein air).
Viewfinders can be bought, ready for use, or make your own by cutting a window out of a scrap of cardboard. The window size should be proportional to your painting surface.
If you don't have a viewfinder, use your fingers to form the shape of a rectangle (or the shape of your painting surface).
A composition doesn't have to be complex to be complete. A simple composition can often state a message better than one cluttered with irrelevant elements.
Tangents occur where two or more elements come together. Try to avoid making them as they can confuse the viewer and create an unwanted distraction.
The roof edge of the building lining up with the distant hills creates unnecessary tangents.
Distraction is created by placing the end of the building at the right edge of the picture.
By repositioning the building, the scene is free of the tangents and the subject has more clarity.
The placement and direction of the elements may unintentionally guide the viewer right out of the scene.
In this example, the direction of the path along with the light of the sky points the viewer outside the picture, to the left.
Simple adjustments to the path and sky keep the viewer within the scene.
Structure, value, color and composition work together to create different moods. Compare the two paintings on these pages. Italian Holiday's vertical format emphasizes the magnificent archway that dominates the scene. The horizontal format of California Surf draws attention to the motion of the waves.
oil on canvas mounted on board
12" × 9" (30cm × 23cm)
This painting draws you into the scene so that you feel as if you were walking down this Italian side street. Notice the lines of the buildings. They point into the center of the scene, creating a strong linear perspective. The foreground buildings and elements are larger, while elements receding into the background become smaller.
oil on stretched canvas
16" × 20" (41cm × 51cm)
This painting makes you feel as if you could see and hear the waves crashing on the surf. Atmospheric perspective allowed me to give this painting a depth that gives you the sense that you right there. The rocks and ocean waves of the foreground are painted in detail, while the background rocks, water and mountains are muted. I used rich, bold colors for the foreground rocks and water and muted colors for the background water and distant hills.