choosing a subject

The most successful paintings are generally paintings of a subject the painter really likes. If you’re not inspired by a subject, it’s probably best not to paint it. Look for something that evokes an emotional response, a strong feeling of “I want to paint that!” It’s far more likely to be a successful painting than anything you could do with a subject that bores you or leaves you indifferent.

Ask yourself why you like the subject. What is it that draws your attention? That’s what the painting should be about. If it’s a beautiful tree in a field, then everything you do in the course of the painting should be done to emphasize the tree, the beauty of its lines, the elegance of the foliage and the way the light helps to define its form.

Keep It Simple

Once you’re satisfied with your subject and have identified your goal, keep the composition simple. If you’re painting that beautiful tree in the field, don’t add too many elements. You might include a fence, a gate, a distant mountain or a hillside full of trees—but not all of them. Remember your focus!

Find Your Focal Point

The focal point of a painting will be where the viewer’s eye goes first, and it’s the artist’s job to make that very clear to the viewer. If the eye goes first to an unimportant or distracting element of the painting rather than the subject, the viewer will be less interested in looking at the painting. You’ve decided to paint a particular subject because there’s something interesting or exciting about it—now lead the viewer to it to share your idea.

It’s generally a good idea to keep the focal point away from dead center—the painting will be more interesting if you do. But it’s also a good idea to keep it away from the edges of the composition, so the viewer’s eye won’t be led out too quickly. I like to place the focus off-center to the left or right, and up or down a little from center.

The next thing to consider is the format of your painting—will it be horizontal or vertical, and what size? A painting that might work quite well as a vertical may not work at all as a horizontal, and vice versa. Some subjects work well as small paintings, while others demand a larger scale. One way to figure out how to proceed is to make small sketches, or thumbnails, of your subject.

using thumbnail sketches to test your composition

Thumbnail sketches (usually called just thumbnails) are quick, informal, small sketches. I usually draw them at about 2" × 3" (5cm × 8cm) on whatever piece of white paper or sketchbook page is handy. They are often simple line drawings, though they can be value studies or even color studies.

The advantage of the small scale of the thumbnail is that you’re reducing the composition to the big elements. You won’t draw a lot of detail; your thumbnail sketch may be only a few lines. But it will help you figure out where the big shapes of the composition will work best.

sketch for size and shape
A quick sketch helps you figure out the size and shape of the painting. In this sketch, the window with the vase in it—which is the subject—is a little lost in the composition.

adjust the composition
Increasing the size of the window helps, but the squares on the right and the second window take the focus away from the subject.

focus in on the subject
Now the focus is on the subject, the window and the vases in it—emphasized by the way the shadow crosses them.

directing the viewer’s eye

When you first look at a painting, where does your eye go? Usually, the eye will go to one or more of the following:

• The strongest contrast of dark and light values

• The area of greatest detail

• The juxtaposition of strong complements

• The convergence of diagonal lines

Use these tools to identify your focal point and direct the eye to it.

In the Window
8" × 16" (20cm × 41cm)

the right focus
In the painting, the size has been altered to crop in even closer to the window so the shape of the painting emphasizes and echoes the shape of the window. The textured surface, prepared with a pumice/gesso mix, helps emphasize the feeling of the stucco wall in the painting.