Fine Art Paintings-Art Principles of Dominance and Variety

Paintings should have dominant elements. The element, colour, should have a dominant value in a painting, i.e. light value. Diagonal lines could be dominant in a painting. A painting also needs variety. A painting should also include lesser amounts of mid and dark values. Other lines would also be in the painting, i.e. curving lines. I have only referred to 2 art elements and principles, there are more.

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Movement of the Eye Through the Painting

An artist moves viewers’ eyes through the painting; to the focal point and then viewers’ eyes continue through the painting. Paintings have an overall structure based on light and dark shapes (value shapes). There are different structures an artist might use, i.e. triangular, L shape. Diagonal lines and shapes can lead viewers into the painting. Cross contour lines or shapes which are interrupted by another shape and then continue, lead viewers. Similar art elements such as colour, lines, can lead viewers through a painting. After the viewer reaches the focal point, they continue to move and examine the painting. It is important to ensure the viewers’ eyes do not move out of the picture. There are a number of methods to achieve this goal.

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Create the Illusion of Space in Paintings

I like to create the illusion of space on a 2 dimensional support. Artists can achieve space with a number of techniques. I previously wrote about linear perspective. You achieve atmospheric perspective by lightening and dulling colours in the background; using a bit of blue and reducing details. Body position is also helpful. A figure with the back toward the viewer or a look in a particular direction helps create the illusion of space. Overlap of objects is a wonderful technique. These are just a few techniques an artist uses to create the illusion of space.

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