The Circle and the Balancing Centre in Paintings

I have previously discussed the compositional structure, the circle. The circle suggests a middle point. The circle moves the viewer around the outside and also in and out of the picture plane. All compositional structures have a centre where the vertical and horizontal lines of the support cross. In the circular structure, a balancing centre is not as apparent. The balancing centre is usually at or near the point where the structural lines cross. There must be a feeling of some final point of balance. In Renoir’s painting, The Luncheon of the Boating Party, the balancing centre is at the woman raising a glass. It is calm and sure. This calm centre is characteristic of a painting’s balancing centre. The measurable centre is close; the shoulder of the seated man in the dark brown coat and hat. The balancing centre is close to the measureable centre or tension would work against the overall painting’s balance. (N. Goldstein, Design and Composition)

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Gothic Art. Giotto & the Start of Modern Art

In the middle ages, the Roman era of realism was followed by Byzantine art. Art was made for religious purposes and comprised of symbols. Romanesque art stuck to the objectives of Byzantine art. Figures were static and not modeled. Gothic art came after Romanesque art and was about natural figures and background. The Italian artist, Giotto (1267- 1337), helped transform the inactive art of the medieval era. His paintings showed distance, perspective and modeling of figures with light and shadow. In his painting, Madonna Enthroned (around 1310), the faces are animated and the figures are more realistic. Giotto used light and color (hue, temperature) to model his figures and cloth. This painting is considered one of the best of Giotto’s art. His techniques were new. Some people consider Giotto the father of modern art.

Click on title of this post to buy images of my paintings on items, i.e. fine art prints, greeting cards, posters, shirts and mugs. Customize style, color, border and more. Final prices are shown after you customize products and select the quantity of the product in my store and other stores. Did you know that my items are in the public setting? If you are on another Zazzle site, i.e. Zazzle.ca, you can buy my items. You will not be eligible for sales on Zazzle.com. If you received this post via email (feedburner), you may need to copy and paste this URL into your browser, http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist* .

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Contrasts of Color Intensity and Value in Art

This is a detail from a painting I am doing. In a prior post, I mentioned that the color element, value (gray scale), is more important than intensity. I have painted the house in sunlight on the left side. It is yellow. The roof, windows and door are a dark muted blue violet. The hues (colors) are complements. I have painted a lighter muted blue violet under the roof’s eave. However, because the muted blue violet is a dark value, the yellow hue has little luminosity. You can use dark values in a painting and still achieve luminous color. The color with a dark value should not be close to the area that you want to have luminous contrast of intensity. You can see the difference between illumination , a light shining on an object and luminosity, a light shining or glowing from or within an object.

Click on title of this post to buy images of my paintings on items, i.e. fine art prints, greeting cards, posters, shirts and mugs. Customize style, color, border and more. Final prices are shown after you customize products and select the quantity of the product in my store and other stores. Did you know that my items are in the public setting? If you are on another Zazzle site, i.e. Zazzle.ca, you can buy my items. You will not be eligible for sales on Zazzle.com. If you received this post via email (feedburner), you may need to copy and paste this URL into your browser, http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist* .

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