Good painters don't merely re-create what is in front of them. An experienced artist knows how to create a successful painting no matter what situation or model he or she is presented with or the materials being worked with, from mixed media painting or collage to pen and ink or oils. Of course, this often comes after years of practice and experimentation-as well as the development of a unique artistic voice-but there are some basic characteristics that all good paintings have in common.
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| In
Vermeer's Woman with a Scale, the focal point of the painting is accentuated with nothing more than a glance and delicate hand position |
1. A strong focal point. A
focal point is not like the big bold 'X' that marks the spot on a treasure map.
It can take on any shape and size. It can be bold but it can also be subtle. A
dappling of light, a pop of color, an expression or emphatic gesture-any of
these can become a focal point in a composition. Regardless of how it is
created, its purpose should be to engage the viewer or act as the culmination of
the momentum built in the work.
2. Layers of color. Color
makes a painting tranquil or vibrant, dramatic or stark, and this comes about
not only in color choices, but how you build passages of color over one another
or side by side. Warm and cool colors in a sky create a sense of atmosphere and
space more than any one swath of color, no matter how perfectly matched it is to
the sky above.
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| In Picasso's
portrait of Gertrude Stein, the colors are muted but quite varied and establish an introspective mood. |
3. Changes in direction. In
many great paintings the image is realistically rendered, but brushstrokes are
clearly visible; you are aware of how the painting is painted. Think
about how the paint application of Jan van Eyck versus Vincent van Gogh
perfectly reflects or resonates with what the artists painted. The way a brush
moves paint around makes a statement that should be taken advantage of. You can
start by being mindful to changes in the direction of your brush, literally
working on a painting with different strokes and from various angles.
