Composition Is Hard

And yet, easy to learn the basics. I encourage you budding artists out there to do a composition a day. If you want to run a race, you train. You have to do the same with your art. Learning different techniques in art doesn't just happen overnight. Practice, practice, practice.

Composition technique with pencil: Create a viewfinder out of a notecard. Cut a 2" by 2" square in the middle of it. Find a still-life view that catches your eye. If you can't find a natural one, make one. Prior to holding up your viewfinder, squint your eyes to see if the contrast is defined. Yes? Then find a good frame of it through your viewfinder, and sketch it in color blocks, using only three different shades of gray with your pencil. Can't find defined contrast? Pick a different view until you do.

Creating base composition is the first step to layering, and layering brings definition. The second layer is for shading, the third is for details.

This afternoon I got comfortable on my bed and sketched an area of my bedroom window. It was a small area, but gave the picture quite a kick that I fancied I could illustrate kids books. This composition a day thing is really going to raise my confidence level in what I can achieve in art. Join me?

Tapping In To The World Outside

Maybe it's because I'm an artist, and my focus is on creativity, that I shy away from computers and the internet. My brain screams out for more interesting pursuits than typing. But where painting awakens my spirit and tells of things I cannot express, writing a blog can create relationships within the artistic community. Like many artists, it's easy to hole up in a room somewhere for hours and paint, and put aside that important piece of you that needs companionship. For that reason alone, I blog.