Back Off!

Two issues ago I mentioned that there are three elements I look for in a good composition.  First, the painting needs to catch the eye at a distance (a good value and shape construction); second, the eye needs to be carried throughout the picture plane; and third, the eye needs to come to an area of dominance and to be held there as long as possible. I would like to address this third element but come at it from a different angle than most are familiar with.

Most of us know that in order to bring a viewer's eye to a point of dominance, we need to construct sharper value contrasts, more intense color, warmer colors, harder edges, and more detail.  I don't seem to find much weakness in understanding this as I judge shows throughout the country, but there is a flip side of the coin that could use more careful consideration.  

It seems to me that many artists suffer from a case of "Wow! This looks so good that more has certainly got to be better: since this strong value contrast gives my painting so much snap, and the intense colors have so much pizzaz, and oh, the detail, let's have more!!!! "Woefully, the painting ends up with too many similar elements that compete for attention, resulting in an ineffective area of dominance.  Elements of design that have a uniformity in strength tend to cancel each other out, much in the same way as a ballet production with no prima ballerina–just everybody saying "look at me!"  Many of us haven't learned to use softer value contrasts, grayer colors, cooler colors, softer edges, and less detail as the picture plane moves away from the area of dominance. 

There are two peculiarities specific to watercolor that one should keep in mind when constructing the area of dominance:  

Soft edges are much easier to work with than hard edges.  A soft edge can easily be tightened up into a harder one by simply overlapping a crisp stroke over the underlying soft edge.  This can create a beautiful painterly, loose stroke.  However, a hard edge is difficult to make softer.  Usually one has to resort to scrubbing with a stiff brush to soften the edge, resulting in a tired, over-mixed passage of muddy color.  Therefore, I will frequently start out the painting process on damp paper, encouraging soft edges throughout. This allows for much flexibility in the process as I am not caught in a corner with too many hard edges that need softening. I will be careful to stay away from portions of my area of dominance that will need a razor-sharp edge.  The softer edges throughout the painting will be adjusted to harder ones as the painting progresses. 

Towards the end of the painting session, I ensure a tight, hard edge, or possibly several, in my area of dominance and progressively construct fewer and fewer as I move to the outside of the picture plane, where there is usually little change from the initial soft edge washes.

Secondly, intense colors are easy to neutralize with successively grey washes, whereas grey washes that have dried, are difficult, if not impossible, to intensify. Therefore, I start out my painting with a lot of intense color, more than I will need, in anticipation of graying areas away from my area of dominance.  Progressively larger passages will be neutralized as the eye moves away from the area of dominance. 

So, try to give your area of dominance a more powerful statement by simply backing off on the rest of your painting.  

Keep your brush wet!
Eric