Stuffing a Painting
House Stories, 12x16 pastel
Stuff painting.
Here are two paintings of the same scene. One represents light and atmosphere and the other feels stiff and amateurish. What is the difference? One is a painting where all the visual elements of shape, value, edge, color and application were considered to create a visual story: A white house, set in the woods, bathed in afternoon sun. The other is focused on symbols of shape and color that represents things. It has all the “stuff” of the other painting but there is no story. When this happens I call it “stuffing” a painting.
First let’s look at the painting that is designed using the visual elements.
Shape
- The shapes represent the true dimensions of the objects and are described by comparisons of length to width.
- The shapes are interesting. They are designed to lead the eye around the composition.
- Areas of the same value define a shape.
The background tree is made up of a series of different shapes that help point the eye back to the house.
Value
- There is a range of values that describe light and form.
- The values explain the direction and quality of light.
- The values describe the forms as they exist in the light.
When you remove color you can see how important the value structure is.
Edge
- Every part of the painting is considered in relation to the whole.
- Stark contrast is kept to a small area to create a focal point.
- Gradual transitions of value and color are placed to guide the eye around the painting.
Color
- The colors are chosen according to their value.
- The color palette represents the local color as well as the color of the light and reflected light.
- The color of the light and shadow are complements to each other.
Application
- The pigment is applied in a variety of ways to explain form or atmosphere.
- The pigment is applied using a variety of mark making and thickness.
Close up of House Stories
When the elements of shape, value, edge, color and application are considered together the painting feels cohesive. The artist directs the visual story to make the viewer look where they want them to.
The other painting is represented by stuff. What is stuff?
- Stuff happens when we focus on shape and color and ignore the elements of value, edge and application.
- The shapes represent symbols – not what the objects actually look like. Stuff is the symbolic representation of what WE think something should look like.
A symbol of a tree.
- The colors are chosen without regard to value.
- The colors represent the symbolic local color.
- Each thing has the same edge which creates equal contrast throughout the painting
Lack of value structure makes the painting appear spotty.
- All the parts of the painting are explained in equal detail without regard to the whole.
- The color of the light is not considered when choosing a color palette. Light and shadow do not complement each other.
- The purpose of the application was to simply color in shapes.
Close up of Stuff painting.
Painters become frustrated when they only consider shape and color and will say the painting is muddy or flat. To fix the painting they will often add more details, stuffing the painting with more and more symbols.
Symbols play an important part in our daily life. They keep us safe and on time. We recognize symbols as objects and will default to them when we are unsure how to paint what we see. We can bypass symbols by describing the world using all the visual elements By learning how to use shape, value, edge, color, and application you’ll be able to create a composition that is cohesive and tells your visual story.
House Stories 12x16 pastel.
