I like to READ. Actually, I love to REad. But I don't read books.
By books I mean I don't read real books. I like to read online.
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| THE FOREST FLOOR WIP - 12 X 24 - Ink on Wood |
It is all about my eyes seeking a pleasurable experience. We do listen to our eyes and we often make decisions based on them. I like the strong contrast of the print to screen. I like to dim the light on the page, making reading the pages a soft, relaxing experience. I like to change the font, if it doesn't appeal to me.
I must admit, once I found how easy it was to sign out books online from our library, I was hooked.
As an Artists you are very aware of what pleases the eye. . . .
This awareness is both conscious and unconscious. I found it is here that my Inner Critic is most helpful. He looks at my work and says "it's missing something". Very often it is that 'little thing' that catches or moves the eye around the painting.
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| Wood cradle is 12 x 24 - certainly invites the eye to start at the left side and slide out the right side |
As I worked on my drawing "The Forest Floor" I became very attuned to eye movement. Having a rectangle drawing that was long and narrow, was really inviting the viewer's eye to run across the drawing and out the other side. I really needed to make sure to keep the viewer's eye in the piece.
Here is some of the things I noted.
3 Ways to Control Eye Movement in your Painting
1. Stoppers
Our Culture reads left to right. This means the viewer's eye usually comes into the piece from the far left and moves to the right. I noticed right away that my cluster of stumps and trees acted as a great stopper for the eye. They grabbed it and changed it's direction. The eye had a choice, move up the tree trunks or move down to the plants and leaves on the forest floor. The ferns reaching from the left side grabbed the eye that moved upwards. The plants and leaves at the bottom did the job there.
However, at first the tree trunks didn't do their job!!
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| Cropped right side of THE FOREST FLOOR - WIP - Note the stopped on the tree trunks to redirect the eye movement back into the picture. |
My Inner Critic immediately blurted out, "those trunks just shoot the eye up and out. Fix it!!" He was right. As soon as I added a few branches and ferns on the trunks, I could see that the eye was stopped and directed back into the middle.
2. Movement
Eyes like to move around. They like to follow paths. They like to run and jump, stop and ponder and rest. The forest floor is a natural place to offer this kind of entertainment. I think this is one of the reason why I love drawing these 'close up' forest views.
As the eye moves across the image it is happy: it can slide down the smooth sleek lines of the tree trunk; it can dance about in the ferns; it can stop and study the intricate shapes buried under the fern; then skip away on the log off to a new spot. At the same time there is a sense that there is more to see and something to come back too.
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| The Forest Floor - Sketchbook drawing to Plan the Project |
3. Contrast
We all love contrast. The eye is no different. Light and dark. Rough and smooth. Lines that dance about and lines that are calm and patterned.
As I pick and chose which items I will include in my drawing I think I was both conscious and unconscious of creating this contrast. (Because there just isn't room for everything.) I definitely think my Inner Critic was busy too. I worked on a small mock up of this drawing in my sketchbook to see and feel how things were going. I wanted to present the fascinating life on the forest floor but not put in tooooo much detail. (Definitely I love my detail) Keeping that idea of contrast in mind does help me in the designing stages.
Bonus Note:
4. Tension
I think this might also be a Grabbing Point for the Eye. And I think it is here in my drawing. The focal point is the large cluster of stumps and trees on the right but I feel the contrasting shape at the left, the single tree growing over the stump acts as a second, lesser focus. Even as the eye finishes with the main cluster, I feel there is a pull back to the first tree.
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| Possible Tension within the picture - the draw between the main and secondary vocal point |
What do you think? Is there a pull? Is there a bit of tension? If so, that would be part of the Eye Movement Story.
Still bits and pieces to finish up on my drawing "The Forest Floor". I must admit there is lots about it that catches my eye. I really enjoy working on it and studying it. There is lots it seems to want to tell me.
Further Reading/Viewing
5 Tips for Drawing on Wood - Blog Post
How to Draw on Wood Blocks - YouTube Video
EeK! How to Plan a New Art Project (Series) - Blog Post talking about how my Drawing on Wood came about and more examples of this Series.
Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?
Contact Me for:
1. Private Drawing Lesson: (3 Sessions 2.5 hr each $250)
Do you want your animals to breath, your flowers to sparkle or your people to walk? Whatever subject your like to paint or draw I can build a drawing program for you. Private Lessons allow you to focus on the skills you wish to develop. Wendy is a experienced teacher, providing a calm, relaxing experience as you learn how to use the principles of drawing. Beginner to Advanced are welcome. Special rates for younger students. More info here.
2. Online Mentoring/Teaching (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)
Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions. Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings. I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals. I am a sounding board, coach and teacher, with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward. More info here. Looking forward to Zooming with you.
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF
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Have a great Artful Day,
Wendy
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