Moving through or along the well-worn pathway of artistic creativity, one thing I'm striving to work further on is a deeper understanding of concepts with painting that will take me further along that "well-worn path."
The latest area I've been taking a dive into is "Visual Language" especially as it relates to the loose and somewhat abstract format I've been pursuing.
First of all "loose or looseness" of a painting is more of an artist's or in this case my choice rather than a distinct and specific style. It's essentially a rendering of an artist's understanding of the form(the scene) rather than a skill.
As such, a "loose painting" is trying to communicate visually with suggestions rather than trying to describe everything in precise detail. Giving just enough detail and form for the viewer to figure out and fill in the rest. Another way to think of it is do you need a lot of detail or just enough to get the point across. Look at this example:
"Today is March 5th and the temperature will be around 8 degrees C with rain, so it will be a rainy spring day."
OR
"Today will be a mild, wet spring day."
The second sentence is short, clear, and gets right to the point. The same thing applies to the painting loosely. If you can paint things with a minimum amount of brush strokes and information, you end up with a loose but believable painting.
So visual language is to communicate with the viewer through what you show them - the painting. Visual - what you see; language - the form to communicate.
When painting, one thing have unearthed is that there is a very distinct point in the entire painting process and creation, where adding just one more detail; another brushstroke actually takes away from what you're trying to depict. The key is knowing when you're at that point. It can be a difficult and challenging lesson to learn.
The more you try to say in a painting(adding that one additional detail); the more complicated the painting looks; which often results in the painting becoming less interesting and fresh.
"Less is more" can often be the best rule to follow.
Here are a few rules that I've come across that might help:
What am I trying to communicate?
Think of a main message. A vase with flowers?; a crowded street?; a quiet morning in the field?; maybe a busy cafe? Whatever it is, stick with the message throughout the painting.
What makes a _____(tree, house, person, dog..etc)? What shape does it have?
You don't need detail. What is the shape of trees for example? Realistically they come in many shapes and sizes. Figure out one shape that suggests "tree" and stick with it.
Is this enough for what I'm trying to communicate? Or am I doing too much?
Did you paint enough things to convey your message? or are you overworking it? A good place to stop is when you lean or step back and say, "Looks good." Which is just before "Looks good - I think I'll add more." Do not go to the "add more" part. Remember "less is more."
Does this help to clarify the message or will this confuse the viewer?
Don't focus on or add the things that are not that important. If your loose painting is of a busy street, you don't need every traffic sign and 68 vehicles to suggest it's a "busy street." Simply a couple of cars and a few folks will work.
Anyhow, a short lesson on visual language and how it all fits together with loose and abstract painting.
Remember, "less is more!"
--as always with love--
--- get outdoors; find inspiration; discover yourself ---
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