Examples of the effective use of Proportion

There is a real sense of proportion in each of the two paintings above. Without the effective use of the principle of proportion you would not experience the majesty of the mountain cliffs in the painting on the left or the towering height of the trees in the painting on the right.

In the two paintings above proportion emphasizes the distance of the ship and the vastness of the ball room.

Examples of the effective use of Harmony

It is easy to observe harmony in action in nature. Notice how the individual wedges "fit" the orange in the painting above.

In the coat of arms above we observe how the different elements "fit" together perfectly inside each other to create harmony.

Examples of The Effective Use Of Balance

Radial Balance

This flower resting a tea cup on the left is a good example of radial balance. The pedals radiate out from a central point.

On the right radial balance is created by the flowers which spring out of the center of the vase.

 

Horizontal Balance

 

Vertical Balance

Do you see the vertical balance suggested in the painting on the left? Look at where the foreground ends and you will quickly see how it is balanced by the building in the background.

The painting on the right is a little more obvious in it's vertical balance. Notice how the three objects in the top part of the painting balance the apparent heaviness of the one object (the plate of pancakes) in the lower part of the painting.

 

 

 

Examples of the effective use of Movement

Repetition creates the movement in the painting on the left. The color of the gowns is repeated leading the eye into the painting. The pattern on the floor also creates repetition.

Examples of the effective use of Emphasis

 

 

In this painting it is easy to see how the artist used light to emphasize the chef. He stands out as the main focal point of the entire the painting.

 

 

 

 

The artist created emphasis in this painting through the use of color. By painting the cowboy's shirt red he was able to create a center of interest.

 

Examples of the effective use of Simplicity

   

   

Simplicity is suggested in this painting of the cowboy by zooming in thus eliminating the extra surrounding elements that would otherwise detract from the main focus of the painting.

 

 

 

There is simplicity in the design of the buildings in the painting right. Detail has been left out to call your attention to the unique architecture.

 

 

 

 

In the painting of Egypt on the right detail has been deliberately left out so the shapes rather than the features become the areas of interest.

Examples of the effective use of Contrast

 

 

The contrast in the illustration to the left is quite obvious. Notice the contrast of the light background (wall) with dark foreground (table cloth) and the contrast of the dark shadows on the tea pot and cup against the wall and with the lights of the same objects against a dark window.

There is also a contrast of thin and thick lines in the napkin, straight and curved lines, and don't miss the dark steam as contrasted with the light clouds off in the distance.

 

On the right a contrast exists between the lights and darks. Also notice the contrast of the roundness of the objects in the foreground against the flatness of the background.

 

 

In the painting on the left is another example of contrast between light and darkness.

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Examples of the effective use of Space

Positive and Negative Space

The flat back shadows and background in the painting on the left provides a good example of the effective use of positive and negative space in this two dimensional painting.

The painting on the right demonstrates positive and negative space in a three dimensional painting. Can you see the positive and negative here? The fish occupies the positive space and the water represents the negative space around the fish.

 

Overlapping Objects

 

Overlapping objects is a helpful tool for creating an illusion of 3D. Depending on how it is applied can give a sense of deep or shallow space within a composition.

The Statue of Liberty in the painting on the left overlapping the river and the horizon helps to create a greater sense of depth than the painting that is on the right. On the left we get the sensation of deep space. On the right the space a shallow.

Changing Size and Placement

Changing the size and placement of the objects in these two paintings helps give more depth to the painting. Changing the size of the indians makes them appear far away in the painting on the left. On the right, the ballerinas are on a higher plane than the ones in the front pushes them farther away into the background.

Linear Perspective

Can you see how perspective has given these paintings a sense of depth?

Both of these paintings have very strong one point perspective which helps create the illusion of three dimension.

Perspective gives you the sensation that the train is moving away from you and yet it pulls you down the hallway with it

in the painting on the right.

 

Perspective can also make objects appear 3D. The artist of this building used two point perspective to create an object that appears to have volume. Without two point perspective this building would lack depth and appear flat.

 

 

Hue and Value

Warm colors pull you up close. Cool colors recede off into the distance. The painting on the left is a good example of this tool in use.

On the right, light moves toward you and darkness moves off into the background.

Atmospheric Perspective

    

As objects move off into the distance they become less detailed and more gray. For example notice the horizon and the mountain in these two paintings.

Deep Space

When used effectively all the tools (overlapping, perspective, atmosphere, hue and value) can create the sensation of deep space.

 

 

 

 

 

sense of relationship between the forms which are not grouped together.

Examples of the effective use of Unity

 

The painting on the left creates a sense of unity by the effective use of repetition. See how the artist has repeated similar forms (ducks) and color (brown) throughout the composition?

On the right grouping of similar objects (proximity) was used to create unity within this painting.

   

 

The road in this painting is the "third element" that helps to create a relationship between the people in the foreground to the people in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

This painting is another good example of how proximity creates relationships between related objects.