One of the brain puzzles I really enjoy is figuring out how to "fix" my artwork and make it better. Recently, I went on a rampage through some piles of old art and worked on making them better. Here's the first one:
I flipped it 180º and slightly reframed the matting to include more of the blue circle area. This had the added benefits of (a) getting rid of the bright green in the upper left corner of the original, and (b) revealing the small orange and salmon rectangles seen along the right edge in the "after." Matting often involves covering part of the artwork up and it's always interesting to see what happens when you change what is covered by the mat. Finally, I added four things:
- I added a blue square of collage paper to soften the area where some of the collage papers meet.
- I added a dark stroke of color (seen in the lower left corner of the final piece).
- I added some splatters with that same dark paint color.
- I added some hand drawn lines with a carmine red crayon (seen along the left edge of the final piece).
The first piece was fine, but I think the new piece is more complicated, more sophisticated, and more interesting. It also has a much more interesting structure, which you can see more clearly when you look at the pieces in black and white:
This is the next piece I tackled:
I went through an important developmental period where everything I did was very grid based. Now, I'm more interested in taking what I learned from that process and breaking up the grid. In the updated version you can see that I made a number of changes that clarified the area of dominance (i.e. focal point). It was always the eucalyptus, but it doesn't have to fight for dominance anymore. Here are the changes I made:
- I added two off-white strips to the upper left corner of the collage. This helps break up that long blue strip and brings in more of a light value.
- I broke up the large dark area on the bottom of the collage with a curved line and a "veil" of white lines. Again, this changes the value structure of the piece.
- I extended and brightened the eucalyptus with collage paper.
- I added white lines to the right side of the piece. They go on top of the eucalyptus, which is key to making the eucalyptus look integrated into the piece rather than stuck on top of it.
Once again, you can really see the evolution in the structure of the piece when you look at it in black and white:
Never forget that value does all the work in art and color gets all the credit. My biggest takeaway from the last few years of study and practice is: Master value. I'm not there yet, but I'm better than I used to be! I love both of these new pieces!
You can find them in my shop if you love them too!
Here are some of the other skills I've developed over the years through a dedicated practice of making art:
- I have a clearer sense of my personal aesthetic.
- I have more control over and a deeper knowledge of the Principles and Elements of Art.
- My technical skills have gotten stronger.
- I have amassed a more useful collection of Art Parts.
- I know more techniques than I used to.
- I am less afraid of taking big risks and making big moves.
Thanks for stopping by!
PS: If you're interested in improving your artwork, you should join us for Group Coaching! Each month we talk through how we can make our artwork better with real examples from group members. It's a wonderful supportive atmosphere that will help you grow.
