Today I am just going to say a few words about the UNDERLYING basic design principles that every artist can use. Last week I talked about the fact that all too often, the subject rules. Well, there are lots of "design tools" that you can use as an artist, to strengthen the visual power of your images beyond just the interest or power of the subject-matter, and I offer a few REALLY BASIC ONES here.
It might be helpful to think about the fact that many design ideas are rooted in the way that we humans react to our environment.
- For example, we feel safe when lying down....so flat surfaces and horizontal lines feel steady, secure and safe.
- Vertical lines represent right-angles to the ground beneath our feet...strong elements like trees are vertical; telegraph poles are vertical, we stand vertically. Vertical lines are uplifting and steady too.
- Diagonal lines take our eyes off in different directions, and add variety and interest.
- Sharp points and angles can feel uncomfortable - they can trigger anxiety in a subconscious way, as the human brain might relate these elements to sharp points such as knives, or broken shards of glass...things which can physically cause damage.
- Rolling, gentle curves are calming, reminiscent of gently moving water, the softness of a cushion perhaps, or certainly the female human form and the comfort of a mother.
Take a look at these images, and see what kind of feeling you get from them, and see if they conform to any of these very basic principles:
Someone clearly feels that I "lecture" to my readers and cause offence. My answer to that is that it is pretty hard to be a teacher without being a lecturer. They kinda go hand in hand. But the bottom line is that nobody is forced to read what I write, everyone has free will to go elsewhere on the internet, or to burn my books!
I hope that what I write is of use to some.