The Power of Intention:
Visualizing What You Want to See in Your Painting

    The job of the artist is to select what is most interesting to him or her and then present that in a form that precisely communicates their intentions. Often, this selection and then re-presenting of the world involves an intentional heightening or exaggeration of some visual elements by the artist, and simultaneous minimization or elimination of other elements to communicate the desired idea about the subject. While it is very important to have a working knowledge of the various compositional tools at our disposal, the most important skill the artist needs to have is to be able to pre-visualize the composition which best expresses his or her intentions before brush ever touches paint.

The Legacy of Cezanne

   Paul Cezanne understood the importance of pursuing his unique vision of the world in his art while simultaneously working to develop an entirely new way of painting reality. His painting, The Basket of Apples is an excellent example of his sophisticated sense of composition and his revolutionary use of color, shape, masses and texture. Balance in composition was very important to him and he labored over his still life arrangements until he got them just the way he wanted. Today, it is difficult for us to imagine just how radical his work looked to Parisians of the 1890s. We have already been prejudiced to accept his paintings as extraordinary works of art. However, his pioneering efforts kick-started the development of modern painting and started a movement which has influenced generations of painters right up to the present moment. Let's examine the compositional anatomy of his painting, The Basket of Apples, and see what can be learned.

Establishing a Focal Point

   It is always important to have a focal point in our paintings. The focal point serves two purposes. First, it is the expression of your unique view of the world. Second, it tells people what the painting is about. People want to participate in the painting, so let them know what you are thinking and why you bothered to make this painting. “Composition,” said Robert Henri, “is controlling the eye of the observer.” 

   The main elements of a painting must not have equal emphasis, color, value or detail - something must dominate in order to provide a focus for the viewer. All other elements must support that leading actor by either leading the eye directly toward it, or by contrasting with it, or by setting the stage for it. Eliminate any elements which do not add something important to your composition. Simplicity is often the wisest path to expressing a good idea clearly and forcefully. What is the focal point in Cezanne's painting?

The Basket of Apples                                                       Paul Cezanne

The Rule of Thirds
 
   The rule of thirds is a “rule of thumb” or guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images. The origin of this concept goes back to 1783 and Sir Joshua Reynolds’s discussion about the (in his mind) proper relative proportions of light and dark in a painting. This concept was then expanded upon by John Thomas Smith in 1797 in his book, Remarks on Rural Scenery, in which he quantified these proportions and named them “The Rule of Thirds.”

Illustration of Homer's Use of The Rule of Thirds in The Fog Warning

Without the bottle, does your eye move in the same way?