How Contrast and Tension Improve Your Painting
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- čas přidán 2. 08. 2021
- We may not want a lot of tension in our personal lives. But we need it in our paintings. This week I paint an image with good contrast of value and scale in the shapes. That is the contrast creates the tension.
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Just for fun, I lo ng ago learned the parts of a painting should be "The same, but different> Too much the same is boring, too much different is chaos." This is a great lecture that reminded me of the quote. Your lectures are consistently outstanding. You are skilled in explaining complex problems in simple terms. I am always eager to watch next Tuesday's lecture.
Thanks so much for telling me James. All the best.
I also learned from your comment
I learn so much from you, thank you!
Delighted to hear it Laura.
The sketch itself is a wonder in and of its own, with story focused on the house, the place to go sit and have a coffee and cookie in the early afternoon warmth
Hi Jim, thank you. It was early morning and still a bit cool. But that cup of coffee would have been great. And hey why not the cookie too.
Another very informative video with a very interesting painting. Thank you! Be well. g
Thanks Gayle and so nice to hear from you as always. All the best.
Beautiful painting ! You also bring contrast and tensions within your brushstrokes! Thank you again Ian
Thanks Christine. All the best.
Fantastic lesson, Ian!
Thanks so much.
I have to say your inspiration pictures always have me go ‘really?!’ … but now I see you use them just as a jumping off point. Great video.
Next week I'll show 5 photos I haven't painted yet and why I choose them. As you say the jumping off point.
I always come away from your videos with another wonderful nugget of useable information! Thanks Ian!
Thanks Diana. I appreciate your telling me. All the best.
Another great lesson! I think I'm not alone when I say, I would love to see you do some demo of the detail portion of a painting. I realize the channel is for composition, but we would love to see maybe a secondary video about how you finish out the detail. I'm particularly interested in your technique for making windows appear so realistic, while keeping them small, and how you layer the paint.
One of the most important things I've learned from Ian Roberts' excellent teaching is that details are not important. At least I think that's what he's been saying. I could be wrong, but . . .
@@debrabond6768 I realize that and that this channel is intended to discuss the composition mainly. I so believe that many people would love at least one go at the detail section of a painting, just to see how he does it and maybe catch some thought process!
Hi Ian, it's a great suggestion. I make a comment above, that the block in happens pretty quickly. Getting to details everything slows down a lot. But I can think about this and video some details another time. The single simplest thing I'd say about windows is don't make them too dark. Too dark and they draw so much attention to themselves and then you have to overpaint them in order to get them to look right and it all just gets overworked. Hope that is a useful tip.
HI Debra, I do say that and you are exactly right. But sometimes in finishing a painting you have to finish some things in a convincing manner, like a window, and then what do you do? You can also, if the big shapes are carrying the painting well enough, leave out almost all the detail. And that is the kind of painting that often appeals to me most. Thanks for your comment.
will do.
When a question comes up from something Ian says in the video, I can usually find a relevant explanation or discussion in his book. It’s a great reference tool for me. Very helpful video, Ian, thanks!
That's great Frank. Glad the two can work hand in hand.
Wow, I must say, the painting is much more interesting than the photo! I’m more drawn to the rock ledge ( I would enjoy my coffee sitting on it) and love the colors of the grass! Thank you 😊
Indeed Cynthia. I think the aim of a painter is to me interesting and beautiful even the most boring and dull images.
Glad you liked the painting. Thank you. Next week I'm going to talk more about taking reference photos for painting.
Hi Giovanni, I just found a great quote "the world is a museum. You are the docent." It's a nice idea for a painter.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition indeed a very interesting description!
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition can i buy your book s from You? Or where can i find them in Europe?
Salute. It's a wonderful thing that you included captions in so many languages. Now I can learn better paintings and practice my spanish in one row.
I do hope you will continue to have your demonstrations, I find them most helpful
and fascinating!
Hi Jan, I'll do them from time to time for sure. Lots of people suggested the same thing.
As I was watching this I was reminded of when I tune my guitar which is all about tension too - tightening 6 different strings so that everything you play after that is in tune and just like your eye is drawn to the point of interest in the painting, hopefully, a well tuned guitar will draw the ear towards the music. Maybe this analogy is a bit of a stretch but it just came to me as you spoke and as you drew those lines, like strings, leading over to the house. Thank you as always for a wonderful tutorial.
Delighted you are enjoying the videos. I guess the difference, is the correct tuning is a specific and exact measurable point. Same every time. Whereas with tension in a painting it is changing in every image and even changing and adjusting while a painting is progressing. But I get the idea. All the best.
While scrolling painting video's a while back I came across your video's and have enjoyed viewing and learning from you. I have been painting for a long time, but find there is always something to learn from other artists. I work in oils and gouache and find your instruction translates to both. Thank you, so much!
You are most welcome Kathleen. Glad you found my videos.
It was really cool to see both the thumbnail and the pencil sketch. This is something I’ve just started experimenting with on some of my paintings. I figure at the bare minimum it’s fun to draw! But like you said there are a lot of problems you can solve ahead of time that way as well. Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome Danny. All the best.
You make difficult language visually simple. The word Dynamism is perfectly represented here.
Thanks Summer.
I like very much your new painting. There is something different and I can't tell why this painting has something stronger for me. Contrast and tension.Thank you again for explaining and sharing. I hope one day we could send you our works for feedback.
HI Hannah, I"m glad you liked this painting. Thank you.
Ian, I have recently discovered your lessons and they really help me better understand composition. Thank you!
Really glad to hear it Cynthia.
Wow! Looking at that photo, I would never had made a painting of it! But, yours is beautiful! Thank you for sharing! I have to learn to see the potential that I am not yet seeing!
Glad you found the video interesting. Next week I show 5 photos I have not yet painted as potential for paintings and I'm pretty sure you'll say the same thing about some of them too. Best wishes.
Really nice painting Ian , and another great demo. I hope you are having a lovely summer!
Thanks Ramona. Lovely to hear from you. All the best.
Ian, thanks again! So clear and undersandable! I am sure you make that my work improves. I look differend at photos now and do not hesitate to change things now.
Glad you are finding the videos helpful.
Great lesson on how to construct a painting with a main vocal point. Also how important it is to do thumb nail sketches to solve any composition problems before starting the main painting.
Glad you liked it Susie. Best wishes.
Your videos are a must see for every artist regardless the skill level. Thank you maestro
I appreciate your saying so Pablo. Thank you.
Interesting painting
The rock is absolutely magnificent
Thks 4 sharing..
You are welcome Lena.
Just wonderful. The way you simply explain as you paint is fantastic along with red lines. It’s so easy to grasp. I can’t look at scenes now without seeing shapes first! 👍
That's great Rita.
I am always happy that you remind your students to do thumbnails and sketches. It has helped me so much
HI Mary, everyone's usually in such a hurry to get brush to canvas, the idea of planning sort of gets jettisoned in the enthusiasm.
Great video. The idea of 'tension' is interesting. I'll have to think more about how that works. Great website for selling paintings! Good job. I hope that is a great success!
Thanks again Ralph. All the best.
Sir! Thank you so much for your willingness to share your great skills! It is very inspiring.
I must confess, every photo reference you show makes me think, "Why paint that?" Then, I see your drawing and painting and I am blown away! Incredible!
Glad to see the sunlight on the middle building expand. To my eye, the left and right faces of the other 2 buildings didn't relate well in the photo or thumbnail. As usual, you never disappoint when the outcome is true to the painting and not dependent on an accurate depiction of the subject matter.
Perhaps you could devote an entire program on "artistic license". Something you mention casually as you perform the operation. You do it in such an unassuming way, but is an important element in all of your demonstrations. I believe your viewers would appreciate knowing the importance of letting go of the concept of copying a photo and instead, execute a successful painting.
Glad you liked the video and your suggestion is of course a really good one. I'll do that one week. Thanks.
Ian, honestly, this one took my breath away! Could you give a good definition of what is meant by tension? Thank you.
I so look forward to your Tuesday video!
Hi Joani, delighted you liked the painting and the video. Imagine a piece of paper, nothing on it. No tension. Put a small square of black in the exact center of the page. Now some thing has changed. But the square echos the square of the paper equally on all sides. Not much tension. But more than a blank piece of paper. Now put that square right over on one edge of the paper. Now the whole dynamic of the paper has shifted. It has created a huge imbalance on the sheet of paper. That is tension. That is thinking in terms of design. Hope that helps.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thanks, Ian!
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Would you say that the goal is to create dynamic tension, yet balance it at the same time?
Ian, thank you for the lesson! It is really useful.
Glad you liked it Svetlana.
Great lesson, Ian. Thanks so much! Look forward to seeing you again next Tuesday!!!!
Delighted you are enjoying the videos.
Thank you for another extremely helpful lesson. I agree with Ian Billings. I'd like to see how you put in the fine details on the windows and roof soffits. I look forward to Tuesday mornings each week! Your lessons are invaluable!!!!
Hi Jan, glad it was helpful. The easy part to video is the block in because things happen pretty quickly. Visually lots of stuff happening. After that, the details it starts to get pretty slow. But of course it is a good point. I'll try videoing both parts and maybe do block in one week, details another.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I like that idea because the big shapes create the space but the detail more of the mood, feel of the place, what people do. Shape=nature, Details=culture.👍😊
Ian, I love your videos. They include ALOT of information in a short video and your paintings are lovely!
Delighted you enjoyed it.
Another great demo Ian, so much good information! I keep notes in a reference
journal of your demos and refer to it quite often, thank you!
Glad it was helpful Elaine.
Thank you, Ian! Fabulous job bringing these key points together & showing us why they are important. And love that your lessons are quick & to the point. :))
Appreciate your telling me Ellie. Best wishes.
One thing that could be cool to see if your process for taking reference photos. I feel like a lot of work went into deciding on the composition here before the photo was even taken. This is something I could definitely improve upon. Thanks Ian! Great work!
Yes. I find it very difficult to find good reference photos that have a usable composition! I guess photographers think like photographers and artists who take photos think like artists.
@@sharonstratis2846 The thing with composition is YOU have to make it out of the chaos of the world, whether thats from a photo or life. Photographers have their own set of composition that artists can't get away with, because we naturally forgive a photographs shortcomings but we have far less tolerance when it comes to a painting.
Hi Danny, next week I analyze 5 photos that I haven't yet painted and why I think they have potential. Should address your point. All the best.
Hi Sharon, next week I'll be talking about taking photos for painting.
It's true. So many of the fabulous National Geographic style photos of nature are pretty much useless for painting.
Tension - Terrific and Timely! Thx Ian for sharing your thought process from start to finish - so many reasons WHY it’s a great painting:)
Thanks so much Deb. Great to hear from you. All the best.
Another wonderful painting thank you!
I never put much care into my thumbnails and preliminary sketches. And I can see now how much that has hindered my growth as an artist. This was a very helpful look through all the steps of interpretation! Thank you!
HI Terri, there is such a tendency to want to just dive in. But my experience, as you've probably gathered, is to take more time at the beginning with planning.
My favorite so far! Beautiful painting and wonderful lesson which very clearly shows the structure of the painting.
Thank you very much!
I love this work ESPECIALLY Ian…Thank you
I just loved watching this video ( many times) and painting along. Thank you so much. Can't wait for the next video!
Thanks so much Kathy
Really helpful Ian. Thank you.
It would be helpful toggle the block in and finished paintings to see the changes. Several times allows the comparison to go both ways.
I really enjoy your content. Thanks so much
Glad you found the video helpful Katherine. That is a good idea to go back and forth between block in and finished painting. I'll do that. Thanks.
That’s wonderful
loving the longer demos! Thank you, such great content!
Glad you like them Jan.
Thank you so much, Ian. The finished painting has such impact! Very much appreciated.
You are very welcome Susan. Thank you.
I liken a painter to a juggler……compositional structure, value relationships, and dynamic tension in size and placement of objects….all these and more need to be constantly ‘juggled,’ keeping the ‘balls’ in the air and rotation…..all to engage, move the viewer’s eye, and entertain!
Again, a great demo: informative and helpful! Thank you!
It's funny you use that analogy Ann Marie, because when I presented my online courses last year, I used a gif, you know one of those short 3 sec videos of a guy juggling with 8 bowling pins to emphasize that very point. You can get so involved with a few pins and before you know it you've dropped a couple. It's a great analogy. Glad you liked the demo. Best wishes.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition, I wish I had participated in that course…..I do have your book, which I like to refer to, but I appreciate and learn equally as well from your visual demonstrations. Your Tuesday short clips are so valuable….easy to understand, synthesize, and apply……they are a gift to us all!
Wonderful demonstration! You are such a good teacher Ian. I love to draw but sometimes jump into a painting with a wonderful idea and have to work out the tonal values or composition after the fact. Such a good reminder. Thank you!
You are very welcome Janet. Best wishes.
Another beautiful painting. I especially like the idea about painting in progressively so you can paint each object's colour in relation to the next object's. It makes so much sense. Lovely!!
Glad that was helpful Anaam.
That was so awesome ! 🤌🏼✍️🎨
Thank you for this very clear description of how to create tension in a painting. I liked seeing your process, including the first sketch and the more finished studio sketch. Very helpful. It's always interesting to see what you do with a photo. I'm often thinking I need to get the photo where I want it visually when I think I will use it for reference for a painting, but your cropping demos are helping me to be more flexible. And again thanks so much for the clarity on painting shapes and values. These words are ringing in my head and helping me begin to see differently.
Delighted you are getting help from the videos Alice.
So educational to see your process. Thank you
Glad you liked it. Best wishes.
Thank you, Ian for being so generous in sharing with the world your wealth of knowledge about painting. I'm a recent follower to your videos and have enjoyed your pithy yet robust content. I've learned so much in such a short time. I look forward to expanding my painting vocabulary every Tuesday with you. Cheers!
You are very welcome Norman. Delighted you are enjoying them.
As always, so helpful.
Thanks Lois.
Thanks for passing on your knowledge. Un maestro real!
Delighted you enjoyed it.
Excellent explanation as always ! Thank you so much Ian. Truly appreciate your videos. Lorraine 🤗🎨
You are very welcome Lorraine.
Thanks greatly appreciated Ian for sharing your talents and calmly explains how you've achieved contrast in your painting, enjoyed this inspirational video as you talked how and why you have done things to create an amazing end result. Thanks greatly Ian stay safe and healthy
Thanks a lot Philip.
Thanks for another informative video. I just ordered your book on composition today. Can’t wait to read it.
Hi Sue, glad you liked the video and hope the book helps as well.
Thank you for adding your available work. Although I am not in the US so it doesn't apply to me, I have often thought the work you show us as part of the lessons is something I would love to look at every day.
Hi Carol, I can ship outside the US it was just the setting up that sales cart was too complicated with all the million and one tax issues to include more countries. But contact me on my website if you are interested. All the best.
So nice you have an artist wife you can share with!!!!
Great tour.
Brilliant. Thank you. ❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Glad you enjoyed it Cathy.
Such amazing advice, thank you for sharing 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Great demo, Ian. You are a very good teacher.
Thank you Martha.
The best videos on composition, clear concise, learning so much..thankyou!🙂
Agree!!! I watch them all.
Really helpful lesson. Thank you.
You're very welcome Joyce.
Ian,
Not only I am suscribed to your channel, I am a real fan of your videos.
I spent the whole week thinking about a comment I made in one of your previous videos about those long demos. Maybe I sounded harsh, and you answered me very politely.
I would not want to make you feel bad, but I am sure you will understand my point:
You are absolutely honest, transparent, and most of all, clever and strategic.
I really think your channel would lose value if you start to "diminish" the integrity of your videos by making those long demos, but that is just my opinion. I absolutely appreciate how you prepare the "terrain", how you sinthetize the concepts, and that makes me move outside my comfort zone. That is what ART should do...
Keep on being the resistence for people wanting to stay in their comfort zone.
They can always go back and see ALL OF YOUR AMAZING VIDEOS, instead of following a demo by the minute.
I am just trying to contribute to your channel with my most humble opinion.
P.S.: I teach "Hand Sketching" in Architecture Grade studies in Buenos Aires, and I certainly recommended your channel to my students.
I got over 900 comments saying they loved the longer form demos. I, just for the record will not ask for a question like that again unless there is an easier way to answer all the comments. 900 said something. Perhaps as many felt I shouldn't have them but didn't answer. But I will only do it from time to time. Some demos I think are far more useful than others. But thanks so much for your feedback. I appreciate it. All the best.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thanks for taking the time to answer my comment (again!!!). I am sure any of your demos will be extremely valuable, short or long, maybe do some "LIVE" demos??? People would love that and maybe you could even collect some donations...
absolute greatness
Thanks so much Frankie.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition you're welcome. Thx for all the effort and lessons you show us
I usually paint with a lot of detail but sometimes it is good to have less detail at times. Your style has a great balance that I like the look of.
Thank you so much!
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition your welcome. I like different styles of paintings now and again. Sometimes I like detail sometimes I don't like too much detail depending on my mood. Painting in oils is my favourite medium.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition One thing I could never understand is why some artists paint too much like a photograph with detail like you would see in a photo. Its as if they are a human photo copy machine. It defeats the purpose of painting I feel. A painting has to look like a painting otherwise I don't see the point and is no longer art to me.
I am learning so much from these videos! Thank you, thank you. I happen to be in Stonington, Maine, right now. The reddish color on the ground is from low bush blueberries. 😁
Hi Linda. It is beautiful there in the early and late light isn't it? That stuff that I was painting seemed like a grass, hugging tight to the ground. Like moss or something. Have a great trip. All the best.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition from what I have seen, it is lovely. However, the fog horns have been sounding since I got here…
I’m going out today to look for some painting possibilities.
Fantastic demo of this Stonington Rocky hill and houses. I am going to be in Stonington in September with my box for Plain Air. Thank you for pointing out to paint not only the beautiful scenery with boats and water, but also find those smaller details of local land and town scapes. Beautiful work you did on your painting! I will keep you in my mind when I am painting there. Thank you
Hi Tatyana, get up early one morning and just walk about with your camera too. Lots to paint there. All the best.
Amazing painting!
Hello Ian, wonderful demo, and thank you for the added link to the recent paintings. I really loved Anne In The Garden, I love Hopper because I feel Hopper and Hitchcock are vey close in the way they portray things where you feel something is not quite right. There is something a bit strange in Anne in the garden and I just love that. Thank you so much.
Makes me really happy to hear it. Thank you.
I really like the way you make a simple photo turn into an impressive painting. I am learning a lot from your classes. At first I thought I needed photos like calendar pics to get a good painting and you are showing me that "less is more" (forgive me the cliche). Looking forward to your next class. Thank you, Ian.
Glad you enjoyed the video Selma. Next week is about taking photos for paintings.
Amazing! Thank you!
Glad you liked it Marie
Great videos, lots of wonderful information too, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Carroll.
I've just found this concept by accident. Thank you Ian.
wonderful！
Very interesting and informative, as always. And, loved the demo!
Delighted you found it helpful. All the best.
Hello Ian thank you for your work and for the interestting vieos.
Glad you like them.
Just recently found your channel and wow you are an amazing teacher and artist
Keep being awesome
Thanks so much. Best wishes.
Thank you for this very interesting video. I am leaning from your design series very much. I incorporate in my work as much as I can, when I am outdoor. I have to admit that the pressure to produce a piece is somewhat trumping the need to think about design (and tension). But I am getting better at forgetting time pressure, to paint better.
Hi Suzanne, you know that expression, Well begun is half done. I know when you're plein air painting the urgency of the moment. But without that design foundation of contrast of value masses, the end result is often adequate but not exciting. I understand the conflict.
Beautiful
I learned here how to simplify the painting process especially the abstraction technique.
That is a big component of getting paintings to work. Glad it was helpful
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition thanks a lot
Well done again, sir.
Thank you Robert.
Excellent! Very interesting.
Glad you liked it Avinash.
Wonderfully executed. Somehow reminds me of the Wyatt painting about the house he used to live in.
Hi Giovanni, thank you. I think half of what he painted was from Maine. Wyeth has a fantastic sense of design.
Thank you
You're welcome Anne
Great!
Glad you liked it Sally
Ian, of course, again I like what you've done. At first it left me feeling a bit unfulfilled but in the end I got the drift of it. At least I felt something more in the scene the photograph had missed. Changing the white surfaces on the left and right to focus on one primary yellow color was effective. So was softening the grasses and muting the harshness of the stone. It also contributed to drawing our attention to the left and away. I would need something more, like a door, an entranceway or steps on the front of the yellow house, and in greater detail to add a little mystery to the scene. I would have taken some license and revealed more and probably messed it up. Thanks for this.
HI Andrew, there was a bit more information on that white house in the photo that I could have added. But I found I was being pulled there already so to add more then seemed superfluous. Quit while I was ahead.
this painting has a lot of swag
Thank you.
Wow wow wow
Really appreciate that.
Hi Ian, like this.
Glad you like it Rebecca.
Thank you for this demonstration. I have wondered how to move the eye from two areas that are both lit by sunlight, and competing for attention. I knew to change the value , but I didn't know how much, because I still wanted it to be believable.. Now, I know.
Glad it was helpful Loretta
Thank you!
You are welcome Sandy.
Fabulous demo painting .. would like to try a painting with the above mentioned principles.. Thank you!
Yes Nandhini, give it a try and good luck.
Thank you for your wonderful videos! I just recently discovered you channel thanks to Simon Stalenhag. Though I am not really a painter but more a digital illustrator, I think these videos are very inspirational and help me a lot to understand how to understand painting.
HI Jeffrey, I love Simon's work and have a couple of his books. Great sense of design. And so oils, watercolor, or digital brushes it always comes down the same thing. Glad you are enjoying the videos. Best wishes.
Güzel ,anlaşılır videonuz için çok teşekkür ederim.salıları iple çekiyorum.Emeğinize sağlık.Lütfen hep olun.
I'll assume you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Important info here. 👍 trying to put this in my memory bank. It’s not just the one third line. It’s beyond that.
Glad you found the video helpful. Best wishes.