Q. What are the elements of design?
A. The elements of a design are the tools you use to
make a good design and are known as line, value,
shape, color, size, pattern, and movement.
Q. What are the principles of design?
A. The principles of a design are the rules you apply
to help make the design work. These are harmony,
contrast, rhythm, repetition, gradation, balance and
dominance.
Keep in mind you won't use all of the elements or all
of the principles in every piece.
By combining them in an effective manner you will have
achieved your goal, which is to create a unified
design.
Q. How can I be sure I have a focal point in my
artwork?
A. A focal point or "center of interest" is not
necessarily found in every painting. Some works are
"
pattern pieces" and some are designs of colors and
shapes. However, it is very important to create an
eyepath to move the viewer's eye through the painting.
Guide the viewer through your repetition of colors,
shapes, lines and other elements of design. Entertain
them by varying the pace making some areas 'exciting'
and others more 'restful'.
Q. Do acrylic paintings need to be varnished?
A. Yes, acrylic paintings should be varnished, not
just coated with medium, unless they are to be framed
under glass. This is because acrylics have a tendency
to gather dust. Once gathered, it becomes embedded in
the paint film and cannot be washed out.
Q. What is a taboret?
A. A taboret or tabouret is a term of French origins
referring to a low stand or cabinet. Very often
artists will use this type of cabinet to store their
materials or equipment. Often lower in height than the
usual drafting table or easel this can be a convenient
surface to place your palette and brushes on.
Q. What do I need to set up an art studio in my home?
A. Personally, the most important thing for me is to
have a dedicated space to be used exclusively for my
creative endeavors. What luxury! Keep in mind this
doesn't have to be a large space but YOUR space. I
have heard of several artists who have outfitted
spaces no larger than a closet with a very complete
studio!
Here are some ideas for starters:
Full-spectrum lighting, preferably fluorescent
Drafting table and/or easel
Taboret or table for palettes and paints in use
Filing cabinet for records and resources
Bookcase for art books
Storage for art materials
Storage for papers, canvas and finished works
It is not necessary to collect all of these before
picking up a brush! Simply use what you have & have
fun collecting your equipment a little at a time.
Q. Why do colors look so different in various
lighting?
A. Lighting plays a huge part on the appearance of
colors. Without being too scientific, here are the
basics: Incandescent light, like most home lighting,
is warm which means it has more yellow or orange in
it. Fluorescent light on the other hand, is cool which
means there's more blue in it. Try this: view colors
in daylight, then artificial light. Can you see the
differnce in their appearance?
Q. Who sets the color trends with regard to home
decoration, clothing and cars every year?
A. Two trade associations that forecast the popularity
of colors are The Color Marketing Group and the Color
Association of the United States. Studies are done on
color psychology as well as the "color personality" of
the consumers. Forecasts are then based on these
findings as well as current selling trends keeping in
mind the broadest range of appeal in various
applications.
Q. What is "local color."
A. Local color is the actual color of the object you
are looking at, whether painted or natural, regardless
of the light shining on them; true color, without
shadows or reflections.
Q. Are colors with the same name alike in different
brands?
A. No! Colors may differ greatly from one brand to
another. They may be made from the same pigments, but
because of the vast differences in formulas, additives
and the manufacturing processes, more than likelt they
are not the same color.
Q. Is it safe to put my acrylics in the freezer to
keep them moist?
A. Definitely not! Paints of any kind should not be
subjected to freezing temperatures including sitting
in your car overnight in the winter. The chemistry and
handling properties of the paints may be affected by
freezing, however it wouldn't hurt if you stored your
paints in the refrigerator. Just be sure they are
tightly sealed.
Q. What is "north light"?
A. Believed by many to be the most consistent light
with the least color bias, in the northern hemisphere,
north light comes in from windows and skylights that
face north and do not receive sunlight directly
throughout the day. Because of its attributes north
light is ideal for artists.
Q. I have seen the term "fair use" in art books. What
does it mean?
A. Fair use is a legal concept that allows the
reproduction of copyrighted material for certain
purposes without obtaining permission and without
paying a fee or royalty. While authors must always get
permission before using images, it is sometimes
possible when citing text to use short quotations
without permission, as long as they are attributed to
the author. Purposes permitting the application of
fair use generally include review, news reporting,
teaching, or scholarly research. The idea of fair use
originally arose for written works, but with the
advent of digital technology and the Internet, fair
use has sometimes been applied to the redistribution
of musical works, photographs, videos, and computer
programs. Keep in mind, when in doubt, always get
permission in writing.
Q. How many different kinds of light are there, what
are they and how can I identify them?
A. There are six different kinds of light when
observing a simple object in direct sunlight. These
are known as the highlight, light, half light, shade,
shadow and reflected light. They may be identified in
the following manner:
Highlight: Touched directly by the source of light
this is the lightest area. So light in fact, that
regardless of the objects color this area may reflect
pure white.
Light: While this area faces the source of light the
actual color of the object is reflected.
Half Light: This is the area where the object's form
begins to turn away from the light.
Shade: The area on the object's form that is
completely turned away from the light.
Shadow: When the object's form blocks the light on
another surface a shadow is created.
Reflected Light: Light which has bounced off of nearby
areas influencing the color of the object.
Q. How can I transfer my drawing to paper or canvas?
A. To create a transfer paper simply rub the back of
the drawing with a soft graphite pencil . Wipe a
cotton ball dampened with rubbing alcohol lightly over
the back of the drawing in order to set the graphite .
Now turn the drawing over and tape it to your paper or
canvas. Use a colored pencil to trace your drawing.
This will help you keep track of the lines you have
traced.
Q. What is a complementary color?
A. Complementary colors are located directly opposite
one another on the color wheel. They have two effects
on each other. When you place them side by side, they
appear to vibrate. When you mix them, they neutralize
each other. Exact complements will make neutral gray
and black when mixed, but keep in mind that because
paints are seldom precisely complementary, their
mixtures will usually have a bit of color bias. Take
for example, blue and orange complementaries. When
mixed together you may get a more blue or orange gray
or possibly even a brown. This would indicate that the
colors you used are probably near-complements rather
than true complements.
Q. Is color learned or intuitive?
A. Both. Reflected in your natural responses and
preferences to particular colors, your "Color
Personality," is largely intuitive. However, most
artists using the colors recommended by teachers or
books in various projects learn color first by
imitation. Eventually, if they pay attention to their
personal preferences, they introduce colors they like
into this learned palette. Quite often this leads to
the development of a consistent color style. The
danger is that it's very easy to get stuck there and
keep repeating yourself, so it's useful to learn a
variety of color systems. These will provide you with
flexibility and creativity in the color selection
process.
Q. What is the difference between dyes and pigments?
A. Dyes, also known as colorants in which the coloring
matter is dissolved in liquid, are absorbed into the
material to which they are applied. Pigments, on the
other hand, consist of extremely fine particles of
ground coloring matter suspended in liquid which forms
a paint film that actually bonds to the surface it is
applied to. It has always been the accepted belief
that pigments are more lightfast than dyes, but the
introduction of synthetic paints has done much to
improve the lightfastness of dyes and inks, as well as
pigments.
Q. I've heard that some people associate colors with
music and words. Is this a real phenomenon?
A. Yes, believe it or not this is real and is actually
a neurological condition known as "synesthesia". There
are many variations of this condition in which some
individuals may associate colors with notes or cords,
others with letters, words or numbers. In some people
the sense of taste or smell may also be involved.
Those who experience this condition may be completely
unaware that their perception is different.
Q. What's the difference between artist-quality and
student-grade paints?
A. As a rule, student-grade paint has much less
pigment in the color due to a considerable amount of
filler or extender added to the paint, thereby
creating a much weaker resulting color than the same
color in artist-quality paint. You may notice a
student-grade paint to be more opaque or chalkier than
a better quality paint. In some student colors, the
original pigment may have been replaced by a synthetic
substitute that may not be an accurate replication of
the true color, both in appearance and handling
characteristics. Understandably people begin painting
with student colors (and there are some good ones on
the market), because of the big difference in price,
but if you really want to get good results from your
paints, it's usually advisable to upgrade as soon as
possible. One way to tell the difference between
artist-quality and student-grade paints their pricing
structure: student-grade paint will usually be priced
the same throughout the line, while artist-quality
colors are priced according to the cost of the pigment
materials and manufacturing processes that go into
making the paint.
Q. What do I need to know to enter art fairs?
A. Do your research! Screen prospective shows first.
Will your product fit in? What equipment do you need
to display your work? Artists are very inventive and
many have nice displays without a great outlay of
money. You will need lots of product to attract
visitors to your booth so plan ahead. If the show is
juried by slides, make sure your slides are
professional. Expect to work hard and spend lots of
time on your fairs. Distribute business cards and
flyers to get your name known. It may take a couple of
years of steady showing to attract an
audience--customers like to know you and your work as
well as see that you're a steady producer.
