Intimidated by rules.

[JamesMK]

Hey, this is slightly outside of my normal comfort zone, but here goes:

Rules are good, and it definitely doesn't hurt to be familiar with thinking of composition in terms of thirds or diagonals or sensible distribution of focal points or golden ratios or various types of contrast and everything else - but the way I see it they should be used the other way around:

That is, rather than trying to enforce a certain rule to a piece, instead try to see which rules/ideas happen to fit the thing you're currently working on. So, the initial concept for something might be close to one of the "rules", and then it might be a good idea to use that rule or at least keep it in mind. But I really don't think you should try to use a certain rule X if it doesn't flow with what you had in mind, in which case rule Y or Z might be better.

So, in this specific case, if working with thirds only causes problems, then consider some other principle instead. It's the sensible thing to do!


.

[Mr. D]

Hello

Don't worry about the rules so much (they're more like guidelines - P o t C), keep them in mind but don't adhere to them over the expense of how you want your artwork to look.
As to the Sun, firstly it's a Fantasy piece so if you want the light greenish it can be greenish. If your trying to remain more true to sunlight you could start orange blend into yellow, then to green to give the effect of light filtering through tree leaves.
Or you could place a plant or flower in that area instead, or even say an insect if you which to make your fairy small in stature. Using such say as a dangling flower you can use it to introduce other colors into your scene, or share with the fairy and surroundings.

Good Luck

Mr. D

[BaronImpossible]

If other people are to like my stuff, I'll have to follow theese rules

No you don't :)

Paint what looks good, that's all that matters. Rules are for science experiments. Applying them religiously in your art will kill your creativity and spontaneity. If they're not working for you, forget about them. Personally, I have no clue what the rule of thirds is and I've no desire to find out, still less actually apply it.

[LadyMedusa]

Thanks a lot guys.
It seems to be working for the particular image I'm working on now, and hopefully It'll go on the other projects as well :)

But how do I know if my painting looks good or I've gone blind for it? Screw that, from now on I'll just do what I like myself :] Keeping those things in mind of course, but not following them slaveishly

[JamesMK]

But how do I know if my painting looks good or I've gone blind for it?

Try the Surprise Attack Method™ - first put your image up full-screen. Then leave the room and go have a cup of coffee/tea/whatever. After 10-30 minutes, run back to the monitor and see what you think during the first second of exposure. If you think it looks good, then it probably is.

[Mr. D]

Hello Again

As you continue on you'll find judging your work good or not is not so dependant on others (though kind words are nice). But how much the image you produce matches the image in your mind of how you thought it should look. The opinion of others can only be based in what they see, not what you ment to be seen. At times you'll have others saying what a great piece, that's such beautiful work; and you'll be thinking 'what a piece of garbage, it's nothing like I wanted it to be'.

Keep practicing learning the rules, but learn also to understand them and how you can use and manipulate them to create your own vision.

Mr. D

[ansemsnobody]

I have always found that if a piece looks good than it probably follows some rule(even if you were not aware of it)

these rules are discovery's, not arbitrary ideas.

[Lunatique]

Believe it or not, some of the best compositions I've ever seen follows no established rules at all, and in fact goes out of their way to break every single one of those rules.

Composition is one of those things where if you tried to follow the rules, you'd probably be better off than if you didn't--IF you have no instinct for such things. But if you have great instincts for composition, then don't bother with the rules at all because a strong talent for composition will trump any set of rules, any day.

[Lindsey]

Lunatique is right. I used to have the same problem and would get incredibly frustrated. I would follow the rules instead of doing what looked good to me. Knowing the rules helps but do not let it override what looks good to you. It's art, after all!

[CGmonkey]

Read Andrew Loomis "Creative Illustration" first chapter about lines. It opened up my eyes to formulaic approach in composition -- sure the artistic way is to "go by feeling and experience" but it makes things go easier when I'm stuck, give it a read and most importantly a try.

There are some legal issues about loomis books but they used to be free. The one I'm talking about is available at fineart.sk

[Leionaaad]

Aren't composition rools just some principles on how a viewer views the image? you actually guiding the viewer to look at the picture following with their eyes a path defined by the artist. This is why they came up witht the rule of thirds: a viewer always look in the lower right corner of an image, if there is nothing more obvious in other parts. So...once you know this, you can make your own path.
About the image you described: lower the horizon. Then everything would be up there.

[pedes]

For me the things to look in the composition when making any picture are two factors: balance and focus. You don't have to know much rules for that, but you have to see and feel it. I know "balance" is very potent word; it can include color balance, light and many more... but that's exactly what we need. Note that we do not always want everything to be balanced; sometimes we want to brake that balance. I've seen some very nice pictures that would be very dynamic, if not for the fact they were too perfectly balanced. Sometimes you WANT the picture to drag down or escape upwarts. Focus: it's connected to balance. Generaly it's where you make people to look at first in your picture. There are many methods to achieve this; the foremention Loomis book describes them well. Also I've seen sope digital artists make the focus areas more detailes and the rest less (e.g. in portraits) and the effects were marvellous.

I admit my experience is comics mostly, so it's still difficult for me to point these things down when it comes to digital painting's color and single-picture composition.

[Lunatique]

For me the things to look in the composition when making any picture are two factors: balance and focus. You don't have to know much rules for that, but you have to see and feel it. I know "balance" is very potent word; it can include color balance, light and many more... but that's exactly what we need. Note that we do not always want everything to be balanced; sometimes we want to brake that balance. I've seen some very nice pictures that would be very dynamic, if not for the fact they were too perfectly balanced. Sometimes you WANT the picture to drag down or escape upwarts. Focus: it's connected to balance. Generaly it's where you make people to look at first in your picture. There are many methods to achieve this; the foremention Loomis book describes them well. Also I've seen sope digital artists make the focus areas more detailes and the rest less (e.g. in portraits) and the effects were marvellous.

I admit my experience is comics mostly, so it's still difficult for me to point these things down when it comes to digital painting's color and single-picture composition.

Excellent summary of what the essence of composition is. It's so true that once you realize it's all about balance and focus, everything else just clicks. I would also add a third factor, and that is "flow." Sometimes when the balance and focus is fine, but it's still missing something--that's when flow comes in, and it's probably the most elusive of the three factors of composition. Flow to me is about leading the eye with a particular order of patten or shapes. For example, an image involving a winding road that leads to a distant land. The shape and the direction and the curves of that path would become the main deciding factor of the flow of the image. Or an image of a woman whose beautiful long hair is blown by the wind--the shape of the strands and the curvature of the strands will make up the flow of the image.

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