Work In Progress - Use of Figure 8's in Design by Deborah Boyet Artist

Ready for Picking!

Work In Progress

12 x 16Watercolor on Arches Art Board

I have added a lot to the grapes in terms of depth and layers, and they are close to completion. I filled in the lower right corner to balance values on the left side of the painting, and to keep it from drawing too much attention away from the grapes. I will need to complete the stems and grape details and will likely fill in the stem on the lower right of the painting. Right now it is very distracting. The completed painting will be one for my series I am submitting for license.

I like to break the borders in my paintings. It adds interest, and is a great way to lead a viewer into a painting. However, if you are not careful, it can also lead a viewers eye right out of the painting. To prevent this, I keep the border breaks lower in contrast values, and often use figure 8's in my design to keep the viewer moving through the piece. In a copy of the image below I have put in the general figure 8's to show how they make movement. Go back to the one without the figure 8's and see if you can now see the movement and how it helps keep your eye from leaving the painting. The grapes on the right are incomplete and will stay that way until I finish the main painting. I will then complete them. I want to be able to keep them balanced and slightly less attractive, again to keep them from being too much of the focus of the painting. If the contrast is too high, they will become the center of attention. I will also need to add some sort of path from the main grapes to the ones in the border break on the right.

Design is so important in a painting. I don't always succeed in getting it right, and quite frankly, I often break the rules if it feels right, but it is a very important piece of planning, and remains a focus while I paint.

Figure 8 examples

There are three sets of figure 8's in this painting. Many more can be found and used, and it is easy with grapes to visualize this. As the painting continues to develop, I plan on using a cruciform or X as my main design pattern. This will be accomplished with the darker greens in the leaf/background area. I have not decided yet where I will cross the grapes.

I work slightly different in that I have a general plan, but also look for alternate ideas as the painting develops. Being flexible with my plan helps me get through difficult passages, and allows me to easily change my course.

Please stop by my website, my blog, my AIG or DPIAG galleries to view other works for sale, or to check out my use of design.

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