Quick Tips for
Successful Artwork
Successful Artwork
1 Touch or go beyond the edges of the picture plane.
When you draw use the entire paper. Count, make sure at least 3 sides of your artwork run off the edge of the paper. Try to balance the amounts of positive and negative space in your composition. But if you can’t, it’s usually better to have more positive space.
When you draw use the entire paper. Count, make sure at least 3 sides of your artwork run off the edge of the paper. Try to balance the amounts of positive and negative space in your composition. But if you can’t, it’s usually better to have more positive space.
2 Avoid sketchy lines.
Try to use contour lines (a continuous line that describes an edge). Sketchy lines signal that you are unsure of yourself and even if you are, don’t let anyone else know by looking at your work.
Try to use contour lines (a continuous line that describes an edge). Sketchy lines signal that you are unsure of yourself and even if you are, don’t let anyone else know by looking at your work.
3 Use a full value range.
After you have a firm understanding of contour line, try adding value to your work. Value helps create a 3-D feeling. To do this effectively, practice seeing and using at least 6 different values in your work (black, white, light grey, medium grey, and dark grey). Darker values recede while lighter values advance in space.
After you have a firm understanding of contour line, try adding value to your work. Value helps create a 3-D feeling. To do this effectively, practice seeing and using at least 6 different values in your work (black, white, light grey, medium grey, and dark grey). Darker values recede while lighter values advance in space.
4 Create a point of emphasis.
Show the viewer where to look by creating a focal point. Make sure your point of emphasis is not in the very center of the composition. A focal point is often created due to differences in size, color, texture, line, shape, or subject. Sometimes location determines the point of emphasis. Other parts of the artwork should not be as important and should help lead the viewer’s eye back to the focal point.
Show the viewer where to look by creating a focal point. Make sure your point of emphasis is not in the very center of the composition. A focal point is often created due to differences in size, color, texture, line, shape, or subject. Sometimes location determines the point of emphasis. Other parts of the artwork should not be as important and should help lead the viewer’s eye back to the focal point.
5 Develop contrast.
Contrast makes your work sing! A grey drawing or a photo that has not been cleaned up is boring. Place lights against darks for creating high contrast. Use adjustment layers to heighten the contrast in photos so that the details of the darks and the lights are still easily seen. Other ways to develop contrast include: pattern against solid, bright colors adjacent to dull colors, and dark against light. Creating contrast is all about juxtaposing opposites.
Contrast makes your work sing! A grey drawing or a photo that has not been cleaned up is boring. Place lights against darks for creating high contrast. Use adjustment layers to heighten the contrast in photos so that the details of the darks and the lights are still easily seen. Other ways to develop contrast include: pattern against solid, bright colors adjacent to dull colors, and dark against light. Creating contrast is all about juxtaposing opposites.
6 Have a hook.
This is kinda hard to explain. In order to have a hook, you have to think about what will make your work different from all others. It could be as simple as another point of view or as difficult as a connection with another subject matter. Hooks require thought. A photographer once said, “If everyone is facing the same way to shoot a picture, make sure you turn around the other way.”
This is kinda hard to explain. In order to have a hook, you have to think about what will make your work different from all others. It could be as simple as another point of view or as difficult as a connection with another subject matter. Hooks require thought. A photographer once said, “If everyone is facing the same way to shoot a picture, make sure you turn around the other way.”
7 Demonstrate good craftsmanship.
Even if your work is not technically top-notch you absolutely, positively must be a great craftsperson. Sometimes that means being neat - not having any smudges or creases on the paper. Sometimes it means no blobs of glue or muddy mixed colors. Other times it means that you didn’t delete an important part of your image because you used the eraser tool to remove the background. It always means that anyone looking at your work knows that you care a lot about it.
Even if your work is not technically top-notch you absolutely, positively must be a great craftsperson. Sometimes that means being neat - not having any smudges or creases on the paper. Sometimes it means no blobs of glue or muddy mixed colors. Other times it means that you didn’t delete an important part of your image because you used the eraser tool to remove the background. It always means that anyone looking at your work knows that you care a lot about it.
8 Collect visual information.
Create a folder on your computer and use your sketchbook as a scrapbook to collect images that intrigue you – it may be an advertisement, a unique font, a harmonious color scheme, or an unusual photograph. Your collection can help you make important decisions when creating your own artwork.
Create a folder on your computer and use your sketchbook as a scrapbook to collect images that intrigue you – it may be an advertisement, a unique font, a harmonious color scheme, or an unusual photograph. Your collection can help you make important decisions when creating your own artwork.
9 Use your sketchbook.
Practicing by stretching your observation and your imagination muscles will strengthen your skills. If you rest – you rust. Spend at least 30 minutes each day drawing. The more time you spend thinking and drawing the stronger your work will become. Don’t limit yourself to visual communication. Make sure to list new ideas and describe your observations.
Practicing by stretching your observation and your imagination muscles will strengthen your skills. If you rest – you rust. Spend at least 30 minutes each day drawing. The more time you spend thinking and drawing the stronger your work will become. Don’t limit yourself to visual communication. Make sure to list new ideas and describe your observations.
10 Develop unity with variety.
This is sometimes a difficult concept to understand. The whole artwork you create must work together; each detail must support the whole piece. Variety means that the various aspects of your work are not all the same.
This is sometimes a difficult concept to understand. The whole artwork you create must work together; each detail must support the whole piece. Variety means that the various aspects of your work are not all the same.
marilyn traeger polin
