Monday, May 24

Directing Eye Traffic

Just some gesture sketches in Painter that turned into a little picture somehow. ( I decided to post a slightly less "worked" version as the final. This is a sketch after all. I kept gravitating toward version 6 over the posted version 9.  I may not know when to stop, but here's to digital iterations!)

I thought it would be fun to experiment with the "divine proportion" grid trying to wrestle this chaos into some order. I really have only relied on instincts compositionally ( I once had a Design teacher tell me I was the closest in the class to being a "natural designer". Oh well, close but not quite. I guess I'll take it). Anyway, I'd love to keep studying more composition theory.  Any experts on the subject out there?  I'd love to kick the theories around a little.  Here's to never "knowing it all".
Here's the reference for anyone interested:

11 comments:

Mug It Up!/Jim H said...

Super! Bunch of great small observations going on here.
A lot of elements to juggle , but it's an arresting composition.

Andrea said...

Good Job! Is this a real scene?

John R Wohland said...

Thanks guys! It's a composite of a few shots I was sketching from. Then, I was experimenting with placing elements in line with the "divine proportion" guides in painter. I was curious if something so busy could still be controlled somewhat. Thanks for taking a look!

SEILER said...

Hey, cool work here!!!

John R Wohland said...

Thanks Jason! It's nice to get some work out here amongst fellow artists for a change. I appreciate the feedback!

Thomas Fluharty said...

Love this Johnny.
Love your honesty. But I really love the slight distortion goin on and the way you combined the photos to make something cool.
Composition in my own thinking is, balancing the image but feeling must be a part of it. Or better put composition is feeling the balance, not just stale rules. Thats what works for me beside after all those frames you have drawn over the last 25 years composition is somehting you definitely understand.
Love what your doing here~T

John R Wohland said...

Thanks so much Tommy!
It's hard to know what you "really know" sometimes. The validation means a whole lot coming from you. I think we're all looking to shore up our instincts with more and more knowledge at every turn.
I mainly wanted to see if I could focus on the girl, being one of the smallest elements by using the grid (as I understand it) as well as the usual focus, contrast and even directional gaze of the grandma who's also got a high visual priority due to her contrast and isolation pictorially. That said, I do think I'm "feeling" my way through also.
That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it!
Feels good going to the Art Gym to work stuff out! Thanks for "spotting me" Tommy :D

nanin said...

Your work is fantastic, the composition, the use of the golden ratio just perfect. The strength of skecth, and the artwork are really good.

John R Wohland said...

Thanks Daniel! It was a useful exercise to work these sketches into something more complete. I'm glad there were some small victories along the way!

Toby Kinread said...

Hey great work man:)

John R Wohland said...

Thanks Toby! Your icon looks like "'Lil Jason" :) You picked a good one to emulate!