How to See Like An Artist

How To See

Like An Artist

To start training your artist’s eye, you’ll need to look at observing art proactively rather than passively; start paying attention to important concepts in art and design to broaden your perception!

Negative Space and Positive Space are areas that focus the viewer’s attention on specific areas of a piece, bring balance and harmony to composition, and help to create a sense of depth. Positive space refers to areas of interest or focus in a piece, usually tangible objects or features like a face, a tree, etc. Negative space refers to the areas surrounding the positive space, shares edges with it, and helps to define it. A good relationship between negative and positive space can bring harmony to a composition. Remember our studies on the Golden Ratio and Line - how can lines and elements be used to lead the eye in a piece of art? What can the artist be communicating with their manipulation of lines in a composition? Train your eye to pick up on leading lines in art, and observe how it impacts you as a viewer.

Contrast refers to the juxtaposition of opposite elements in a piece; this arrangement of opposites can have powerful effects on the composition and the viewer. Contrast can be used with color, texture, shape, line, and more!

We’ve already studied Color - how can principles of color theory help us observe and perceive elements of art? How is color used in some of these pieces, like Anna K Bett’s work seen to the left? Check out Anna’s piece “Resilience” during ArtPrize at Cornerstone Heritage Hill!