Ever since I was a kid, I remember
loving to create art, even if it was just scribbles with some crayons. Drawing has never come easy for me, and I’ve
never been the best at it, but it was always a fun way for me to pass time when
I was bored. Everywhere I would go I would run into different forms of art, and
I would always wonder how people created such beautiful pieces. I hope that this small hobby may soon turn into a larger passion as I improve my skills and expand my creativity.
As I’ve been reading the book Design Basics by David A. Lauer, I’ve
learned so much more about art already. Lauer teachers you how to improve your
art skills using different techniques.When putting time and creating a piece of artwork, you don't want the audience to just walk past it without even a glance. There are countless ways to draw the audience
into a piece, similarly to how a hook draws a reader into an essay. The first
technique I chose to try out was emphasis / focal point. The point of this
technique is that it “attracts attention and encourages the viewer to look
further” (Lauer 40). I drew a picture using emphasis by isolation. This means
that I isolated an item and set it apart from the others, drawing the eye
toward it. (Lauer 44). In this drawing, the solid black square is larger and father away
from the other squares causing it to be slightly different and become the focal point. I didn't make it in the very center of the paper, so that it didn't appear to obvious. I also didn't make it a different shape so that it didn't appear out of place.
This picture appears very simple, but it actually took quite some time to make. First, I started
by using a ruler and a pencil to sketch the squares. Then I drew on the patterns
I wanted, and lastly, I outlined and colored them all in with a sharpie to make
it stand out more. When using this technique, you must be careful because too many focal points can cause confusion. (Lauer 40). I’m happy with how this came out, however I’m excited to see how I will
improve as I keep practicing.
This picture appears very simple, but it actually took quite some time to make. First, I started
by using a ruler and a pencil to sketch the squares. Then I drew on the patterns
I wanted, and lastly, I outlined and colored them all in with a sharpie to make
it stand out more. When using this technique, you must be careful because too many focal points can cause confusion. (Lauer 40). I’m happy with how this came out, however I’m excited to see how I will
improve as I keep practicing.
Do you agree that the square is the focal point, or do you
think it’s something else?
Do you enjoy drawing, and if you do, what are your favorite
techniques to use?
What do you consider
as “art”?
Lauer, David A. Design Basics. third ed., Thomson Learning,
1990.
