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Bella Knipe

Mrs. Bennett

English 10H

May 20, 2017

The Key to Painting

Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul -Vincent Van

Gogh. Throughout history, people have used art to express their feelings or convey a deeper

message. They put their heart and soul into their artwork and can be rewarded with a beautiful

end result. Famous artists have become well known because of their style or their craftsmanship.

Throughout the ages, art has developed and changed, but most art still holds an underlying

purpose, to express the painters message. Art is subjective, and people can either love it or hate

it. Although an artist cannot create a painting that every person will love, there are three main

components that, when used, can enhance a painting and make a piece more engaging to most

any viewer.

Color is one of the fundamental components in painting that strengthens an art piece. In

the article, "What Is the Significance of Color in Art?", the author examines the value of color in

art. The author says, Artists choose colors to produce a certain mood or atmosphere; to create

space, light, and shadow; or to introduce symbolic associations color in works of art from

different historical periods is used to create meaning, direct the viewers eye, or express

emotion("What Is the Significance of Color in Art?"). Color is an important element in painting

because it allows the artist to convey a deeper meaning to the viewers. Through color, an artist

can establish the mood, emotions, plot, and other details. Color can add meaning and depth to
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artwork and bring more vision and soul into their pieces. Color can also capture the viewers

attention and add interest to a painting. The use of color can make an artists piece more

successful because it allows them to illustrate a story that goes beyond the canvas. The

significance of color is acknowledged by artists throughout the ages and is exhibited by Van

Gogh. In the book, Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice, the chapter, "The Three

Components of Art", highlights the main elements used to create a strong body of work. In the

last paragraph, Otto examines the letters written by Vincent Van Gogh. He explains that, His

letters expressed an evolving belief that color conveyed specific feelings and attitudes and was

more that a mere optical experienceThe letters also revealed a developing personal color

iconography, in which red and green symbolized the terrible sinful passions of humanity; black

contour lines provided a sense of anguish; cobalt blue signified the vault of heaven, and yellow

symbolized love. For Van Gogh, color was not strictly a tool for visual imitation but an

instrument to transmit his personal emotions("The Three Components of Art"). Van Gogh was a

master at using color to express emotion. His use of color allowed the viewer to become

submersed in the art and feel the emotions as he did. Van Goghs interpretation of color made his

style unique and intriguing. He is responsible for making some of the most well-known

paintings, and his art is still widely appreciated to this day. Van Goghs use of color allowed him

to bring life into a painting and capture the interest of the viewers. There are many other details

that make a painting successful, but color is one of the most significant.

Tone is an element of art that can greatly influence the outcome of a painting. In the

article, "What Is Tone and Why Is It Important to Painting?", the author, Marion Bobby-Evans,

explains the power tone holds in a painting. She defines tone as, ... how light or dark a color is,
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rather than what the actual color or hue is if a painting is going to be successful, you must get

your tones right, otherwise, it's just going to be visual noise (Bobby-Evans). According to

Bobby-Evans, the use of tone is an important factor in painting and it can greatly influence the

success of a painting. Without tonal variation, a painting can appear flat and lifeless. When

variations of tone are used successfully, it can add contrast and interest to a painting. Tone is

significant because it can give a painting more life and visual impact. The purpose of tone is

demonstrated through the artwork of Pieter Claesz. In the article, "The Visual Elements - Tone",

Mac Taggart, examines the use of tone in famous paintings. One of the paintings he analyzes is a

still life by Pieter Claesz. He says, Pieter Claesz combines the tonal techniques of Caravaggio

and Cotan to construct a 'counterchange' of dark and light tones in his 'Still Life'. The glass

roemer on the left is dark against a light background while the breakfast roll on the right is light

against a dark background. This counterchange is created by the graduation of tones in the

background and is an artistic device that artists use to increase the dramatic impact of a

subject(MacTaggart). Through his use of tone, Claesz is able to bring drama into his still life. A

still life can be plain and simple, but the drama created with tone can construct a greater impact.

Through tone, the artist is able to highlight certain areas of a painting. By using tone to make the

focal point stand out, an artist can call attention to parts of their painting to help tell a story.

When executed correctly, tone adds contrast and depth to a painting. It allows the artist to direct

the viewer's focus to the most important objects of the composition and allows the supporting

information to fade into the background.

Another main technique used to construct a painting is composition. Composition is the

arrangement of forms on the canvas that create a visual that is pleasing to the artist. In the article,
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"12 Pro Tips to Improve Your Artistic Composition", the author offers tips on creating a strong

composition and explains its importance in artwork. The author says, A strong composition is

crucial to a successful piece of art. It's what will attract a viewer's eye, and what will hold their

attention once they take a closer look ("12 Pro Tips to Improve Your Artistic Composition").

Composition organizes the painting and encourages the viewer to focus on the main subject. It

can add movement by directing the viewer's eyes about the canvas. This movement can create

visual excitement and energy. With a strong composition, a painting becomes more interesting.

Many famous artists, like Piet Mondrian, rely on a strong composition to make their paintings

more successful. In the essay,"Mondrian, Composition with Red, Blue, And Yellow", Chadwick

analyzes the importance of composition in the context of Piet Mondrians painting, Composition

with Red, Blue, and Yellow. When describing the art piece, she says, The canvas is small and

uses only the simplest of colors: red, blue, yellow, white and black. The composition is similarly

reduced to the simplest of rectilinear forms, squares and rectangles defined by vertical and

horizontal lines. One would hardly suspect that we are seeing the artists determination to depict

the underlying structure of reality (Chadwick). Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow is a

very simple painting, but its composition is what makes it successful. The arrangement of the

rectangles and lines transforms the elementary shapes into an interesting work of art. The use of

color also complements the painting and adds to the overall impact of the piece. The placement

of the clean forms creates an interesting image that grabs the viewer's attention. Without a strong

composition, this painting would not have as much impact and would not be as powerful.

Composition is important because it can transform simple shapes into an interesting work of art.
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In the end, composition influences the success of a painting because it can determine the focus

and impression of the piece.

There are many components that go into creating a strong painting. It is impossible to

create the perfect painting, but implementing these techniques can insure the artwork will be

more widely favored and fulfill the artists intent. Through the thoughtful use of color, tone, and

composition, an artist can create a painting that can appeal to a wide range of people. These

elements allow an artist to illustrate stories and emotions, define focus, and add movement.

Though art is subjective and personal to each viewer, the use of the fundamental elements of

color, tone, and composition are crucial to a successful work of art.

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Works Cited

Boddy-Evans, Marion. "What Is Tone and Why Is It Important to Painting?" ThoughtCo.

ThoughtCo, 8 May 2017. Web. 23 May 2017.

Chadwick, Stephanie. "Mondrian, Composition with Red, Blue, And Yellow." Khan Academy.

Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 23 May 2017.

Creative Bloq Staff. "12 Pro Tips to Improve Your Artistic Composition." Creative Bloq.

Creative Bloq ART AND DESIGN INSPIRATION, 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 23 May 2017.

MacTaggart, John. Artyfactory. Www.artyfactory.com, n.d. Web. 23 May 2017.

Ocvirk, Otto G. "The Three Components of Art." Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice. 12th

ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. N. pag. Print.

"Vincent Van Gogh Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 23 May 2017.

"What Is the Significance of Color in Art?" Science, Art and Technology. The Art Institute of

Chicago, 10 Nov. 2004. Web. 23 May 2017.