Thinking Three By Don Foster
Whenever you have an opportunity, use this exercise to train your eyes and mind to evaluate an object (anything, anywhere) in much the same step-by-step way you'd have to make decisions about its portrayal on canvas.
- Is it above, below, or at your eye level?
- Is it close by, mid-distance, or far away?
- When you look at it, is it dead center, to the right, or to the left of your line of vision?
- Is it predominantly horizontal, vertical, or diagonal?
- Are there obvious surfaces that recede (turn away) from your line of vision?
- Is the object large, of medium size, or small?
- Is it squared, rounded, or triangular?
- Is it light, dark, or a middle value?
- Does it fade into nearby objects or does it seem totally disconnected?
- Does it have sharply defined edges, soft edges, or both?
- Does there appear to be space between it and other objects seen?
- Is it showing predominantly warm or cool color?
- Is its color brilliant, subdued, or dull?
- Does the dominant surface appear to be smooth, textured, or rough?
- What will be the main interest in your composition, of secondary importance, or merely serve a supportive role?
- What are you going to show, what are you going to whisper about, and what are you going to shout about?
- What are you going to use to stir curiosity and the imagination, hold interest, or lead attention back to your focal point area?
- What do you want viewers to see, first and foremost? What do you want them to think?
- What do you want them to remember?