Visual Language Magazine Contemporary Fine Art Vol 2 No 4 April 2013

VL
Learning to Paint
with Hall Groat II
Dunkin’ Donuts 10x8 in. Oil on canvas by Hall Groat II
ARRANGING OBJECTS INTO A COMPOSITION
The composition of your painting is the most important component. One can paint with
tremendous virtuosity; however without a well-balanced and unified composition the painting
won’t keep the viewer’s attention for more than a few seconds. For many painters it is the
most elusive and intimidating step in the creative process to tackle. A good composition is
like a well-organized kitchen, where there is logic for how the appliances are strategically positioned
around the room. Why do people place the refrigerator along the wall and not directly
in the middle of the kitchen, or the toaster on top of the counter and not on the floor where
someone could trip and fall on their face
In most cases, well-composed rooms are formed in ways that reflect their function, allowing
people to freely move throughout the living space. In the same way, the viewer of a painting
should be able to rhythmically move throughout the picture from object to the next way – the
composition should be inviting to enter. An unbalanced and non-unified painting will appear
weak and unappealing; no matter how well you paint it! For some artists, the ability to set up
engaging compositions is a natural gift, and for others, it requires countless hours of trial and
error.