All artists need to learn to see perspective.
Looking, observing and remembering detail is an
important part of being a good communicator.
Our sight gives us the ability to then share this vision
with others.
Painting is really a form of Testimony. It is speaking
without words.
Changing our perspective and beliefs, often changes
our emotions as well as our lives, for better or worse.
How do we improve and arise to a more positive existence,
a more accurate and colorful painting?
Seeing from different perspectives can be helpful when we desire to understand other people, and it helps greatly for understanding an artist’s subject matter.
Note: The simple pieces illustrating this blog post are not the greatest example of seeing or drawing perspective. They are just pieces I created this year, and never previously put on this blog.
The
Horizon Line
Painting realism requires an understanding of
Perspective and how lines converge to one point going up, or two points on the Horizon.
This is called a Vanishing Point.
When you look down a flat Road, Train Tracks, a similar-height
Tree line, a Fence, or Telephone Poles, you will see they each appear shorter, narrower
and smaller the further away they are.
When you look up at tall skyscrapers, the building lines come closer together on paper, the farther away they are.
Distant objects also become lighter in Value.
The closer an object is, the bigger and darker it usually appears.
In actuality, a Telephone pole would appear the same
height if you were to stand underneath it and look up, but at a distance, this will
change, due to laws of Perspective.
Different
Perspectives
When I paint an animal, their face can be viewed
from above, behind, the side, partially to the side, underneath, or in front of
the subject.
Their portrait may also be viewed from many different
heights.
This, too, is Perspective.
People have Perspectives in their daily lives.
A Referee has a Perspective, as do the players on a sports
field. It often differs from fans or parents in the stands.
Judges in a Court of Law have perspective.
A mother desiring her child clean their room has a
perspective.
We each have the right to worship Almighty God in the manner in which we choose.
We are responsible and accountable to God and to others for how we choose to see, what we believe, and the way our lives exhibit our beliefs, even if we don’t say a word.
Do we see others the way Y'shua sees them?
Do we see the needs people may have, and recognize they may have had very different experiences which led them to have those needs?
This all relates to Perspective.
Many
Varied Parts Make Up a Whole
Painting realism or representational subject matter
requires vision and eyesight.
But it’s not necessary for everyone to see the same
thing, the same way, in order for a completed painting to be pleasant and easy
to view.
How boring it would be, if everyone on Earth had the
same Perspectives in Life!
Differences can be very good.
Harmony and Unity can still occur, amid much diversity of opinion. Just as Trees in the forest live and function together in many varieties, shapes and heights
What we believe about any issue is related to how we
see and who we trust to give us knowledge and understanding.
Do we believe what we see? Or what we are told to
see?
Do we think for ourselves, or do we take action
because of what someone else tells us we should do?
I know some artists develop their visual memory so they
are able paint from what they’ve seen in the past.
Plein air Artists work on site, as the lighting
changes with the sun’s movement.
Other Artists take reference photographs to help them
depict details.
I often ask myself questions, in order to change how
I see while painting.
Questions
such as:
What shape is this?
What colors have I already painted? Based on these
colors, what is missing?
Is the color on the opposite side of the color
spectrum one I should add?
What is the Positive shape I want to paint?
What is the Negative space around this positive
shape?
How can I accentuate this clear positive shape using
greyed or muted colors?
Would adding a complimentary color (opposite on the
color wheel) help?
If we were to ask ourselves questions in real life, and
learn to see differently, I feel we would be able to solve problems, and have
more Unity and Understanding of others.
Getting “Stuck”
There was a time in my life when I became very chemically
toxic due to environmental household chemical exposure.
Conventional stains, paints and varnish almost
killed me. I didn’t excrete heavy metals well because I lacked trace minerals
in my body.
I craved sweets, because sweet fruits like dates and
figs contain minerals and my body was trying to communicate with me about what
it needed.
Blood and hair analysis eventually revealed I was
aluminum and lead toxic.
As emotions usually coincide with our physical
health, I saw from a pessimistic, negative viewpoint. Every thought in my head,
all day long, was negative.
I had to choose to renew my mind and body in order to change,
and re-learn to see and feel more positively.
New
Perspectives Lead to Growth
Someone recently asked me how you change your life.
In thinking back, I remember moving on from shame and guilt, to self-pity,
grief and fear.
“Poor Elise” I would moan to myself daily, “you have
so many difficulties.” I deeply felt the things I chose to see and focus on.
I saw from a perspective of Loss and Lack.
I was stuck for quite some time, but eventually,
grace enabled me to decide to
rejoice and be glad, no matter if there didn’t seem to be anything good
happening.
It was a declaration, a determination, internally. I
was investing time in prayer with my Father in heaven and He was revealing to
me His Truth.
I exchanged the lies I had believed, for His being
my eternal Portion.
As my perspective on life changed, so did my life!
I became more balanced and healthier, both
emotionally and physically.
Many years have now passed. Our Father in heaven is not finished with me yet. There is more growth needed, more beauty to see and experience.
Seeing potentiality and Beauty changes us.
Present
Day Perspectives
All peoples are made of one blood, as Acts 17 tells us:
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” ~ Acts 17:24-31
People of many nations, worldwide, are presently experiencing many challenging trials. Some face illness and death. Others the loss of their loved ones, livelihoods and homes. Many need Hope that the future can be brighter. I believe it can and will be, for the Good News is King Y'shua is returning and will right wrongs.
Our perspectives either divide or unite us. Our use of time and talent affect not only us but those around us. How we see, and subsequently act, will very likely determine or greatly affect our future.
My perspective is not of fear, or trusting
in gross lies told for the profit of those who tell them. I am trusting Yah will deliver those who call upon His name.
Many are choosing to give up everything they have ever worked or lived to achieve, in order to preserve their conscience and communion with their Creator. May the Grace of God sustain them.
May your Perspective and choices on how you “paint”
in your Life be from Y’shua’s New Kingdom and a heaven-bound angle.
May we accept we were born free - to choose righteous actions.
May we discover a truer Perspective on Life.
Better yet, may we learn to see from His Perspective, and gain
Wisdom and Understanding to live it out.
Your painting friend,
Elise
