Qualities of a Good Painting
Successful artists don’t simply reproduce what they see. An accomplished artist knows how to create a good painting no matter what model or situation they are given, what resources are available to them, or how they are working. Of course, this typically happens after years of practice, exploration, and the development of a unique artistic voice. However, all outstanding paintings share a few universal characteristics. As you decide how to paint your next composition, keep the following four recommendations in mind.
Color Layering
Color is an important consideration when it comes to painting traits. A painting’s use of color can make it serene or lively, dramatic or harsh. This results from your choice of colors as well as the way you layer or place adjacent color passages. More than any single swath of color, regardless of how well it matches the sky above, warm and cold colors in a sky impart a sense of atmosphere and distance.
Emphasized Focal Point
A focal point differs from the large, obvious “X” that designates the location on a treasure map. Any size and shape are possible for it. It has the potential to be both bold and delicate. Any of these elements—a dappling of light, a burst of color, an expression, or an assertive gesture—can serve as the composition’s main point of interest. It should engage the spectator or serve as the climax of the momentum established in the piece, regardless of how it is made.
Unpredictability
The scene is realistically reproduced in many great paintings, although brushstrokes are easily discernible. You are knowledgeable about the painting’s technique. Comparing the paint applications of Jan van Eyck and Vincent van Gogh, consider how well each artist’s work reflects or relates to the other. Utilize the statement that is made by the way a brush slides the paint. Start by paying attention to the direction changes of your brush as you literally work on a painting from different angles and strokes.
Shadings and Lightings
The quality of your artwork can be greatly influenced by light and shadow. A sketch or painting can often stick out and seem intriguing just by the way the lighting is set up. Just like in a movie, where every shot is planned carefully and no light source is placed arbitrarily, you can create a special mood in a painting, too. For example, a scene in sunlight has a completely different vibe than a night scene with moonlight. Moreover, the correct use of light and shadow makes everything in your artwork look more three-dimensional, hence more realistic and believable.
Key Takeaway
Even while it may be challenging to narrow down the specific factors that contribute to successful art, the characteristics described below are unquestionably a good place to start. Naturally, they remain, in my view, quite arbitrary. The true meaning of art is when you create it on your own without according to any guidelines for creating good art; in this case, you can never be completely certain of what is right or wrong because there usually isn’t a right or wrong.
