Painting Design Concepts and Composition Tips

Painting Design Concepts and Composition Tips

Viewpoints – Changing viewpoints is one way that I love. It naturally alters my dead and formulated thinking. Different viewpoints : Look up, look down, look behind, look closer, look further

Creating a problem - I try to create a problem in each painting composition I work on. This enriches my visual dictionary progressively. Once a while, I like to work on a large painting and create a large problem. It is a good benchmarking method to measure my progress.

Changing tonal keys or dominant colors. Generally, I find tonal structures and dominant colors determine the mood of a painting. Keying in brighter or darker with different color dominant could complete alter the character of a painting.
Doing the opposite – I believe this is the most powerful method to improve one’s design ability. Staying with pre-defined formulae or rules stops me from exploring.

Taking risk doing the opposite things best describes what ‘composition’ is all about. I like to elaborate my points with examples below.

E.g.

I like to paint large and loose paintings; I force myself once a while to paint small 8”X8” still life for the whole day. I have stay focus on the subject and learn to observe carefully. I always see things that I have never seen before.

Most plein air painters like to work only they see nice the light and shadows patterns. I once worked on location when the rain was pouring, that truly expands my colors and approaches in watercolor.

I like complex subject matters. So sometimes, I force myself to paint a simple single object still life.

Try out many more opposite things against your preferred and you will truly enjoy the risking taking journey.

Gog Sing Hooi Singapore Watercolour Society Founding Artist & Late President

Gog Sing Hooi Singapore Watercolour Society Founding Artist & Late President