Blog Post

Part 2: Rule Of Thirds, Why Is It Necessary?

Obvious question. Does an artist need to compose a piece? Here let me relay an analogy of a house being built. Although the contractors will be the ones building the house, the owner will definitely have an input regarding the number, locations and the lay of various rooms. Judging from the current trend, the kitchen now commands the most attention. This then becomes the focus of the house, the centre of attention. There may be an additional one or two subordinate areas of interest like the master bedroom and bathroom.

Similarly in painting, the artist has to decide on the main focus of the painting and place that item or subject usually in or around one of the sweet spots discussed in my last blog (Rule of thirds). The other important items will be arranged on the canvas to enhance this main focus. All of this is done in a clever subtle way sending a subliminal message to the viewer's eyes to look where the artist intends, usually at the focal spot. Even though this becomes an eye magnet, in order to keep the viewer interested and glued to the painting, the artist creates subordinate passages to guide the eye all around the painting leading back to the focal spot.

Do you notice the main item of focus in this painting? Can you identify the various passages guiding the viewers eyes to the focus of the painting?

see if you notice these when you view any decent painting.