how to paint good art: using the big three

Can we learn how to paint good art? Yes, we can, but first what is good art?

Good art displays the heart and intent of the artist. It may spark a memory or other emotions in the viewers. It draws them in for an appreciation and a deeper look. 

Artists use three fundamentals to create good art.

You can paint good art!

You can paint good art!

how to paint good art

We use the "Big Three" basic fundamentals of composition, color and values to create enticing artwork.

First let's look at what attracts people to our paintings.

What makes a painting look good?

A good painting often has an emotional impact. It subconsciously captures the imagination with the beauty or message of the painting. This may be the first sign of captivating artwork.

On the technical side, the artist uses good composition to guide the viewer throughout the painting without distractions. Good color choices bringing unity and harmony to the artwork.

A full range of light and dark values spark contrast and life. They keep the painting from looking flat and uninspiring. 

A good painting has emotional impact and is skillfully painted.

Focus on the skills of creating inviting compositions, effective value contrast and harmonious colors to create artwork that is consistently good.

Let's see how to use these three fundamentals to captivate and delight the viewers.

how to create an inviting composition

Good composition is an important aspect of how to paint good art. 

Each area is a different size.

The composition invites the viewers into the painting.

Paint the composition with three parts.

1. One part of the painting will cover a large area. In this painting the land and ocean are the largest part of the painting.
   
2. The sky without the lighthouse, takes up less space.
   
3. The lighthouse is the focal point in this painting. It covers the smallest area.
   

Note: It doesn't matter which part of the painting is what size. The subject could be the smallest area or the background, etc. It doesn't matter.

What we are looking for is a variety of sizes.

We want three different sizes to keep the viewers interested.

here's another composition example

Once again this painting has three main areas, each a different size.

Variety is interesting.

1. The horse covers the largest area.
2. The middle-sized background is smaller than the horse.
3. The foreground is the smallest area.

Should we center the subject?

Notice the horse is not in the center. He has more space in front of him than behind.

We would rarely put the subject dead-center in the middle of the painting. That's boring.

The viewer looks at the subject and basically ignores the rest of the painting.

The rule of center lines is the most important rule for creating good compositions.

Read about the center lines and other good composition tips.

what is a focal point?

The focal point is the main subject of the painting. It connects the viewer to the painting.

The focal point is the subject.

A good composition guides the viewers to the focal subject.

That's how we paint good art.

The viewer's eyes are automatically drawn to the lighthouse, the focal point.

Many artists use the rule of thirds, as an easy way to position their subject, the focal point in their paintings.

It automatically creates a balanced, interesting composition.

Find out the various techniques of using the rule of thirds.

provide an entrance to your painting

A common way to invite viewers into a landscape painting is to paint a road, a path, a stream or river running up into the painting.

Provide an entrance.

Start the entrance at the bottom of the painting.

We read from left to right, so the left is a good place for the viewer to enter the painting.

Make the entrance a little above or to the right of the bottom left corner, not directly out of the corner.

The palm tree in this sunset painting directly leads the viewers up to the brilliant sunset.

Still life paintings may have a tool, a flower or other objects pointing up into the painting from the bottom.

A long object directly across the bottom of the painting, such as a fence or a rock wall or a fallen tree trunk will block the viewer.

It will make them feel uncomfortable and keep them from entering the painting.

paint with harmonious colors

A painting color scheme of three or four colors will create a harmonious painting.

Many additional colors can be mixed from the three or four colors. The mixed colors will all harmonize because they are based on the original colors.

Each color covers a different size.

Think in threes again. Using variety is how to paint good art.

Use the colors in different amounts.

1. Red is used in a small amount in the clouds.
   
2. Blue takes up the medium amount of space in the sky and parts of the water.
   
3. The greens in the land and much of the ocean water fill up the most space.

Again, it doesn't matter which color takes up what amount of space. Just paint each main color in different amounts.

When each color covers a different amount of space, the painting is more interesting.

Select a color scheme for harmonious paintings.

how do we avoid muddy colors?

Did you ever wonder why your mixed colors look dull or muddy?

Mix natural looking colors.

There are two or three reasons our mixed colors to turn out dull looking.

#1 Using more than two colors in one mixture. We get cleaner looking mixtures by mixing only two colors together. 

#2 Use single pigment colors. If a color contains two color pigments and we mix it with a third color, that's three colors in one mix. It often makes mud.

#3 Mixing paints with opposing color biases. Mixing warm and cool colors can create dull colors.

How do we mix life-like, natural looking colors?

That's when we would mix cool and warm colors.

For example, mix Lemon Yellow (cool) with Ultramarine Blue (warm) to get realistic greens like in the Egret painting.

Learn more about using color bias for mixing colors.

artists use color to paint emotions

Colors convey emotions and can symbolize different things.

Colors can bring joy.

Why do some colors make you feel calm, while others may jazz you up?

Colors carry emotions that artists use to make our artwork speak to the viewers.

Yellow and orange are happy, energetic colors.

The color of a blue sky is calm, restful and peaceful.

Colors can have multiple meanings.

Red is often considered a romantic color, but on the other hand it also means anger.

Nature paintings are filled with green, but green may also portray envy.

What is the meaning of colors and how can we use them in our paintings?

use values for impactful paintings

Values are the most important fundamental of how to paint good art.

Good paintings have a variety of values, light, dark and medium values.

Paint the values different sizes.

Paintings should have a minimum of three values; light, dark and medium values.

1. One value will cover the largest area. The land, ocean and the blue sky are all medium values.
   
2. Another value would cover the light part of the painting. The lighthouse, clouds and the ocean spray are the lightest values.
   
3. The third value covers the least space. The rocks on the left are the darkest values.
   

Think three values - in 3 different sizes.

It doesn't matter which value takes up how much space of the painting. The point is to have three values and make each value a different size.

Variety is the spice of life and that goes for paintings, too.

another example of values in paintings

Paint light, dark and middle values.

Variety is interesting.

1. In this painting the light flowers and vase are the largest and the lightest.
2. The background is medium values and middle sized.
3.  The table is the smallest and the darkest value.

A good contrast between light and dark values is very important for good artwork.

How do we create distance in our artwork?

Values look lighter in the distance because of particles in the air that block our view.

Colors also appear cooler, farther in the distance.

There's more about creating distance in our paintings.

how to avoid common mistakes with values

How we use values in our artwork can make or break a painting.

Use values to create good artwork.

An artist may use a wide array of colors, but their paintings still look dull and unappealing.

What's the problem?

Poor paintings are basically all the same boring middle values.

Most paintings normally have a lot of medium values. That's okay.

But, don't ignore the light and dark values.

Contrasting values make impactful paintings.

Read more about values and how to use them in our art.

How do we prepare for painting?

Before we start painting:

Get your materials ready. Watercolor, acrylic and oil paint all make good paintings. Any of the three are suitable for the beginning artist.

Choose a subject. Decide why you want to paint the subject? What drew you to the subject? What is the purpose of the painting and what do you intend to portray? Choose the painting's focal point.

How we feel about the subject will show through in the finished painting. Decide the reason for the painting and keep it in mind while painting.

Do some sketches. Small sketches about the size of a post card just are fine. Think of the parts the painting, as shapes.

Sketch out the large shapes, choose their values and their placement. See how the shapes relate to each other. Do several sketches until you get one that looks good to you.

Select your color scheme. You are ready start painting using fundamentals.

paint good art with the "the big three"

Use plenty of variety in the composition, values and colors.

Variety is the key to painting good art.

1. Composition - Compose the painting with three main parts. Each part is a different size; a large, medium and small.
   
2. Values - Paint three values; light, medium and dark. Each value will cover a different amount of space in the painting.
   
3. Color - Paint each color in different amounts. We often use three colors in a harmonious painting color scheme. Sometimes it may be two or four colors.

We all have an innate knowing of what looks good. Tune in and listen to our inner artist voice.

If you are brand new to painting, find out how to get started into painting.

painting with variety is how to paint good art!