Shuler’s Hints for Doing Better Art

7 CONCEPTS TO CONSIDER

1. Put in the time before beginning!

• There are so many things to think about while creating art. Many of the problems can be solved in a sketchbook before you ever start a finished artwork.

• SOOOOO many art supplies and SOOOOO much time is wasted because you didn’t think through problems before you started.

If you can’t answer these questions, you need to do more

planning:1. What mood or feeling do I want to convey? And

HOW am I going to do that? (EVERY element should strengthen your message!)

2. What is my composition? And WHY am I using this composition (you should have a good reason why you do what you do).

3. What is my basic color scheme (if you are using color) and WHY am I using those colors (you don’t have to use “real” colors – you are an artist – you can change for effect)?

4. What types of lines, shapes, textures, etc. am I going to use AND WHY?

2. Once you begin an art work be open to spontaneous changes in your plan.

• As Bob Ross says, “there are no mistakes, just happy accidents!”

3. Increase the impact of your art by punching up your contrasts!

• Higher contrast in values is 99.9% of the time a good idea!

• You can change values to increase contrast (you don’t have to stay with the values you see). Artists do it all the time!

4. Exaggerate everything – don’t be timid, be fearless! Increase the drama!

• Actors on stage exaggerate their facial expressions, make-up etc. so it will look normal from the audience. Artists also exaggerate all elements of their artwork – if you don’t it will look weak and timid.

5. Don’t forget to play! If you are too uptight about creating great art your art work will look “uptight” and unnatural.

6. Use the “Elements of Art” to find problems and strengthen your art.

• Ask yourself: How can I change the Lines (shape, color, texture, values, form or space) to help make my art have greater impact?

7. Put in the time – don’t be afraid to re-work your art!

• I’ve never heard of a famous author that didn’t spend a lot of time re-writing.

• Many great artworks stopped at mediocre! (A little more time and they would have been amazing.)

• Don’t be afraid to honestly admit what isn’t working and take time to fix it.

Get rid of “fillers”! Every single aspect of your art work must contribute or

you need to make changes.• Do your lines and shapes contribute to the message

of your art work?• Do the color you are using enhance your message?• Is the background contributing?• Could adding texture and/or patterns help?• Does the rhythm and movement help the viewer

see what you want them to see?• Is the style contributing or distracting from the

message?• Does the composition help to say what you want to

say?

• Can you spot some “fillers” (things that do not contribute to the art work)?