Thoughts on Pathways and Barriers in a Painting

'Summer Magic'               9x12            pastel           ©Karen Margulis
available $175

I finished the painting and stepped away. I thought I had finished. I took time at the end of the painting and made a list of things to correct. But when I stood back I saw something else that I needed to fix. My goal was to create a path of light up from the flowers to the bright green grasses up the tree trunks. That was my plan to move the viewers eye around the painting.

When I looked at the finished painting my eye wasn't cooperating with my plan! My eye wanted to follow the yellow green strip of light in both directions which was good but I was also drawn off the painting on the right because I had let the pathway of light go all the way to the edge. (see below)

It was subtle. But it needed to be fixed. It was an easy adjustment. All I needed to do was Scumble a bit of the darker green over the edge of the strip of light. I slightly darkened the exit creating a visual block or barrier. I want to keep the viewer in my painting for as long as possible!

Where does this path of light take you?

This was the silver level Paint Along demo for June. If you would like to paint along and learn more about composition consider joining us on Patreon. It is just $6 a month and you can cancel at anytime. Check us out!  www.patreon.com/karenmargulis