Beth/Lyric Project Week 11 (Focal Point through Placement, Isolation, and Contrast)

As a reminder to those of you that don’t normally keep up with my blog (if you do, skip to the next paragraph), I have started a project that I’m calling the Beth/Lyric Project. In the spirit of the movie “Julie/Julia,” (i.e. Julie working through Julia Child’s cookbook) I have decided to work through the exercises in Lyric Kinard’s “Art + Quilt, Design Principles and Creativity Exercises” book. My goal is to get at least one of the exercises done each week. I’ll be posting my progress on Sundays. I’d love for you to work along with me. If you decide to do that, please post and let me know how you’re doing—send pictures too! If you have trouble leaving a comment on my blog, email me at  bschnellenberger@gmail.com.

For this week’s exercise, we were instructed to make three compositions using “several shapes to work with and repeat them for each piece.” We were to use “a different tool to create focal points each time.”

The first “assignment” was to “use placement of shapes and lines to lead the eye to a focal point.” For Composition 1, the eye is drawn to the central element of this piece by the shape and lines of the elements radiating from it. The emphasis is created by leading the eye to the “eye” of the piece.

For Composition 2 the “assignment” was to “use isolation to create a focal point.” In this piece, the bottom triangle is identical to the elements above; but simply by setting it off, it becomes the focus. I placed it so (to me) it looks like the triangle is trying to head back to its “proper” location. The contrast here is a contrast of placement—not form.

Composition 3 was to “use contrasts of color, texture, or size to create a focal point.” Originally, I thought the focal point would be the circle (variation in shape) because of the linear nature of the other elements, but MY eye is drawn to the white parallelogram. For that reason, I used this composition to satisfy the “assignment” of using “contrasts of color” to create a focal point. What draws your eye? Please comment at the bottom of this page or at my email address. (bschnellenberger@gmail.com)

We were instructed to ask ourselves…

• How could you rearrange the elements to create a stronger path for the eye to follow?
• Is there a color or value that stands out from the rest of the piece?
• Does something look different from all the rest?
• How could your stitching and embellishments add to the strength of your focal point?

I didn’t have time to stitch these pieces, but I definitely think stitching would strengthen the focal point for Composition 1—probably all the pieces.

Come on…join me in this adventure of working through the exercises in the Art + Quilt book. I’m learning SO much; I bet you will too! Next week I’ll be working on “Balance and Color.” It is on Page 63 in the book. Look for the post next Sunday.