Focal points revisited

So, what's this about a focal point? And what the heck is a focal point? And why does it matter?

As I wrote in my 10-20-09 post, Finding Your Focal Point, "The focal point of a painting is the place where the viewer's eye wants to go. The question is, is that where you want the viewer's eye to go?"

Consider this situation. Imagine that I want to paint a vineyard with oak trees rising above the vines (not a stretch living around here, right?). Here's a thumbnail sketch of a possible composition.

I want the taller, darker group of oak trees on the right of the composition to be the center of interest. But the rows of vines heading away from me in Example #1, on the left, lead to a smaller, lighter group of trees. The rows of vines create converging lines that lead my eyes to focus in another part of the painting. Uh oh.... What to do?

If I make sure the lines converge toward what interests me most – as I did in Example #2 – my viewers' eyes will be lead along those lines to the taller, darker group of oak trees – the focal point of my painting. Voila – it works!

You can read this and ever so much more at Finding your focal point and Leading the eye to a painting's focal point.

Leading the eye to a painting's focal point

Once you've determined where you want your painting's focal point to be, there are a number of ways that you can lead the eye there.

Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, the Last Supper, painted from 1495 to 1498, illustrates several methods beautifully; we'll look at two. They are: the uses of converging lines and contrast in value (light and dark).

1. Converging lines - Notice how the lines of the room all converge, in perspective. They lead the eye in to the center, pointing to the face of Jesus - who is both the center of interest and the focal point of the painting.

2. Contrast in value (light and dark) - The eye is typically drawn to the area of greatest contrast between light and dark. In The Last Supper, the greatest contrast is between the dark of Jesus's hair, framed by and contrasted against the white of the window behind him. This further emphasizes Jesus as the focal point. Although your eyes may scan the other figures, or other parts of the painting, your eyes will always return back to his face.

How can you use this in your own painting?

Ask yourself, does the painting have converging lines? If it does, do those lines take your eye where you want it to go?

Then look to see where you have the greatest contrast between light and dark, side by side. Is that at your focal point?

If your answers are no, they will give you clues about what to do next, in order to make it work.