LET ME SAY IT AGAIN

Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you

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A composer creating a memorable razzledazzle. A writer developing a dynamic plot, not just a parade of characters. An artist painting an inspiringly designed work, not just well-drawn.

A work of art can go "flat" without a good design, no matter how well painted. It doesn't have to be a flamboyant composition. Take the simplicity of Girl with a Pearl Earring, or more complex like The Lady of Shalott. I discovered this basic principle by studying works of art over the centuries, from my mentors and from my own years of developing. This is the importance of design.

The Moment

When painting or drawing, I've never thought of the image created on canvas or paper as a "freeze frame." To me, it is a moment of time when the subject is about to do something. In fact, as we look at the portrayal, we can imagine what might happen within the next moment. The person in that painting is alive and this is how the artist feels while developing the work. There's life before and during and after that portrayal. I'll add that it could be a leaping horse with a cowboy on top.

We imagine that cowboy holding tight with the horse and about to land. Or a portrait of someone looking over at me and then turning back to continue reading her book.

Simple, Basic

In a drawing or painting, if something is off, it gets attention. Like a perfect rendition of a song except hitting a bad note in the middle. Not that we want the painting to be perfect for other people. We're painting for ourselves throughout the work; and we want the completed piece to inspire us from top to bottom. I often put my work away for a few days and then come back to give it a fresh look. I might see a color too strong, a shadow too dark, a hand that seems unnatural.