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Hi friends,

Have you ever experienced a truly great meal? Remember the presentation, the aromas, the variety and complexity of flavors? A great dining experience is satisfying on so many levels. I'd like to share some ideas about viewing art with that same sort of enjoyment in mind. It is possible to just look at art and not really see it. I'd like to suggest some ideas that will lead to a rich experience of savoring art.

This is the first in a series of posts that will explore ways to interact with and think about artwork. I hope these ideas will add to your knowledge and that you will share your own insights, experiences, and methods of "savoring art" by commenting below.

Try the 20-6-1 rule.

"Hannah"

 16x20

Oil on Linen Panel

The 20-6-1 rule is used to view a painting live and in person.  (We'll do our best with a digital screen but it is certainly not the same.)  The numbers refer to distances at which to view the painting and will vary depending on the size of the original work.  If the painting is bigger or smaller you may need to change these a bit, but you'll get the point.  The idea is that at each distance you will appreciate different qualities of the art.  

20 Feet

At 20 feet you can see the graphic impact of the design and value structure.  How well does it read from across the room?  At this distance the painting is reduced to its simplest elements.  It's this first impression, made in about 1/2 second, that will invite a closer inspection.  

Things to look for:

-Overall design (a few strong shapes or many fragmented pieces?)

-Value structure (control of lights and darks)

-Basic color relationships and harmony

6 Feet

This is where you probably spend the most time.  It's where you see the painting fully and can enjoy the interplay between all its parts.  You see the color relationships at their best.  It is the distance at which you see the whole painting, and nothing else.  You can see the painting side to side and be immersed in the image without any other distractions.  What is the center of interest?  Why?  Look for the visual path through the painting... what is the first thing you look at?  Why?  Where does your eye go next?  Why?  Where are the lightest lights and the darkest darks?  What is happening with the edges?  Where are the hard edges and where are the soft ones?  Consider the quality of the drawing/ draftsmanship and how line quality is used.  If this painting "speaks to you", what is happening to bring that feeling.  Subject matter may be part of why we love certain images, but how that subject is painted is of equal or greater importance.  It is what bring uniqueness and life to the image.

Things to look for:

-Edge quality

-Drawing

-A sense of balance

-Color relationships and subtleties 

-The interplay between all parts of the painting

1 Foot

If you're at a museum and you see someone looking at a painting just inches away from the surface, chances are they are an artist.  At close inspection you get to see the textures, brush strokes, and the abstract nature of the surface.  I love to get up close and try to understand what the artist did to achieve a certain effect.  Are the colors blended or are they left separate to create visual vibration?   What kind of brushes or other tools were used to apply the paint?  This is usually where I geek out on a painting.  It is the place to discover the technique of the artist.

Things to look for:

-Brush strokes and paint quality

-Layering or alla prima

-How the image was constructed

Below are a few close ups of "Hannah".  You can see individual brush strokes and the way they interact with each other.  Up close the paint is rather abstract.  Brush strokes are just small masses of color and value.  It is interesting to walk away from them and see how they come together to describe form and give an effect of light and movement.

Try it out.

So, there you have the seed of an idea.  Next time you are in a museum or a gallery and you find a painting that really appeals to you, use the 20-6-1 rule.  Go back and forth... up close and see the details, then back up and view the piece as a whole.  Do this over and over, and savor that painting.  Enjoy the feast!

-J Ken Spencer

Are there things I missed?  Please contribute to this discussion and share your ideas.