In relation to magazine/poster design, that also is applied here, an art teacher said to us, "In your mind's eye, 'shake the page'". That way, what is less relevant falls away and is a 'cure' for detail mania and the curse of perfectionism and to some degree the final image is less distracting for the viewer. And, as two other art teachers said, 'See each painting as an exercise'; that way your approach is less precious. Also, 'A painting is never finished'. We have to know when to walk away. There comes a point where we must not add any more, otherwise, like a good party, everything starts to go down hill pretty fast. The viewers mind can fill in what is 'unfinished'.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I'm looking through your videos for one with Cypress Trees, those found in the Delta, that grow in water, "Think Louisana with the moss hang on branches". This is a subject I want to capture a technique that offers a realistic outcome. They are already a bit funky, with their stumps and unique style. Oh I would so appreciate finding your instruction on these. Thank you, Beth Tennessee, USA (about 2 miles from the Mississippi River, where we have Reelfoot Lake and many Cypress Trees, and swampy creatures + the Bald Eagle, our Nations Symbol.) 🐢🐍🐟
It's interesting how the stroke directions and overlaps are kinda giving the illusion of detail in the drawings. You have the best lessons ever, it's encouraging me to leave digital for a while to work with actual paint.
I don't often draw because I get overwhelmed and easily get lost in the details, losing sight of the whole. I think I'll give it a try using this method! Thank you for your video
6:03 As in theatre you do not need to see what's going on in the wings. If you do see what's happening in the wings the power of what's happening is diminished. Imagine, if you will, seeing a cabbage being chopped in two - whilst on stage there is an exections in progress - you would probably laugh. Whereas, if you are unaware of the true source of the sound, relating to what's happening, you recoil empathizing with what's happening - your imagination doing most of the work. Or, as in writing, 'show don't tell'. Likewise here, albeit in milder form, we see the light crossing the floor; we do not need to see its obvious source and the the main focus is on the point of interest - the two women interacting. I think Ian Roberts' teaching methods are second to none and truly inspirational.
You are THE best at explaining and demonstrating concepts of composition. I've been successfully teaching art for 40 years and still find your direct approach inspiring and useful! THANK YOU!
If you love these tutorials, you will simply adore taking his classes. My way of thinking and approach to painting has totally changed for the better. Few, and I mean few, artists teach the fundamentals. With this painter (part-time teacher) I am filling in huge knowledge gaps. Next time he offers an online class, don't miss it. I'm not a paid spokesperson nor affiliated with Ian Roberts, but happy to recommend his classes and approach to painting.✌🖌
Using a photo reference, I've actually gone in to edit it to crop it and then to edit it to be very pixellated and blurry. I know that's not as good as training your eyes to see things that way but it at least helps me start off on the right foot. I got into art by wanting to be a cartoonist as a kid, and it's really incredible how much the skills in one art area can help you learn faster in another. Cartooning would say: Pay attention to what draws the eye and lay everything out accordingly; consider silhouettes; imposing limits (eg limited palette, only putting detail in certain parts to avoid clutter) can make the piece stronger; etc. It's also where beginners tend to draw from imagination more than real life, so the difficulty is learning that you can and SHOULD pay attention to details and learn to draw from life. So for 6:29, I would probably be thinking most in terms of the body language of the waitresses and how to exaggerate them to amplify the mood I wanted to achieve - what style to choose and how extreme to lean into it. I would start by blocking out the major set pieces of the windows, tables, and the chair, then spend a lot of time on the women. For example, lifting up the arm of the one on the right so that you can more easily see that she's carrying a tray, which would be contrasted to the window in the back. Only after I figured out all that would I go in and do the color for the background and only work on as many details as would look good. I would probably keep the brick. I think what I would be emphasizing in that picture is the "rustic" vibe given by the pew-style seat, the old wooden chairs, the texture of the brick, and it's enhanced with the warmth already present in the photo. Keeping the wood on the ground may be a good contrast for where the light hits it, where you can't see individual planks. But when I say I keep those, I mean that I would add just enough to hint at those textures, not that I would draw out each individual plank of wood or brick. Some very sturdy set pieces to contrast against the light, breezy feeling of the conversation between the women, the thin brights of their clothes, the transparency of the glass (I would keep one or two on the table, might place them elsewhere though), and the way the light curves around the wood, the left woman's smile, and the right woman's hair. I don't paint often - most of what I do lately is with gouache, since I don't have access to oil right now - but I really value (lol) these tips. Subscribing now!
I love the way he goes over: "So we have this and that and some of those." And slowly lists off all the unimportant objects. The contrast between that and his expert simplification makes it feel almost palpable. It illustrates the getting bogged down feeling in a charming way.
As a fatigued artist straddling the fence between traditional drawing/painting and the digital and 3D era, this video is an authentic oasis. A return to basic principles in the midst of a very hectic art industry. Thank you.
CREATIVE AUTHENTICITY - Great book! I just got through reading it, and it is a treasure. I will keep re-reading it and feeding on it through my artistic days. Thank you Ian. Your video is right on. It can be said that the structure and values alone can make a painting, much like your sketches. Details not needed. That’s huge. That’s the gateway to getting there without getting lost in all the other stuff.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know how much you enjoyed Creative Authenticity. It is something you can use for your entire artistic days.
I'm a cartoonist and two things I've learned over the years. In cartooning "it's what you don't draw" and cartoonist spend a lot of time drawing as little as possible😀
Many painters are sometimes 'thing' oriented. In other words, they are attracted to stuff, like picturesque sunrises/sunsets, streams, waterfalls, horses, etc., cliche type subjects. The thought is that it will make an attractive painting. It may be attention-getting, but structurally it may not work without some serious adjustments. In my own experience early on, I subconsciously felt obligated to include everything I saw in a scene. I think that's true for a lot of painters. I appreciate how you used a drawing/diagram of how a good painting is actually constructed from the ground up. No amount of decoration or festoonery will save a badly constructed painting.
Art is like math. The point is not to make things complex, but to make things simple. The hight of sofistication is simplicity, not complexity. That hard part is to emotionaly learn to accept that your work is " imperfect". And is never going to be like in your head. Or 100% like " the real world".
I bought your book, Creative Authenticity, and gave it to myself for Christmas. I sat in front of the fire in my leather wingback and read it cover to cover in one session. Since then I've been using it as a meditation book, reading random paragraphs and marking up sections that speak to me. I cannot thank you enough for writing this book. Your section on Van Gogh was particularly meaningful as it gave me permission to validate my own thoughts about certain revered artists regardless of common opinion. I highly recommend this book and I will be ordering your other book soon.
What you’ve done with your analysis-in-layers is a pretty exact analogy to what Heinrich Schenker did by inventing the graphic analysis of music. Very cool.
Extremely helpful! As a new painter, I often feel overwhelmed by details. How to simplify is what I have been trying to grasp. Your video hits it nicely.
I am a “mature” graphic design enrolled in university art courses, and currently in a painting class. This is VERY helpful! As are all your videos, actually. Thanks!
Once more, I love your clear example and lucid explanations. This video has inspired me to do my own 30 day composition challenge. Thank you and always happy to see another video from you.
I do hope my fighting with details will now have an end 💝💝💝 thank you for your art videos. The best I have ever seen...🥰🥰🥰👍have a great day....habe a great time. Wishes from Germany. Christiane
I just found your channel today and idk why seeing you paint weirdly inspires me a lot. And the way you teach is really amazing too, learned more about painting than all the time in my classes combined. Thank you! :)
Finally these are the type of drawing that I was looking for, hard to explain but it's amazing too see such less details and so much meaning in drawings
I just picked my brushes and paint up after over a year away. The very first little study, the large hill and houses behind us, was so busy that I did exactly this but didn’t draw it out first, I was overcome with all the details that I had to pare them down. Those details I would have fussed over previously. One house, main trees and shapes cropped with to exclude extra details which turned into a basic under painting similar in scope to a pre paint drawing. This video basically supports my process that I stumbled into just due to what I thought may have been a little laziness. It’s not lazy, just efficient and effective planning.
Often when I'm about to paint, I'm starting to focus too much on details, that eventually leave me wondering ,,how am I gonna draw this??". That always makes me immediately discouraged to continue drawing, so I found this video very helpful. Thank you!
This was fascinating. I used to paint, as my one and only hobby and people liked my work. I’m coming back to painting after a stroke. Your approach has given me much to think about. Thank you.
Ok so this is weird…3 minutes in I had to pause the video. I was so impressed with the brilliant breakdown of the mechanics of drawing AND at the same time I was taking my first couple of sips of a fresh cup of coffee when this feeling of euphoria washed over me. I have these episodes now and then but I never just stop and enjoy the moment. I say I will but I don’t. I did this time. And now I’m documenting it. This tutorial is just what I needed. I’m an artist and I have done my fair share of drawings but this has changed my outlook and attitude. Somehow, and, by what seems to be magic, a picture emerges from my canvas and it’s not at all too shabby. I always wonder if the canvas is haunted! Maybe I have an innate ability to do what you have just so wonderfully described? I don’t know, but my next project may just be by me and not by the canvas ghosts or fairies. Thank you 🙏
Finally, a video or person to explain logically why I need to do a study or sketch before I paint something. Now I can finally relate to this because I do struggle with being too picky in my painting, I guess someone just needed to speak to me on what would really impact me and make me do that change to make my art better I’m grateful for that. Thank you very much, sir.
I allow myself to get overwhelmed too easily and it often stops me from sketching or painting entirely. A gigantic THANKS to you. This was just the advice i needed. I can definitely see how cropping and simplification gives us clarity, which makes colour, brushwork, details, etc come easier later.
Really good tutorial that gets down to the nitty gritty of what to discard. I don't wish to sound pessimistic but I have real difficulty in filtering out what is the important and what is the stuff you can drop off. Being more oriented towards sound rather than vision I find this sorting visually as difficult as when training to play a piece of music when a tutor asks "What is the main message here that we are trying to get across?" and I say "I really haven't a clue - the input has as many different interpretations and reactions as there are people observing it or listening to it". For those who naturally notice such things it's easy - but for those who don't it's nigh on impossible.
Ian...thank you so much for your explanations on composition ..I get so caught up in detail that I lose the main idea of what the painting should be....you break it down easily and make it understandable...
Beautiful summary into how to approach any complex subject matter - simplify mass, remove unnecessary detail, focus on composition and the movement within the composition. Excellent advise.
Extremely essential video lesson. We are grateful!!! I recommend stopping the video at each photo. Then thinking: how would I do this? Then moving on to the next piece of the video, where you see how the drawing deals with it. And again: look at each detail of a photo. How would you do it? Then move to the drawing. It's a bit though, perhaps? - But I begin to understand: we'll have to do a bit of serious detail work... - before we all get to be happy geniuses!
I’m a complete beginner regarding drawing and watercolour and I found this extremely helpful. I do get overwhelmed by detail and then my drawing or painting turns into an unholy mess. I shall put these tips into practice as of now. Thank you and I have subscribed.
This was a very timely instruct for me. I had been wrestling with a photo that had tons of detail but no matter what I did it never looked balanced or real. I was really frustrated until I started to erasing some of the details to redraw them but I noticed the drawing looked better. So I concentrated on one structure even though it was not dead center of the photo or drawing. This added so much depth and layers to the drawing that I eliminated some more of the small details and that improved the message as well. To say I was shocked is an understatement yes it was not a true copy of the photo but now the drawing conveyed the same message as the photo. Then to watch your video this morning and it’s subject valid what I was seeing. I have not shown it to my number one critic, my wife, to sees if she what she thinks. Thanks again.
I’ve been needing this explained, you did this very well! Thank you. I’ve always been intimidated by attempting to landscape/scene painting due to my lack of confidence in drawing landscapes. I’m definitely going to use your tips to begin to work on those skills!
I always struggle so much with focusing on the details and get, quite literally, “stuck in the weeds.” This was very helpful at getting me to look at the bigger (or smaller I suppose) picture and to look at my subjects differently, thank you!
As always a very informative and relatable video, Ian. I miss your weekly videos and am resigning myself that they will be instead monthly. However, because you have a wealth of instruction spanning the past years, I am able refer to various aspects of composition whenever I need a refresher so all is good. I attended art school over 20 years ago but life got in the way in the interim. Now that I have the time to devote to improving my work, your videos came along to help get my confidence back and really enjoy the process. Thank you for your superb lessons and all the work you put into their creation. Greetings again from the Pacific NW.
P.S. wanted to add I’ve been following the work of Alice Mumford for several years and happened upon her videos a while ago. She posted a series of them with a workshop she did at her studio and concentrated on Bonnard and his approach to painting. It was very interesting. I love Alice’s work too and your lovely wife Anne Ward’s paintings remind me of her work. Please relay to Anne how much I enjoy her work.
Hi Lillian, I'm delighted you have been enjoying the videos. Thank you for letting me know. I just looked up Alice and she has a series of short films there on her website that looking interesting. I'll have to watch them. And I'll be sure to tell Anne that you like her paintings. Thank you.
I love paintings that use the simple shapes and structures of objects or landscapes, something about the rectangle strokes and roughness without too much detail that's just enough to understand what it is
I’d only recently taken up sketching (I’m working my way up to painting) and stumbled onto something like this method. While I could use some of these tips on cropping, I say that focusing on the bigger lines is the difference between me knowing I couldn’t draw for 40 years, and being able to make pencil scratches look more or less like the scene they are portraying. It’s incredibly helpful
Really finding your videos very helpful. Shapes, design, structure; like having a road map. Now I understand how helpful drawing is before launching into a painting. Yes I’ve always been distracted by the detail. So glad I’ve found your channel.
I've read & watched lots of advice and tutorials on composition over the years, but never really anything quite so helpful as how you walk us through the distractions (fences, trees, bits of sky, textures, more bloody trees) and the choices that you made on the way to the final composition. Many tutorials emphasise simplification of form and value, true, but the hardest thing in my experience is 1) learning to SEE that simplification and 2) holding yourself to the initial goal. All too often I'll start an interesting sketch of an arrangement of buildings that caught my eye, only to get bogged down in detail as the drawing progresses, losing the strong composition that I started with.
I cannot emphasize enough the value of your content and how much it has helped me fine tune my way of seeing. I live in Toronto, and drive to the country a great deal having boarded a horse north of the city. I recently bought a full French Easel because I want to experience working outside of my studio. You have in other videos provided a wealth of tips on how to start the plein air process, and I thank you for that. I am starting a three week holiday, it is mid July and I am so looking forward to doing some oil sketches. In closing I want to add just how much I love your work. Thanks again.
Just recently discovered your videos and find them so, so helpful! I've taken so many painting classes and never really understood very well how to tell what were good compositional elements and what were bad. I'd have an instructor say, "change the shape of this mountain, it doesn't work for your composition" but not be able to tell my why. Your videos are finally helping me to understand the why. Thank you, thank you!
Hi Ian… Many thanks. As someone have been constantly emailing you about your great composition book, I’m excited that I may get a copy in near future. Your this articulate video here is an eye opener for me. Please continue this great mentoring process I simply is amazed by this learning. I am closely following you. Many thanks and best regards. Azim, Bangaldesh
Thanks so much and I hope you can enjoy the book soon. All the best, Ian
2 года назад+1
I don't know how I get to this video, but honestly, thank you so much for all the things you are sharing. They're so useful and precious. Many respects from me, teacher!
Hi Ian, The new style of introduction is a great way to lead us into the topic of the video. Hey, things I learned from the drawing course are moving into other areas of life! I think you explained about structure and design better in this video than ever before. The illustrations with the red attention lines are making more sense. Maybe it is just sinking into my brain better! I sure need a lot of repetition and illustrations. You are way better than art school! Thanks. Barbara Cordell Carithers
Thank you for this really good video --- very inspiring! It made me think of something about Albert Pinkham Ryder, I think I read somewhere that he was very excited when he realized he needed to look for the "masses" first. I tried to find that quote but couldn't. This is the closest I could find: “The artist should fear to become the slave of detail. He should strive to express his thought and not the surface of it. What avails a storm cloud accurate in form and color if the storm is not therein?” ― Albert Pinkham Ryder. Anyway, thanks for all the good tips.
Have watched this specific video several times now and every time I find it so helpful for seeing differently, assessing photos differently, painting differently. Thank you so much!
Oh my! how do you ever find time to keep up with all the comments and questions? Hello Ian, Cynthia Jackson here. I am very excited about watching you more and more, and learning from you! My little RUclips Channel has been sitting! I love your videos on Composition! And some time ago, before I moved, I enjoyed your Studio Tour! I am excited to get your books and immerse myself in them. Thank you for these awe inspiring tutorials! God Bless you!
This was extremely helpful to me. I find simplifying really difficult and get frustrated when I still end up creating a painting that’s too photo realistic and doing nothing for either me or the viewer. Thanks for this, and I will look out for the book when it’s available again!
I'm a beginner artist, I'm really eager to learn but it's so hard to find good resources, the quality of the information is truly just unmatched. You've made this concept so easy to understand, and I'm so thankful!
Superb explanations and examples. It's always so easy to get distracted and even perhaps overwhelmed by all the details in front of you. Simplification's importance can't be stated enough, I find.
I love Ian Robert's Creative Authenticity book! It helped me understand why I do what I do and to clarify what I want for myself with regards to creating art. It was also hugely helpful to clear up confusions while writing statements for MFA applications.
Thanks for the excellent useful information mr Roberts, i believe that not even enough number of people tells these information. These information that you served has given us the main scheme in our mind for understanding the main structure for painting. We appreciate you ☺️, thanks in advance 🙏
I would love to be having a nap in a room adjacent to where you record this, I’ve said it before but your voice has such a nice texture I find it so relaxing
LOL. I need quiet to sleep, but I do understand what you mean. However, if Ian were teaching something in the next room while I was trying to nap, I would be straining my ear to hear and definitely would not fall asleep.😋
I'm in Spain and I too have been having problems getting hold of your book. Had it on order since March. 😊. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the videos. Thank you
I'm not that great at landscapes myself, but I do apply the same ideas in pen & ink drawing (and design in general); taking away details can be such a powerful tool in focusing the viewer on what you really want to emphasise, like light, expression and movement. One of my favourite techniques is introducing strong lights to portraits and letting detail melt into the dark shadows. People's brains are great at filling in the gaps!
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
In relation to magazine/poster design, that also is applied here, an art teacher said to us, "In your mind's eye, 'shake the page'". That way, what is less relevant falls away and is a 'cure' for detail mania and the curse of perfectionism and to some degree the final image is less distracting for the viewer. And, as two other art teachers said, 'See each painting as an exercise'; that way your approach is less precious. Also, 'A painting is never finished'. We have to know when to walk away. There comes a point where we must not add any more, otherwise, like a good party, everything starts to go down hill pretty fast. The viewers mind can fill in what is 'unfinished'.
That I think is the gist of it - that you let the viewer fill in the rest. Give them a role in the process. Good point
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition
I'm looking through your videos for one with Cypress Trees, those found in the Delta, that grow in water, "Think Louisana with the moss hang on branches".
This is a subject I want to capture a technique that offers a realistic outcome. They are already a bit funky, with their stumps and unique style.
Oh I would so appreciate finding your instruction on these.
Thank you,
Beth
Tennessee, USA
(about 2 miles from the Mississippi River, where we have Reelfoot Lake and many Cypress Trees, and swampy creatures + the Bald Eagle, our Nations Symbol.) 🐢🐍🐟
Wow i also heard that particular advice for fiction writing. Thank you
Love that. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you ,it helps so much to have these little kernels of information.
As someone who regularly gets bogged down in all the details of a scene, I found your tutorial very helpful. Thank you
You're very welcome Ruth. All the best
It's interesting how the stroke directions and overlaps are kinda giving the illusion of detail in the drawings. You have the best lessons ever, it's encouraging me to leave digital for a while to work with actual paint.
Thanks so much for that. Glad you found it helpful.
I don't often draw because I get overwhelmed and easily get lost in the details, losing sight of the whole. I think I'll give it a try using this method! Thank you for your video
You're so welcome. Enjoy the process and have fun with it
6:03 As in theatre you do not need to see what's going on in the wings. If you do see what's happening in the wings the power of what's happening is diminished. Imagine, if you will, seeing a cabbage being chopped in two - whilst on stage there is an exections in progress - you would probably laugh. Whereas, if you are unaware of the true source of the sound, relating to what's happening, you recoil empathizing with what's happening - your imagination doing most of the work. Or, as in writing, 'show don't tell'. Likewise here, albeit in milder form, we see the light crossing the floor; we do not need to see its obvious source and the the main focus is on the point of interest - the two women interacting. I think Ian Roberts' teaching methods are second to none and truly inspirational.
Thank you so much. And I like your analogy with the big cabbage chop off stage. All the best.
You are THE best at explaining and demonstrating concepts of composition. I've been successfully teaching art for 40 years and still find your direct approach inspiring and useful! THANK YOU!
Thanks so much Moni!
This is a whole LIFE LESSON, not just Art.
If you love these tutorials, you will simply adore taking his classes. My way of thinking and approach to painting has totally changed for the better. Few, and I mean few, artists teach the fundamentals. With this painter (part-time teacher) I am filling in huge knowledge gaps. Next time he offers an online class, don't miss it. I'm not a paid spokesperson nor affiliated with Ian Roberts, but happy to recommend his classes and approach to painting.✌🖌
Thank you for those kind words Maria. So glad you are liking the course so much. It means a lot
Using a photo reference, I've actually gone in to edit it to crop it and then to edit it to be very pixellated and blurry. I know that's not as good as training your eyes to see things that way but it at least helps me start off on the right foot. I got into art by wanting to be a cartoonist as a kid, and it's really incredible how much the skills in one art area can help you learn faster in another. Cartooning would say: Pay attention to what draws the eye and lay everything out accordingly; consider silhouettes; imposing limits (eg limited palette, only putting detail in certain parts to avoid clutter) can make the piece stronger; etc. It's also where beginners tend to draw from imagination more than real life, so the difficulty is learning that you can and SHOULD pay attention to details and learn to draw from life.
So for 6:29, I would probably be thinking most in terms of the body language of the waitresses and how to exaggerate them to amplify the mood I wanted to achieve - what style to choose and how extreme to lean into it. I would start by blocking out the major set pieces of the windows, tables, and the chair, then spend a lot of time on the women. For example, lifting up the arm of the one on the right so that you can more easily see that she's carrying a tray, which would be contrasted to the window in the back. Only after I figured out all that would I go in and do the color for the background and only work on as many details as would look good. I would probably keep the brick.
I think what I would be emphasizing in that picture is the "rustic" vibe given by the pew-style seat, the old wooden chairs, the texture of the brick, and it's enhanced with the warmth already present in the photo. Keeping the wood on the ground may be a good contrast for where the light hits it, where you can't see individual planks. But when I say I keep those, I mean that I would add just enough to hint at those textures, not that I would draw out each individual plank of wood or brick. Some very sturdy set pieces to contrast against the light, breezy feeling of the conversation between the women, the thin brights of their clothes, the transparency of the glass (I would keep one or two on the table, might place them elsewhere though), and the way the light curves around the wood, the left woman's smile, and the right woman's hair.
I don't paint often - most of what I do lately is with gouache, since I don't have access to oil right now - but I really value (lol) these tips. Subscribing now!
I love the way he goes over: "So we have this and that and some of those." And slowly lists off all the unimportant objects. The contrast between that and his expert simplification makes it feel almost palpable. It illustrates the getting bogged down feeling in a charming way.
Thanks so much. Very glad you like my teaching style
I stopped washing my dishes to watch this ...yes I'm an artist
Thankyou
It's interesting how simplifying details tends to make the picture look more cinematic.
It also lets the viewer fill in the rest.
As a fatigued artist straddling the fence between traditional drawing/painting and the digital and 3D era, this video is an authentic oasis. A return to basic principles in the midst of a very hectic art industry. Thank you.
CREATIVE AUTHENTICITY - Great book! I just got through reading it, and it is a treasure. I will keep re-reading it and feeding on it through my artistic days. Thank you Ian. Your video is right on. It can be said that the structure and values alone can make a painting, much like your sketches. Details not needed. That’s huge. That’s the gateway to getting there without getting lost in all the other stuff.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know how much you enjoyed Creative Authenticity. It is something you can use for your entire artistic days.
I’ve missed my weekly Ian fix. Lovely to get this post and reminder of what I should be aiming for.
Thanks so much Sarah!
This is the type of video ive been waiting to find. Thank you so much.
You're so welcome
I see the importance of drawing ,drawing,simplify. Thank you , I struggle w this all the time.
Glad it was helpful Jeanine. It is a really common struggle
I'm a cartoonist and two things I've learned over the years. In cartooning "it's what you don't draw" and cartoonist spend a lot of time drawing as little as possible😀
Many painters are sometimes 'thing' oriented. In other words, they are attracted to stuff, like picturesque sunrises/sunsets, streams, waterfalls, horses, etc., cliche type subjects. The thought is that it will make an attractive painting. It may be attention-getting, but structurally it may not work without some serious adjustments. In my own experience early on, I subconsciously felt obligated to include everything I saw in a scene. I think that's true for a lot of painters. I appreciate how you used a drawing/diagram of how a good painting is actually constructed from the ground up. No amount of decoration or festoonery will save a badly constructed painting.
Well said. Glad you enjoyed it and got something out of it
This is incredible, I always find myself getting trapped by details and then I overwhelm myself.
It is a very common issue. Glad you liked the video
Art is like math. The point is not to make things complex, but to make things simple. The hight of sofistication is simplicity, not complexity. That hard part is to emotionaly learn to accept that your work is " imperfect". And is never going to be like in your head. Or 100% like " the real world".
I bought your book, Creative Authenticity, and gave it to myself for Christmas. I sat in front of the fire in my leather wingback and read it cover to cover in one session. Since then I've been using it as a meditation book, reading random paragraphs and marking up sections that speak to me. I cannot thank you enough for writing this book. Your section on Van Gogh was particularly meaningful as it gave me permission to validate my own thoughts about certain revered artists regardless of common opinion. I highly recommend this book and I will be ordering your other book soon.
Hi Ann, I'm really happy the book resonated with you. Thanks so much for letting me know. All the best
Como es que esta clase magistral es gratis. Wow que gran regalo
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoy my videos
Thank you for this. I love your tutorials. Perfect pace, brilliantly explained and you've a great voice to listen to. Pleasurable and helpful. 🙏
Thank you so much Jules!
Love your sketches. Anyone watching this should look at Edward Hopper's sketches. He is great at this method of simplification.
Hi Ian , can't thank you enough for continuing to teach these principles of composition. Thanks Craig
Glad you like them!
What you’ve done with your analysis-in-layers is a pretty exact analogy to what Heinrich Schenker did by inventing the graphic analysis of music. Very cool.
So good to see you. Now I'll go out to take some pictures and then I'll try to compose the masses.
Great. Enjoy the process and have fun
Extremely helpful! As a new painter, I often feel overwhelmed by details. How to simplify is what I have been trying to grasp. Your video hits it nicely.
I am a “mature” graphic design enrolled in university art courses, and currently in a painting class. This is VERY helpful! As are all your videos, actually. Thanks!
Once more, I love your clear example and lucid explanations. This video has inspired me to do my own 30 day composition challenge. Thank you and always happy to see another video from you.
Wonderful! Enjoy the process and have fun with it
I do hope my fighting with details will now have an end 💝💝💝 thank you for your art videos. The best I have ever seen...🥰🥰🥰👍have a great day....habe a great time. Wishes from Germany. Christiane
You are so welcome. Enjoy the process and have fun with it Christiane
Good to see you, Ian. Good refresher from your class. Thank you for posting. Take care. g
Nice to hear from you Gayle. Hope you're doing well and thanks for watching. All the best
Got any more of those boxes of pencils you want to sell?
I just found your channel today and idk why seeing you paint weirdly inspires me a lot. And the way you teach is really amazing too, learned more about painting than all the time in my classes combined. Thank you! :)
Thanks so much and glad you liked it!
This video changed the way I view my reference photos, so helpful!
Delighted you found it useful
Finally these are the type of drawing that I was looking for, hard to explain but it's amazing too see such less details and so much meaning in drawings
Delighted you found it helpful.
I just picked my brushes and paint up after over a year away. The very first little study, the large hill and houses behind us, was so busy that I did exactly this but didn’t draw it out first, I was overcome with all the details that I had to pare them down. Those details I would have fussed over previously. One house, main trees and shapes cropped with to exclude extra details which turned into a basic under painting similar in scope to a pre paint drawing.
This video basically supports my process that I stumbled into just due to what I thought may have been a little laziness. It’s not lazy, just efficient and effective planning.
Often when I'm about to paint, I'm starting to focus too much on details, that eventually leave me wondering ,,how am I gonna draw this??". That always makes me immediately discouraged to continue drawing, so I found this video very helpful. Thank you!
This was fascinating. I used to paint, as my one and only hobby and people liked my work. I’m coming back to painting after a stroke. Your approach has given me much to think about. Thank you.
Ok so this is weird…3 minutes in I had to pause the video. I was so impressed with the brilliant breakdown of the mechanics of drawing AND at the same time I was taking my first couple of sips of a fresh cup of coffee when this feeling of euphoria washed over me. I have these episodes now and then but I never just stop and enjoy the moment. I say I will but I don’t. I did this time. And now I’m documenting it. This tutorial is just what I needed. I’m an artist and I have done my fair share of drawings but this has changed my outlook and attitude. Somehow, and, by what seems to be magic, a picture emerges from my canvas and it’s not at all too shabby. I always wonder if the canvas is haunted! Maybe I have an innate ability to do what you have just so wonderfully described? I don’t know, but my next project may just be by me and not by the canvas ghosts or fairies. Thank you 🙏
Super distillation for helping me remember things.
Wonderful, glad to hear it Karla
Finally, a video or person to explain logically why I need to do a study or sketch before I paint something. Now I can finally relate to this because I do struggle with being too picky in my painting, I guess someone just needed to speak to me on what would really impact me and make me do that change to make my art better I’m grateful for that. Thank you very much, sir.
I allow myself to get overwhelmed too easily and it often stops me from sketching or painting entirely.
A gigantic THANKS to you. This was just the advice i needed.
I can definitely see how cropping and simplification gives us clarity, which makes colour, brushwork, details, etc come easier later.
As a light bloomer, painter, artist, I am enjoying your instruction. I just wanted to say thank you.
You are so welcome Betty!
Super. Surely, you need a general concept about the process of simplification--a great video! Thank you, Ian.
Glad it was helpful!
Really good tutorial that gets down to the nitty gritty of what to discard. I don't wish to sound pessimistic but I have real difficulty in filtering out what is the important and what is the stuff you can drop off. Being more oriented towards sound rather than vision I find this sorting visually as difficult as when training to play a piece of music when a tutor asks "What is the main message here that we are trying to get across?" and I say "I really haven't a clue - the input has as many different interpretations and reactions as there are people observing it or listening to it". For those who naturally notice such things it's easy - but for those who don't it's nigh on impossible.
Best 15 minutes of advice I've come across. thanks.
Delighted that you found it helpful
Ian...thank you so much for your explanations on composition ..I get so caught up in detail that I lose the main idea of what the painting should be....you break it down easily and make it understandable...
It a common thing. So glad you found it helpful
I cheat, by squinting and making everything in my vision physically blurry haha! Thank you for the more structured approach.
Just wanted to say how I appreciate what you taught me here. Thank you, Ian!
just ordered the book...I am a watercolor painter...and watch your videos with intense interest that there is something in them for me.
I LOVE your 2 waitresses painting! You're just a treasure. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
You are so welcome!
Layout and composition is my bane in design, so this was really helpful!
Beautiful summary into how to approach any complex subject matter - simplify mass, remove unnecessary detail, focus on composition and the movement within the composition. Excellent advise.
I think this concept is critical for new artists and valuable. I wish I would have seen this as a beginner.
Extremely essential video lesson. We are grateful!!! I recommend stopping the video at each photo. Then thinking: how would I do this? Then moving on to the next piece of the video, where you see how the drawing deals with it. And again: look at each detail of a photo. How would you do it? Then move to the drawing. It's a bit though, perhaps? - But I begin to understand: we'll have to do a bit of serious detail work... - before we all get to be happy geniuses!
I always find your videos very helpful Ian. Thank you for creating these for us struggling artists.
Glad you like them!
I’m a complete beginner regarding drawing and watercolour and I found this extremely helpful. I do get overwhelmed by detail and then my drawing or painting turns into an unholy mess. I shall put these tips into practice as of now. Thank you and I have subscribed.
This was a very timely instruct for me. I had been wrestling with a photo that had tons of detail but no matter what I did it never looked balanced or real. I was really frustrated until I started to erasing some of the details to redraw them but I noticed the drawing looked better. So I concentrated on one structure even though it was not dead center of the photo or drawing. This added so much depth and layers to the drawing that I eliminated some more of the small details and that improved the message as well. To say I was shocked is an understatement yes it was not a true copy of the photo but now the drawing conveyed the same message as the photo. Then to watch your video this morning and it’s subject valid what I was seeing. I have not shown it to my number one critic, my wife, to sees if she what she thinks. Thanks again.
I don't even paint or draw but I just discovered this channel and its so interesting to learn about this stuff. Maybe I just found a new hobby.
It's a wonderful form of creativity. I hope you enjoy it
I’ve been needing this explained, you did this very well! Thank you. I’ve always been intimidated by attempting to landscape/scene painting due to my lack of confidence in drawing landscapes. I’m definitely going to use your tips to begin to work on those skills!
You can do it!
I always struggle so much with focusing on the details and get, quite literally, “stuck in the weeds.” This was very helpful at getting me to look at the bigger (or smaller I suppose) picture and to look at my subjects differently, thank you!
As always a very informative and relatable video, Ian. I miss your weekly videos and am resigning myself that they will be instead monthly. However, because you have a wealth of instruction spanning the past years, I am able refer to various aspects of composition whenever I need a refresher so all is good. I attended art school over 20 years ago but life got in the way in the interim. Now that I have the time to devote to improving my work, your videos came along to help get my confidence back and really enjoy the process. Thank you for your superb lessons and all the work you put into their creation. Greetings again from the Pacific NW.
P.S. wanted to add I’ve been following the work of Alice Mumford for several years and happened upon her videos a while ago. She posted a series of them with a workshop she did at her studio and concentrated on Bonnard and his approach to painting. It was very interesting. I love Alice’s work too and your lovely wife Anne Ward’s paintings remind me of her work. Please relay to Anne how much I enjoy her work.
Hi Lillian, I'm delighted you have been enjoying the videos. Thank you for letting me know. I just looked up Alice and she has a series of short films there on her website that looking interesting. I'll have to watch them. And I'll be sure to tell Anne that you like her paintings. Thank you.
This was so full of insightful things to learn. I can't believe this short lesson is free.
thanks old man, your voice really helped me out with anxiety.
I love paintings that use the simple shapes and structures of objects or landscapes, something about the rectangle strokes and roughness without too much detail that's just enough to understand what it is
Thanks so much
I’d only recently taken up sketching (I’m working my way up to painting) and stumbled onto something like this method. While I could use some of these tips on cropping, I say that focusing on the bigger lines is the difference between me knowing I couldn’t draw for 40 years, and being able to make pencil scratches look more or less like the scene they are portraying. It’s incredibly helpful
Great to hear!
Really finding your videos very helpful. Shapes, design, structure; like having a road map. Now I understand how helpful drawing is before launching into a painting. Yes I’ve always been distracted by the detail. So glad I’ve found your channel.
Thanks so much and delighted you are enjoying the videos
I am quickly overwhelmed by a lot of details and I don't where to start most of the time, this helped a lot. Thank you.
You're so welcome. That is very common
I've read & watched lots of advice and tutorials on composition over the years, but never really anything quite so helpful as how you walk us through the distractions (fences, trees, bits of sky, textures, more bloody trees) and the choices that you made on the way to the final composition. Many tutorials emphasise simplification of form and value, true, but the hardest thing in my experience is 1) learning to SEE that simplification and 2) holding yourself to the initial goal. All too often I'll start an interesting sketch of an arrangement of buildings that caught my eye, only to get bogged down in detail as the drawing progresses, losing the strong composition that I started with.
I'm delighted you found it helpful.
I cannot emphasize enough the value of your content and how much it has helped me fine tune my way of seeing. I live in Toronto, and drive to the country a great deal having boarded a horse north of the city. I recently bought a full French Easel because I want to experience working outside of my studio. You have in other videos provided a wealth of tips on how to start the plein air process, and I thank you for that. I am starting a three week holiday, it is mid July and I am so looking forward to doing some oil sketches. In closing I want to add just how much I love your work. Thanks again.
Thank you Ian for another great lesson. Nothing else to say except: Merci!
Thank you Marie!
your videos have taught me more in the past few weeks than my college art classes ever did
Glad you are learning so much from them
Just recently discovered your videos and find them so, so helpful! I've taken so many painting classes and never really understood very well how to tell what were good compositional elements and what were bad. I'd have an instructor say, "change the shape of this mountain, it doesn't work for your composition" but not be able to tell my why. Your videos are finally helping me to understand the why. Thank you, thank you!
You are so welcome. Thank you for commenting this Elizabeth
I finally understand what painting values and shapes means. Thank you
You are so welcome!
I have always enjoyed drawing roads and barns. There is something about seeing them in black and white that adds more realism to the picture.
So glad you like them
Hi Ian…
Many thanks. As someone have been constantly emailing you about your great composition book, I’m excited that I may get a copy in near future. Your this articulate video here is an eye opener for me. Please continue this great mentoring process I simply is amazed by this learning. I am closely following you.
Many thanks and best regards.
Azim, Bangaldesh
Thanks so much and I hope you can enjoy the book soon. All the best, Ian
I don't know how I get to this video, but honestly, thank you so much for all the things you are sharing. They're so useful and precious. Many respects from me, teacher!
You are so welcome! Glad you found the video!
You always look to the point, Master. Thank you for the lesson!
My pleasure!
I feel lucky to find out your channel. Thank you so much!!!! Happy new year from Vietnam.
A terrific demonstration and instruction of the principles explained at the beginning.
Hi Ian, The new style of introduction is a great way to lead us into the topic of the video. Hey, things I learned from the drawing course are moving into other areas of life! I think you explained about structure and design better in this video than ever before. The illustrations with the red attention lines are making more sense. Maybe it is just sinking into my brain better! I sure need a lot of repetition and illustrations. You are way better than art school! Thanks. Barbara Cordell Carithers
Thanks so much Barbara and so glad you liked it. Hope you're doing well
Thank you for this really good video --- very inspiring! It made me think of something about Albert Pinkham Ryder, I think I read somewhere that he was very excited when he realized he needed to look for the "masses" first. I tried to find that quote but couldn't. This is the closest I could find: “The artist should fear to become the slave of detail. He should strive to express his thought and not the surface of it. What avails a storm cloud accurate in form and color if the storm is not therein?”
― Albert Pinkham Ryder. Anyway, thanks for all the good tips.
I don't know how I stumbled across your channel. But I do appreciate it. Thank you.
Happy you found me! And, glad you enjoyed it
Have watched this specific video several times now and every time I find it so helpful for seeing differently, assessing photos differently, painting differently. Thank you so much!
I have never heard this. The concept is wonderfully “eye opening”…. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
Oh my! how do you ever find time to keep up with all the comments and questions? Hello Ian, Cynthia Jackson here. I am very excited about watching you more and more, and learning from you! My little RUclips Channel has been sitting! I love your videos on Composition! And some time ago, before I moved, I enjoyed your Studio Tour! I am excited to get your books and immerse myself in them. Thank you for these awe inspiring tutorials! God Bless you!
HI Cynthia, delighted you enjoyed the video. And the books. My very best wishes.
I do love the way you explain and describe things... very reassuring and motivating! Thank you!
You're so welcome Juudy
Thank you so much! Very helpful. I have read both books, the Mastering Composition and the Authenticity, both are excellent!!!❤
Very glad you liked both of them. Also, thank you for watching!
I have always problems to focus myself on the simple forms. This video is very helpful. Thank you. 🙂
This was extremely helpful to me. I find simplifying really difficult and get frustrated when I still end up creating a painting that’s too photo realistic and doing nothing for either me or the viewer. Thanks for this, and I will look out for the book when it’s available again!
You're so welcome. Glad you found if helpful Alison
I'm a beginner artist, I'm really eager to learn but it's so hard to find good resources, the quality of the information is truly just unmatched. You've made this concept so easy to understand, and I'm so thankful!
Happy to help. So glad you enjoyed it
Superb explanations and examples. It's always so easy to get distracted and even perhaps overwhelmed by all the details in front of you. Simplification's importance can't be stated enough, I find.
I love Ian Robert's Creative Authenticity book! It helped me understand why I do what I do and to clarify what I want for myself with regards to creating art. It was also hugely helpful to clear up confusions while writing statements for MFA applications.
So happy CA was helpful Dorit. Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks for the excellent useful information mr Roberts, i believe that not even enough number of people tells these information. These information that you served has given us the main scheme in our mind for understanding the main structure for painting. We appreciate you ☺️, thanks in advance 🙏
I would love to be having a nap in a room adjacent to where you record this, I’ve said it before but your voice has such a nice texture I find it so relaxing
LOL. I need quiet to sleep, but I do understand what you mean. However, if Ian were teaching something in the next room while I was trying to nap, I would be straining my ear to hear and definitely would not fall asleep.😋
Funny. Glad you are enjoying the videos!
I'm in Spain and I too have been having problems getting hold of your book. Had it on order since March. 😊. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the videos. Thank you
I'm not that great at landscapes myself, but I do apply the same ideas in pen & ink drawing (and design in general); taking away details can be such a powerful tool in focusing the viewer on what you really want to emphasise, like light, expression and movement. One of my favourite techniques is introducing strong lights to portraits and letting detail melt into the dark shadows. People's brains are great at filling in the gaps!
thank you Ian Roberts! this is a great way to see and simplify reality.
Glad you liked it!
Very helpful as all your videos are. Thank you for doing this.
Glad you like them
Thank you so much for yet another great video with so much valuable information!
You are so welcome Maryann