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Do you notice things that other people overlook? I suppose we all have days when we are too busy to "stop and smell the roses," but when you do take the time, do you notice the little things?

I received a miniature bouquet of flowers from a thoughtful friend last week. After just one glance I could recount to you the size of the arrangement, color of the flowers, and the fact that a little mylar "congratulations" balloon was attached.

But unless I later took the time to examine the gift more closely (which I did), I would not have looked beyond the large central chrysanthemum and noticed the little purple daisies and white carnations hidden among all the smaller mums, each with unique and perfectly formed petals. Nor would I have paid attention to the tiny yellow filler flowers along with the perfect backdrop of lush greenery (which I later identified as Italian Ruscus).

Taking time to examine the details made me appreciate the gift - and the giver - even more.

"To see takes time."

~Georgia O'Keeffe

 

A representational artist must learn to see.

"Our mind is not a camera. Seeing is not a passive act. We see what we expect to see, or, as Anaïs Nin put it so beautifully: 'We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.'" ~excerpted from Learning to See

Keith Bond writes: "Don't let preconceived ideas get in the way. Study the subject. Work at seeing. Observe intently. Forget what you know or think you know and truly observe. Only then can you see it...
"When you begin to see things as they really are, not as you 'know' they are, your work will become more believable."

When I started working on my painting (top of page) To Have and to Hold, I was immediately presented with the challenge of capturing the directional look of adoration in Taylor's eyes. I knew I'd have to pay close attention to the shapes and values that made up her eyes, particularly the eye closest to the viewer.

It was difficult to ascertain the minutiae in my photograph so I zoomed in and did some editing (above). I reduced the contrast until I had a better idea of what was going on in the darkest areas - specifically the inner corner of her left eye.

"The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real."

~Lucian Freud

 

An artist pays attention to details that others may overlook.

Details matter! Take your time and use whatever tools you have at your disposal, whether technical (like the editing app I used on my phone) or physical (like a ruler), to get the shapes right. It will go a long way in making your subject believable.

Paint. Love. Repeat.