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      To review a couple of key points from last month's blog post, Figures in Still Life part 1 --- when I refer to a figure -- this encompasses any representation of a human or an animal. Anything with a face. Statues, photographs, dolls, illustrations, pottery designs, cartoons or even stick figure representations of a human or animal --- generally all of these are visual symbols that the viewer will, unconsciously or not, be on the lookout for and give extra attention to.

      In part one I talked about working with figurative images that are contained within the center of interest. As mentioned before, the best way to insure success is to have a plan. That's even more critical if you're thinking of that image being a supportive player in the composition and not the first place the viewer is supposed to look. In an arrangement of that nature, my plan is to have an area more visually compelling in contrast, color, form and edges to override that tendency humans have to gravitate toward anything resembling a living creature. Size and placement of the image will play a key role too. For example, a small figure with low value contrast and neutral chroma off in a corner is far less likely to be competing with the center of interest.

       Here are a few examples of figures I've placed in compositions with the intention of them being a secondary focal point or playing  a more minor role in the arrangement. In all of these, the figurative image definitely adds to to composition, but is not an essential part of the composition. In other words, I'm able to envision the painting still working fairly well without them. 

In the painting above, the placement is helpful in keeping the figure subdued. Being further back in the picture plane, partially obscured and not as out in the light --all are helpful in lowering the contrast. Less contrast, in turn, provides plausible opportunities for softer edges.

Again, the contrast is much lower in this image of a heron and the neutral colors make for a relatively quiet area in comparison to the intensity of the red bowl and black vase. One thing I try to avoid, since it always feels odd to me, is having a figure close to an edge that's facing out of the picture plane. I feel like there's a strong tendency to want to follow the figure's gaze, and I don't want the attention going out of the painting. Because of that I'll usually place some sort of interruption (in this case a red ribbon hanging off to the left) to catch the viewer's attention and lead them back into the composition.  

This composition was a bit more challenging to pull off. The figure is a part of the background and I've included a photo of the tray I had propped up behind the objects. I say challenging because even though the dress is basically just a large, flat abstract shape, it could hardly be a more attention-getting color. If the white teapot didn't have a convincing feeling of  light and form along with strong contrast up against the black vase, I think it would have been very easy to have competing focal points in this composition. I can recall working with the background image a lot, simplifying and playing things down until I achieved the effect I was after. The design on the tray is a reproduction of a famous Steinlen illustration. 

      Last but not least are the unintentional figures we put in our paintings, and I assume that's something that happens to everyone if they paint long enough. Most of the inadvertent figures that have shown up in my work have been spotted by people who weren't painters. One of the best stories (alarming at the time but funny in the rearview mirror) occurred a number of years ago when I invited a non-painter friend to come over to the studio and view a body of work I was accumulating for a show. I knew something wasn't quite right when her immediate reaction was -- "Oh, you're putting animals in your paintings!" 

Me -- "Animals?"

---"Yes, there's a crow!"

Me-- "A crow???" 

      Even after she pointed it out it still took me a while to clearly see what she was referring to. In the painting was a black teapot and sure enough, at the very end of the spout was the most perfect little crow's head you ever saw-- right down to the glint of its beady eye. If I had been attempting to paint a crow's head it wouldn't have come out that well. Sadly, I corrected it without taking a photo first --moving the highlight and changing the tip of the spout to look less like a beak. Without a doubt there have been other unintentional figures that have made their appearance in my work over the years.  I always hope to catch the most glaring examples, but given the difficulties of being objective about one's own creative efforts, I've also had to make peace with the idea that several have inevitably escaped my studio.

P.S. ---- Before I sign off I want to address a question that came in about copyright issues. I'm not an expert on law by any means but I have Googled the topic to be as sure as I can that I'm not inadvertently crossing any lines, either in my use of teaching materials or images in my artwork. Please feel free to do your own research, but here is how I try to respectfully approach this issue as regards to objects in my paintings. Most of the reproductions I'm drawn to paint are very classic designs that were created and published decades or centuries ago. They are now a part of what is called 'public domain' and any copyright protections, if they ever existed, have long since expired. As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. In the case of fairly recent works that fall into that category, the guidelines for avoiding copyright infringement are kind of squishy, so I make sure I alter the image considerably if I do decide to use any part of them as a reference in my paintings. 

    This month's blog topic is about something I have a lot of fun with from time to time --depicting images of figures in a still life. Let me first clarify this by saying these aren't strictly human images I'm talking about, and often they are interpretations of figures, so not necessarily realistic. Dolls, statues and figurines, even a cartoon representation, a card or print, part of a tapestry or a design on a piece of pottery -- all will draw someone's eye in a way that most nonfigurative objects will not. In addition to the fun drawing challenges they present, composing with these images can also provide unusual compositional possibilities.

    Think of  how often people will spot a human or animal shape in something with relatively random patterns, like clouds. This is a clue to how closely we identify with these sorts of images and how solidly they are embedded in our brains. Because people will almost always find a figure in a painting (whether intentional or not --more on that later) this can present the artist with alternative parameters as far as what they can get away with compositionally. If you want the figure to be a part the center of interest then your job is made easier. On the other hand, creating an arrangement with a figure that is not included in the center of interest will present itself with more of a challenge. Equally or more difficult is composing with a lot of figures such as dolls, where the objects are similar but not all of them a part of the center of interest. In any event --the solution is the same and that is to have a plan. This is something I emphasize all of the time anyway, but with a figure or something with a face, it's going to be more important than ever. A good place to start though, will be working with just one figure in a composition where you know you want it to be in your center of attention.

      Recognizable silhouettes and features will help build a strong design and generally translate well into paint. These elements are very compelling visually and can go a long way toward capturing the viewer's eye. If the figure is taking up a fair amount of space in the picture plane, chances are just those visual elements will be enough to carry the painting, but it never hurts to hedge your bets. By studying the way purely abstract areas can draw our attention, it's possible to create an even stronger design if the painting calls for it. For example, I might plan objects nearby or behind a figure that I can visualize playing down, depending on how the situation with the figure is working out, so that there's a plan for how to pull off the painting and make sure the concept I'm aiming for stays within reach.

      Here are  a few examples of paintings where a figure has intentionally been composed within the center of interest. 

In the painting above, the Japanese doll occupies a central area of the picture plane. In addition, the detail and contrast of her face makes for a compelling focal point. Had I placed more attention on the bouquet of flowers in the upper right, that could potentially have created a diversion, but having such a compelling figurative object for the center of interest made this composition a safer one to pull off.

    While it's never my objective to rely heavily on subject matter alone to spark an emotional connection to the viewer, human and animal images in all of their various forms can certainly add some creative opportunities for interesting compositions. In next month's blog I'll give additional ideas for composing with figures, and tips for dealing with figurative images that aren't directly within the center of interest.