Drawing lessons - illustrated lesson notes for teachers and students

A study of the effects of depth of field

Ahh... you say - and why not! But don't you find the blurring unsettling? The artist would have.

This particular painting is huge and designed as a feast or as a complete visual experience. I am merely toying

with the work and I hereby apologise to the master for doing so. Today we may find no magic in multi-focused

paintings but the lessons in design and emphasis are worth considering. The example in the abstract lesson is

essentially a similar manipulation. Note: the artist painted so well that the dwarfed figure in the foreground has

recently been diagnosed as a victim of congenital syphilis.

STUDENT ACTIVITY: There is a painting to be made by focusing on the girl directly behind the dog as her

head and body in this composition is located on a diagonal and in a premier design position. Find a copy of this

painting and try it (see lesson on design and proportion for hints).

GO TO ... abstract

...or back to main lesson

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