Alternative Views and A Single Focus

I'm now offering 5 other fun ways to view my blog by typing the word "view" to the end of my URL. (http://www.studiozanne.blogspot.com/view/)

Next, if you click on the top right pull-down menu you'll find the alternate platforms to look through my blog. The first one I've featured here is called "Mosaic". Click here to check it out.

Speaking of alternative views...don't forget to stand back to look at your paintings (or your life) and get the big picture. If you focus in too closely the whole time you are painting, you'll find it warps your perspective and keeps you mired in the details...as it does in most all jobs/tasks. Go for a walk and come back into the room refreshed with a new pair of eyes.

Remember that your eyes can only focus on one thing at a time in any given scene...so this means that your paintings should only have one focus if you are wanting to reproduce life. If the light area is in focus, then the darks should be out of focus...and so on. It's a good practice to apply to your to-do list, too...if you focus on one thing at a time, you'll get much more done at the end of the day than if you stop and start several projects at once.

You may also want to look at your artwork upside down or in a mirror, as well. It helps you identify any mistakes that may be hidden due to the way we see what we believe is reality rather than looking and measuring for what is really accurate. The mirror makes you check your reality against what's actually going on.

Hope you're having a fun, creative weekend!