Will your picture send the right message?

I had a conversation the other day with a complete stranger. An 80-something year old woman. The two of us rambled on about knitting (a hobby I recently picked up) and art, and she said something that's had me thinking for days. "When you are doing anything, you must have a vision. You must have a plan for the finished product or you will end up lost in the process."

This is something I have heard over and over, and I am sure you have, too. But how many of us follow it? If you have been studying art for any amount of time I'm sure you understand that the plan you had and the finished product are most often different. Sometimes because you changed your mind, or what you wanted just didn't look right when implemented. However, there are a few "golden rules" you need to decide on before you begin your painting (or whatever your chosen media is). One of the most important things to decide is lighting. Lighting set the mood for your painting and without it, your art may not convey much of a message.

The same piece with lighting from above would look very different when lighted from below or behind. Two source of light can create great effects. Think logically about lighting before you begin your art, and you will be much happier with your results.

Of course I wont leave you high and dry, here is a link to a lighting tutorial to get those creative juices flowing. Click here.