What makes a painting good?
We seem to instinctively know when we see a good painting. It keeps our attention. Even if we can’t define it, the painting seems to communicate and resonate. The subject or color might be very interesting, but if the design and composition is poor, it won’t be enough.
Good art brings order out of chaos. There are certain rules of how to capture people’s interest, just as there are rules of nature. We know, from studies, that our eyes are captured by certain things. We need repetition of similar shapes, lines, colors, temperature, and values. This is what brings the painting together (brings chaos into order). Anything that is a little different grabs our attention—an opposite color, a different type of shape or line, a strong contrast of light and dark. This becomes a point of focus.
Art has a major difference from nature in that art limits our view by the edges of the canvas or paper. Where something is placed in relationship to the edges is vital to getting our interest and moving our eye around the painting. Even something as simple as a gradient moves the eye from darker to lighter.
Stephen Sondheim is credited with saying, “Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.” This is why art is moving—why art can make us happy, energize us, calm us, remind us of important things, or motivate us. Some art actually goes beyond this, by redeeming things that seem unworthy of art. I have seen beautiful art created from cardboard, from old tires, and from washed up pieces of houses reclaimed by the sea. What weather and time have worked at breaking down (a form of chaos), art has reclaimed and used for purpose.
One more thought – if almost any object can be used to create art, then think of the ramifications for our lives. We don’t have to be beautiful in and of ourselves in order for God to use us for beautiful purposes. What God does with us is art!!