How to Simplify - Or, what do I do with all those details?

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

In this video, I share some of my drawings from my 30-Day Drawing Challenge, and I explain how I go about simplifying the detailed world around me in my drawings.
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Пікірлер: 781

  • @user-pb2kg1ng4g
    @user-pb2kg1ng4g2 жыл бұрын

    In relation to magazine/poster design, that also is applied here, an art teacher said to us, "In your mind's eye, 'shake the page'". That way, what is less relevant falls away and is a 'cure' for detail mania and the curse of perfectionism and to some degree the final image is less distracting for the viewer. And, as two other art teachers said, 'See each painting as an exercise'; that way your approach is less precious. Also, 'A painting is never finished'. We have to know when to walk away. There comes a point where we must not add any more, otherwise, like a good party, everything starts to go down hill pretty fast. The viewers mind can fill in what is 'unfinished'.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    That I think is the gist of it - that you let the viewer fill in the rest. Give them a role in the process. Good point

  • @bethbartlett5692

    @bethbartlett5692

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I'm looking through your videos for one with Cypress Trees, those found in the Delta, that grow in water, "Think Louisana with the moss hang on branches". This is a subject I want to capture a technique that offers a realistic outcome. They are already a bit funky, with their stumps and unique style. Oh I would so appreciate finding your instruction on these. Thank you, Beth Tennessee, USA (about 2 miles from the Mississippi River, where we have Reelfoot Lake and many Cypress Trees, and swampy creatures + the Bald Eagle, our Nations Symbol.) 🐢🐍🐟

  • @houghwhite411

    @houghwhite411

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wow i also heard that particular advice for fiction writing. Thank you

  • @miralaartist1916

    @miralaartist1916

    2 жыл бұрын

    Love that. Thanks for sharing.

  • @jamieluce5960

    @jamieluce5960

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you ,it helps so much to have these little kernels of information.

  • @ruthward9626
    @ruthward96262 жыл бұрын

    As someone who regularly gets bogged down in all the details of a scene, I found your tutorial very helpful. Thank you

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome Ruth. All the best

  • @user-pb2kg1ng4g
    @user-pb2kg1ng4g2 жыл бұрын

    6:03 As in theatre you do not need to see what's going on in the wings. If you do see what's happening in the wings the power of what's happening is diminished. Imagine, if you will, seeing a cabbage being chopped in two - whilst on stage there is an exections in progress - you would probably laugh. Whereas, if you are unaware of the true source of the sound, relating to what's happening, you recoil empathizing with what's happening - your imagination doing most of the work. Or, as in writing, 'show don't tell'. Likewise here, albeit in milder form, we see the light crossing the floor; we do not need to see its obvious source and the the main focus is on the point of interest - the two women interacting. I think Ian Roberts' teaching methods are second to none and truly inspirational.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much. And I like your analogy with the big cabbage chop off stage. All the best.

  • @ellathrad
    @ellathrad2 жыл бұрын

    It's interesting how the stroke directions and overlaps are kinda giving the illusion of detail in the drawings. You have the best lessons ever, it's encouraging me to leave digital for a while to work with actual paint.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for that. Glad you found it helpful.

  • @00blackmage00
    @00blackmage002 жыл бұрын

    I don't often draw because I get overwhelmed and easily get lost in the details, losing sight of the whole. I think I'll give it a try using this method! Thank you for your video

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're so welcome. Enjoy the process and have fun with it

  • @monib6819
    @monib68192 жыл бұрын

    You are THE best at explaining and demonstrating concepts of composition. I've been successfully teaching art for 40 years and still find your direct approach inspiring and useful! THANK YOU!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much Moni!

  • @mariakingsley1966
    @mariakingsley19662 жыл бұрын

    If you love these tutorials, you will simply adore taking his classes. My way of thinking and approach to painting has totally changed for the better. Few, and I mean few, artists teach the fundamentals. With this painter (part-time teacher) I am filling in huge knowledge gaps. Next time he offers an online class, don't miss it. I'm not a paid spokesperson nor affiliated with Ian Roberts, but happy to recommend his classes and approach to painting.✌🖌

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for those kind words Maria. So glad you are liking the course so much. It means a lot

  • @robbedontuesday
    @robbedontuesday Жыл бұрын

    This is a whole LIFE LESSON, not just Art.

  • @MicahBuzanANIMATION
    @MicahBuzanANIMATION2 жыл бұрын

    It's interesting how simplifying details tends to make the picture look more cinematic.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    It also lets the viewer fill in the rest.

  • @Donteatacowman
    @Donteatacowman2 жыл бұрын

    Using a photo reference, I've actually gone in to edit it to crop it and then to edit it to be very pixellated and blurry. I know that's not as good as training your eyes to see things that way but it at least helps me start off on the right foot. I got into art by wanting to be a cartoonist as a kid, and it's really incredible how much the skills in one art area can help you learn faster in another. Cartooning would say: Pay attention to what draws the eye and lay everything out accordingly; consider silhouettes; imposing limits (eg limited palette, only putting detail in certain parts to avoid clutter) can make the piece stronger; etc. It's also where beginners tend to draw from imagination more than real life, so the difficulty is learning that you can and SHOULD pay attention to details and learn to draw from life. So for 6:29, I would probably be thinking most in terms of the body language of the waitresses and how to exaggerate them to amplify the mood I wanted to achieve - what style to choose and how extreme to lean into it. I would start by blocking out the major set pieces of the windows, tables, and the chair, then spend a lot of time on the women. For example, lifting up the arm of the one on the right so that you can more easily see that she's carrying a tray, which would be contrasted to the window in the back. Only after I figured out all that would I go in and do the color for the background and only work on as many details as would look good. I would probably keep the brick. I think what I would be emphasizing in that picture is the "rustic" vibe given by the pew-style seat, the old wooden chairs, the texture of the brick, and it's enhanced with the warmth already present in the photo. Keeping the wood on the ground may be a good contrast for where the light hits it, where you can't see individual planks. But when I say I keep those, I mean that I would add just enough to hint at those textures, not that I would draw out each individual plank of wood or brick. Some very sturdy set pieces to contrast against the light, breezy feeling of the conversation between the women, the thin brights of their clothes, the transparency of the glass (I would keep one or two on the table, might place them elsewhere though), and the way the light curves around the wood, the left woman's smile, and the right woman's hair. I don't paint often - most of what I do lately is with gouache, since I don't have access to oil right now - but I really value (lol) these tips. Subscribing now!

  • @SGTsiete
    @SGTsiete Жыл бұрын

    I love the way he goes over: "So we have this and that and some of those." And slowly lists off all the unimportant objects. The contrast between that and his expert simplification makes it feel almost palpable. It illustrates the getting bogged down feeling in a charming way.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much. Very glad you like my teaching style

  • @smasica
    @smasica2 жыл бұрын

    Many painters are sometimes 'thing' oriented. In other words, they are attracted to stuff, like picturesque sunrises/sunsets, streams, waterfalls, horses, etc., cliche type subjects. The thought is that it will make an attractive painting. It may be attention-getting, but structurally it may not work without some serious adjustments. In my own experience early on, I subconsciously felt obligated to include everything I saw in a scene. I think that's true for a lot of painters. I appreciate how you used a drawing/diagram of how a good painting is actually constructed from the ground up. No amount of decoration or festoonery will save a badly constructed painting.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Well said. Glad you enjoyed it and got something out of it

  • @KpxUrz5745
    @KpxUrz57453 ай бұрын

    There is some good material here about cropping, values, simplification, and such. But for me, the most important things relate to "content". In other words, the rationale for choosing otherwise rather humdrum subject matter in the first place. It cannot be to just make a picture of anything and everything. There has to be some personal relationship to subject matter, which likely will even greatly impact the way it is selected, focused, and treated. The best impressionists, for example, had a way of creating incredibly well-composed scenes. Many of Monet's landscapes (well, actually all of his paintings) are so brilliantly and perfectly composed that they seem miraculous. And this is to say nothing about his unattainably genius ways of creating painterly light through his color choices and juxtapositions.

  • @sarahhill3073
    @sarahhill30732 жыл бұрын

    I’ve missed my weekly Ian fix. Lovely to get this post and reminder of what I should be aiming for.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much Sarah!

  • @jeaninestark2731
    @jeaninestark27312 жыл бұрын

    I see the importance of drawing ,drawing,simplify. Thank you , I struggle w this all the time.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful Jeanine. It is a really common struggle

  • @shibaos
    @shibaos2 жыл бұрын

    This is incredible, I always find myself getting trapped by details and then I overwhelm myself.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    It is a very common issue. Glad you liked the video

  • @Ikaros23

    @Ikaros23

    Жыл бұрын

    Art is like math. The point is not to make things complex, but to make things simple. The hight of sofistication is simplicity, not complexity. That hard part is to emotionaly learn to accept that your work is " imperfect". And is never going to be like in your head. Or 100% like " the real world".

  • @sallyfinch540
    @sallyfinch5402 жыл бұрын

    CREATIVE AUTHENTICITY - Great book! I just got through reading it, and it is a treasure. I will keep re-reading it and feeding on it through my artistic days. Thank you Ian. Your video is right on. It can be said that the structure and values alone can make a painting, much like your sketches. Details not needed. That’s huge. That’s the gateway to getting there without getting lost in all the other stuff.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful! Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know how much you enjoyed Creative Authenticity. It is something you can use for your entire artistic days.

  • @lantanalanta1709
    @lantanalanta17092 жыл бұрын

    You have the best lessons about simplification in art. Without simplification paintings are messy. Thank you! I love Eduard Vuillard for his great simplification.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much!

  • @stephenjamison6124
    @stephenjamison61242 жыл бұрын

    I’ve had a difficult week so the few minutes of calm watching your video has been an oasis of peace. Thank you Ian , I deeply appreciate your efforts

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    That is very kind of you to say. Glad my videos helped you today. All the best to you Stephen

  • @RonHicks
    @RonHicks Жыл бұрын

    I'm a cartoonist and two things I've learned over the years. In cartooning "it's what you don't draw" and cartoonist spend a lot of time drawing as little as possible😀

  • @sassy6292
    @sassy6292 Жыл бұрын

    Ok so this is weird…3 minutes in I had to pause the video. I was so impressed with the brilliant breakdown of the mechanics of drawing AND at the same time I was taking my first couple of sips of a fresh cup of coffee when this feeling of euphoria washed over me. I have these episodes now and then but I never just stop and enjoy the moment. I say I will but I don’t. I did this time. And now I’m documenting it. This tutorial is just what I needed. I’m an artist and I have done my fair share of drawings but this has changed my outlook and attitude. Somehow, and, by what seems to be magic, a picture emerges from my canvas and it’s not at all too shabby. I always wonder if the canvas is haunted! Maybe I have an innate ability to do what you have just so wonderfully described? I don’t know, but my next project may just be by me and not by the canvas ghosts or fairies. Thank you 🙏

  • @annwilson6333
    @annwilson63332 жыл бұрын

    I bought your book, Creative Authenticity, and gave it to myself for Christmas. I sat in front of the fire in my leather wingback and read it cover to cover in one session. Since then I've been using it as a meditation book, reading random paragraphs and marking up sections that speak to me. I cannot thank you enough for writing this book. Your section on Van Gogh was particularly meaningful as it gave me permission to validate my own thoughts about certain revered artists regardless of common opinion. I highly recommend this book and I will be ordering your other book soon.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Ann, I'm really happy the book resonated with you. Thanks so much for letting me know. All the best

  • @mylesjordan9970
    @mylesjordan9970 Жыл бұрын

    What you’ve done with your analysis-in-layers is a pretty exact analogy to what Heinrich Schenker did by inventing the graphic analysis of music. Very cool.

  • @Crtnmn
    @Crtnmn Жыл бұрын

    Are we talking Life or Painting?

  • @lyceum4177
    @lyceum41772 жыл бұрын

    I LOVE your 2 waitresses painting! You're just a treasure. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome!

  • @jeffmoodie6144
    @jeffmoodie61445 ай бұрын

    I just picked my brushes and paint up after over a year away. The very first little study, the large hill and houses behind us, was so busy that I did exactly this but didn’t draw it out first, I was overcome with all the details that I had to pare them down. Those details I would have fussed over previously. One house, main trees and shapes cropped with to exclude extra details which turned into a basic under painting similar in scope to a pre paint drawing. This video basically supports my process that I stumbled into just due to what I thought may have been a little laziness. It’s not lazy, just efficient and effective planning.

  • @kofeiNn
    @kofeiNn Жыл бұрын

    Often when I'm about to paint, I'm starting to focus too much on details, that eventually leave me wondering ,,how am I gonna draw this??". That always makes me immediately discouraged to continue drawing, so I found this video very helpful. Thank you!

  • @jerryhunter1114
    @jerryhunter1114 Жыл бұрын

    As a fatigued artist straddling the fence between traditional drawing/painting and the digital and 3D era, this video is an authentic oasis. A return to basic principles in the midst of a very hectic art industry. Thank you.

  • @skinnygirlBwatchinU
    @skinnygirlBwatchinU2 жыл бұрын

    This is the first time in my entire life that i subscribe to someone 2 minutes into my first video from them. Usually i have to watch a few to be sure they are good, but not this time. Your instructions are direct to the point, well-thought out, simple but still informative. And you are actually teaching HOW to crop and simplify rather than repeating what every teacher says! I appreciate that the intro is short, the audio is clear, and there is no music to clutter my ears. i will definitely keep an eye out for your book and watch the rest of the videos. Thank you!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Shantelly, so delighted you enjoyed the video and subscribed. I also can't stand tinkling music in the background. All the very best.

  • @cityofangy
    @cityofangy Жыл бұрын

    Extremely helpful! As a new painter, I often feel overwhelmed by details. How to simplify is what I have been trying to grasp. Your video hits it nicely.

  • @christineanderson4755
    @christineanderson4755 Жыл бұрын

    This was fascinating. I used to paint, as my one and only hobby and people liked my work. I’m coming back to painting after a stroke. Your approach has given me much to think about. Thank you.

  • @phyllisalden9983
    @phyllisalden9983 Жыл бұрын

    Have watched this specific video several times now and every time I find it so helpful for seeing differently, assessing photos differently, painting differently. Thank you so much!

  • @alexbork8896
    @alexbork88962 ай бұрын

    I have always problems to focus myself on the simple forms. This video is very helpful. Thank you. 🙂

  • @twicen777
    @twicen7772 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this. I love your tutorials. Perfect pace, brilliantly explained and you've a great voice to listen to. Pleasurable and helpful. 🙏

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much Jules!

  • @garysimkins2179
    @garysimkins217910 ай бұрын

    I cannot emphasize enough the value of your content and how much it has helped me fine tune my way of seeing. I live in Toronto, and drive to the country a great deal having boarded a horse north of the city. I recently bought a full French Easel because I want to experience working outside of my studio. You have in other videos provided a wealth of tips on how to start the plein air process, and I thank you for that. I am starting a three week holiday, it is mid July and I am so looking forward to doing some oil sketches. In closing I want to add just how much I love your work. Thanks again.

  • @stefanstern3542
    @stefanstern35427 ай бұрын

    Extremely essential video lesson. We are grateful!!! I recommend stopping the video at each photo. Then thinking: how would I do this? Then moving on to the next piece of the video, where you see how the drawing deals with it. And again: look at each detail of a photo. How would you do it? Then move to the drawing. It's a bit though, perhaps? - But I begin to understand: we'll have to do a bit of serious detail work... - before we all get to be happy geniuses!

  • @skiedev
    @skiedev2 жыл бұрын

    I love paintings that use the simple shapes and structures of objects or landscapes, something about the rectangle strokes and roughness without too much detail that's just enough to understand what it is

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much

  • @raerae6422
    @raerae64228 ай бұрын

    I allow myself to get overwhelmed too easily and it often stops me from sketching or painting entirely. A gigantic THANKS to you. This was just the advice i needed. I can definitely see how cropping and simplification gives us clarity, which makes colour, brushwork, details, etc come easier later.

  • @playalot86
    @playalot86 Жыл бұрын

    It's so nice to see a master teach his students what I tried to teach my fellow students in college; what I had learned from studying mother nature and the old masters. I tried to save them from the S$%#@% abstract contemporary teachers that told them not to paint in a traditional realist style because they said... "it's too obvious", or, "where's the story?"... God bless you good sir, and I love your work.

  • @apianarosa
    @apianarosa2 жыл бұрын

    So good to see you. Now I'll go out to take some pictures and then I'll try to compose the masses.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great. Enjoy the process and have fun

  • @GentleTaipan
    @GentleTaipan Жыл бұрын

    I cheat, by squinting and making everything in my vision physically blurry haha! Thank you for the more structured approach.

  • @DesertDawn
    @DesertDawn2 ай бұрын

    Great information! THANK YOU!

  • @ginam3379
    @ginam3379 Жыл бұрын

    I am a “mature” graphic design enrolled in university art courses, and currently in a painting class. This is VERY helpful! As are all your videos, actually. Thanks!

  • @DetoNaGamerscom
    @DetoNaGamerscom2 жыл бұрын

    Now I understand why I was much better at drawing when I was a kid. I wasn't bothered by trivial details like today.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great. The hard part is keeping that into adulthood

  • @sebastianm.6669
    @sebastianm.6669 Жыл бұрын

    its also an amazing strength of handmade art where you're not bound by reality like in photography where you can only depict what is "real". although nowadays you can argue that with photoshop you can alter images easily, but that wouldnt be the "purest" form of photography

  • @Silkz0jet
    @Silkz0jet Жыл бұрын

    There is so much vital information involved in creating art. I love your tutorials, Ian; they are highly informative, incredibly inspirational and very much appreciated. ☺☺☺

  • @neazenzen372
    @neazenzen372 Жыл бұрын

    You have such useful videos! Thank you from one artist to another ❤

  • @mamahamda906
    @mamahamda906 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Ian. Your videos are eye opening, simple and answer the needs of many of us. Please keep up the good videos.

  • @Strumtreppen
    @Strumtreppen Жыл бұрын

    These videos have been really helpful. I don't paint but the concepts you go over have helped my digital art.

  • @craigseaborn4222
    @craigseaborn42222 жыл бұрын

    Hi Ian , can't thank you enough for continuing to teach these principles of composition. Thanks Craig

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you like them!

  • @sergey_english_usa
    @sergey_english_usa Жыл бұрын

    Just wanted to say how I appreciate what you taught me here. Thank you, Ian!

  • @lindakim9172
    @lindakim9172 Жыл бұрын

    This was so helpful. Especially the part about making vertical and horizontal strokes based on the grain of what we are drawing.

  • @gaylemartin6498
    @gaylemartin64982 жыл бұрын

    Good to see you, Ian. Good refresher from your class. Thank you for posting. Take care. g

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Nice to hear from you Gayle. Hope you're doing well and thanks for watching. All the best

  • @gaylemartin6498

    @gaylemartin6498

    2 жыл бұрын

    Got any more of those boxes of pencils you want to sell?

  • @soteroElias-mi6vy
    @soteroElias-mi6vy Жыл бұрын

    I stopped washing my dishes to watch this ...yes I'm an artist Thankyou

  • @tmikeporter
    @tmikeporter Жыл бұрын

    just ordered the book...I am a watercolor painter...and watch your videos with intense interest that there is something in them for me.

  • @ZeldaNerd137
    @ZeldaNerd1379 ай бұрын

    I always struggle so much with focusing on the details and get, quite literally, “stuck in the weeds.” This was very helpful at getting me to look at the bigger (or smaller I suppose) picture and to look at my subjects differently, thank you!

  • @crackedhatchet
    @crackedhatchet Жыл бұрын

    I haven’t heard this from any of my professors before, this is incredible!!

  • @rzk1327
    @rzk1327 Жыл бұрын

    I'm not that great at landscapes myself, but I do apply the same ideas in pen & ink drawing (and design in general); taking away details can be such a powerful tool in focusing the viewer on what you really want to emphasise, like light, expression and movement. One of my favourite techniques is introducing strong lights to portraits and letting detail melt into the dark shadows. People's brains are great at filling in the gaps!

  • @Penslinger
    @Penslinger Жыл бұрын

    This was so full of insightful things to learn. I can't believe this short lesson is free.

  • @dulcieogilvie5786
    @dulcieogilvie57865 ай бұрын

    This makes so much sense to me now!!!!

  • @tuhockinhdich
    @tuhockinhdich5 ай бұрын

    I feel lucky to find out your channel. Thank you so much!!!! Happy new year from Vietnam.

  • @anahata2009
    @anahata2009 Жыл бұрын

    This was beautifully explained. You not only have admirable artistic ability, but impressive pedagogical skill, as well. I appreciated the clear and concise explanation at the beginning, and the relevant examples you provided without a lot of chatter. For me, this was 12 minutes very well spent. Thank you!

  • @Emberbernal
    @Emberbernal Жыл бұрын

    This was the best video to watch. I have an eye and mind for detail, this video did get at explaining how to broaden the scope and make looking at the design less overwhelming. Thank you 😊

  • @troygoggans5495
    @troygoggans5495 Жыл бұрын

    This was a very timely instruct for me. I had been wrestling with a photo that had tons of detail but no matter what I did it never looked balanced or real. I was really frustrated until I started to erasing some of the details to redraw them but I noticed the drawing looked better. So I concentrated on one structure even though it was not dead center of the photo or drawing. This added so much depth and layers to the drawing that I eliminated some more of the small details and that improved the message as well. To say I was shocked is an understatement yes it was not a true copy of the photo but now the drawing conveyed the same message as the photo. Then to watch your video this morning and it’s subject valid what I was seeing. I have not shown it to my number one critic, my wife, to sees if she what she thinks. Thanks again.

  • @alphaomega6684
    @alphaomega66842 жыл бұрын

    Once more, I love your clear example and lucid explanations. This video has inspired me to do my own 30 day composition challenge. Thank you and always happy to see another video from you.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful! Enjoy the process and have fun with it

  • @KierHack
    @KierHack Жыл бұрын

    Since starting digital painting, I’ve noticed that I’ve been getting super caught up with zooming in and adding way too much detail. This video set me straight! Thanks

  • @borleyboo5613
    @borleyboo561310 ай бұрын

    I’m a complete beginner regarding drawing and watercolour and I found this extremely helpful. I do get overwhelmed by detail and then my drawing or painting turns into an unholy mess. I shall put these tips into practice as of now. Thank you and I have subscribed.

  • @eddielindaa
    @eddielindaa26 күн бұрын

    U are a true master of teaching painting. Thank you.

  • @BornAgainFarmGirl
    @BornAgainFarmGirl Жыл бұрын

    Finally, a video or person to explain logically why I need to do a study or sketch before I paint something. Now I can finally relate to this because I do struggle with being too picky in my painting, I guess someone just needed to speak to me on what would really impact me and make me do that change to make my art better I’m grateful for that. Thank you very much, sir.

  • @luistello1971
    @luistello1971 Жыл бұрын

    Well done sir for explaining something I had issues understanding my whole life. I am looking forward to reading your book.

  • @mishelly
    @mishelly2 жыл бұрын

    This was so incredibly helpful! Thank you!!! I can’t wait to take this into practice! I get so overwhelmed by the subject it seems simple enough till I start drawing then I notice more and more details as I focus on it and then find I’m swamped!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're so welcome!

  • @cryborgm.7260
    @cryborgm.72602 жыл бұрын

    I’ve been needing this explained, you did this very well! Thank you. I’ve always been intimidated by attempting to landscape/scene painting due to my lack of confidence in drawing landscapes. I’m definitely going to use your tips to begin to work on those skills!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You can do it!

  • @theprior46
    @theprior46 Жыл бұрын

    Really good tutorial that gets down to the nitty gritty of what to discard. I don't wish to sound pessimistic but I have real difficulty in filtering out what is the important and what is the stuff you can drop off. Being more oriented towards sound rather than vision I find this sorting visually as difficult as when training to play a piece of music when a tutor asks "What is the main message here that we are trying to get across?" and I say "I really haven't a clue - the input has as many different interpretations and reactions as there are people observing it or listening to it". For those who naturally notice such things it's easy - but for those who don't it's nigh on impossible.

  • @imc440
    @imc4402 жыл бұрын

    I’d only recently taken up sketching (I’m working my way up to painting) and stumbled onto something like this method. While I could use some of these tips on cropping, I say that focusing on the bigger lines is the difference between me knowing I couldn’t draw for 40 years, and being able to make pencil scratches look more or less like the scene they are portraying. It’s incredibly helpful

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great to hear!

  • @DarrylTalks
    @DarrylTalks Жыл бұрын

    I used to do some pencil drawings, like in this video, I should get back to doing some more. I could watch dozens of videos like this. I tend to get stuck in the details, I liked the simplification of the scene.

  • @redjones8010
    @redjones801011 ай бұрын

    Superb explanations and examples. It's always so easy to get distracted and even perhaps overwhelmed by all the details in front of you. Simplification's importance can't be stated enough, I find.

  • @thomasgariepy6396
    @thomasgariepy63962 жыл бұрын

    Wow! This was just the lesson I have been looking for. Whenever I have tried to draw any sort of natural scene I get so overwhelmed with details and end up with a messy/muddy image. This brings a lot of clarity to how you can simplify and condense all of that information into the image. Thank you so much!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome Thomas. Delighted you think so

  • @HasanEtr
    @HasanEtr Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the excellent useful information mr Roberts, i believe that not even enough number of people tells these information. These information that you served has given us the main scheme in our mind for understanding the main structure for painting. We appreciate you ☺️, thanks in advance 🙏

  • @paolazorrilla298
    @paolazorrilla2982 жыл бұрын

    I've been looking for a video that explains this, and I am so grateful I found this gift you've created! Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us! I've learned SO much in 15 minutes! Thank you thank you! I hope you keep creating these videos, because they're so great!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome Paola. Delighted you found it helpful.

  • @elizabethpeterson9914
    @elizabethpeterson99142 жыл бұрын

    Just recently discovered your videos and find them so, so helpful! I've taken so many painting classes and never really understood very well how to tell what were good compositional elements and what were bad. I'd have an instructor say, "change the shape of this mountain, it doesn't work for your composition" but not be able to tell my why. Your videos are finally helping me to understand the why. Thank you, thank you!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome. Thank you for commenting this Elizabeth

  • @guizachristiane4824
    @guizachristiane48242 жыл бұрын

    I do hope my fighting with details will now have an end 💝💝💝 thank you for your art videos. The best I have ever seen...🥰🥰🥰👍have a great day....habe a great time. Wishes from Germany. Christiane

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome. Enjoy the process and have fun with it Christiane

  • @kriscontinuum3267
    @kriscontinuum32672 жыл бұрын

    Your diagram is almost a map to every creative endeavor. I was thinking about how it can help with my screenwriting to eliminate excessive details that can weigh down a narrative.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    That's a good point Kris

  • @klemlao5463
    @klemlao54632 жыл бұрын

    We've missed you!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching!

  • @julieburke1579
    @julieburke15792 жыл бұрын

    So very, very helpful as always Ian. Every single one of your videos is spot on and clear. I LOVE Creative Authenticity! I've read it cover to cover twice and still refer back to it and have given several as gifts. It's a treasure! Thank you for all that you share with us!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Julie, delighted you are enjoying the videos and CA as well. And thank you for giving it as a gift. That book just keeps selling through word of mouth. With best wishes.

  • @alicegriffin4375
    @alicegriffin43752 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Ian, I needed that lol. As always you have taken something very complicated and distilled it down to the essentials. Thank you for your masterful and generous teaching.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful Alice

  • @cristysmiley4508
    @cristysmiley4508 Жыл бұрын

    Thank very much for your tutorial, I love it.

  • @lifenote1943
    @lifenote1943 Жыл бұрын

    thanks old man, your voice really helped me out with anxiety.

  • @rosascreativeworks5403
    @rosascreativeworks54032 жыл бұрын

    Simplification. Yup, I probably need to do more. Mainly I use it where I don't think the viewer's eye is going to spend time, or shouldn't spend time.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes, that is very common

  • @gentleyogaforanybody1520
    @gentleyogaforanybody15202 жыл бұрын

    It's amazing how you find the beauty in the mundane. VERY inspiring! Thanks, Ian.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it

  • @thusspokezarathustra
    @thusspokezarathustra Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful summary into how to approach any complex subject matter - simplify mass, remove unnecessary detail, focus on composition and the movement within the composition. Excellent advise.

  • @elysehubbard8321
    @elysehubbard83212 жыл бұрын

    You make it seem so simple! Thank you for explaining your thought process

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are so welcome!

  • @CPI99
    @CPI992 жыл бұрын

    Your video came at the right time! I just started making album covers and I really need help on composition. I’m so used to being stuck in a sketchbook and giving as many details as I want to without thinking of a piece as a whole which sometimes leads to my work getting lost in detail and becoming muddy.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Very glad you found it helpful. All the best

  • @sydene54
    @sydene54 Жыл бұрын

    love this. thank you so much.

  • @actorseokjinnie9073
    @actorseokjinnie90732 жыл бұрын

    I am quickly overwhelmed by a lot of details and I don't where to start most of the time, this helped a lot. Thank you.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're so welcome. That is very common

  • @Wal48
    @Wal482 жыл бұрын

    This was extremely helpful to me. I find simplifying really difficult and get frustrated when I still end up creating a painting that’s too photo realistic and doing nothing for either me or the viewer. Thanks for this, and I will look out for the book when it’s available again!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're so welcome. Glad you found if helpful Alison

  • @monkey5498
    @monkey54982 жыл бұрын

    I don't even paint or draw but I just discovered this channel and its so interesting to learn about this stuff. Maybe I just found a new hobby.

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's a wonderful form of creativity. I hope you enjoy it

  • @josephfcampisejr7816
    @josephfcampisejr78162 жыл бұрын

    Ian...thank you so much for your explanations on composition ..I get so caught up in detail that I lose the main idea of what the painting should be....you break it down easily and make it understandable...

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    It a common thing. So glad you found it helpful

  • @susansumnerroberts9617
    @susansumnerroberts961711 ай бұрын

    I'm in Spain and I too have been having problems getting hold of your book. Had it on order since March. 😊. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the videos. Thank you

  • @NinjaJeean
    @NinjaJeean2 жыл бұрын

    Watching your wonderfully explained composition principles I couldn't help but think about those people who eat the pizza and leave the crust - the eye knows where the good bits are. Define the pizza, leave the crust... ha!

  • @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    @IanRobertsMasteringComposition

    2 жыл бұрын

    Never would have thought of that analogy! All the best

  • @secretscarlet8249
    @secretscarlet8249 Жыл бұрын

    Layout and composition is my bane in design, so this was really helpful!

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