Join Mary Jane Begin for an in-depth discussion in this video Editing and revising your work, part of The Elements of Composition for Illustrators.
- Image making requires that we revise the world around us…focusing on what matters most for conveying our ideas.…Knowing what to include and what not to include in an image…is a fundamental skill for strong composition.…Once you've nailed down some of the key components…of your idea or story,…editing and revising the visual is essential.…Before you start a project, ask yourself…what am I trying to say with this image or project.…Answering this question will help you to know…what to keep in and what to edit out,…or what pieces need to change in some way.…
When I worked on the thumbnails in the storyboard…for the picture book, "Little Mouse's Painting,"…by Diane Wolkstein, there were plenty of changes…from thumbnail sketch to finish.…I started with a layout of tiny, rough, thumbnail sketches.…Each drawing is about one and a half inches square,…drawn with a mechanical pencil, on vellum trace paper.…I began with this sketch, but revised…the character's position in the scene.…She needed to be more central as the main focus…
Author
Mary Jane Begin
Released
3/13/2015This course will help to clarify best practices for developing any artistic or illustrated composition. Shaping the elements; marrying concept to composition; engaging the editing eye; achieving balance, unity, directional movement, and perspective; and exploring point of view and focal points are all topics covered in these lessons. Author (and professional artist) Mary Jane Begin also explores the major and minor pitfalls of a weak composition and explains the six compositional rules that lead to the best end results! See the steps in action in the final chapter, where Mary Jane designs a concept for lynda.com.
Then share what you've learned with the lynda.com community. Take the three challenges Mary Jane issues in the course and post your results to Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtag #learnatlynda. We can't wait to see your illustrations!
- Directing with lines
- Designing the negative space
- Creating a consistency of style
- Adding movement with dynamic diagonals, edges, and contrast
- Creating depth of field with perspective
- Using—and breaking—the rules
- Choosing a size and medium for artwork
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
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Introduction
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Welcome1m 22s
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1. Basics of Composition
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Framing your field of view3m 15s
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2. Shaping the Composition
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Seeing in shape2m 27s
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Directing with lines3m 19s
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Composing with text3m 14s
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Solution: Text illustration5m 36s
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3. Creating Compositional Unity
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Bringing it all together2m 20s
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Consistency of style3m 3s
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Unifying light2m 44s
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Combining message and medium3m 25s
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4. Exploring Movement
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Dynamic diagonals2m 1s
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Illustrating storyboards2m 58s
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5. Directing the Eye
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Tracking the viewer's gaze2m 40s
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Contrast and edges3m 20s
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What is your focal point?2m 57s
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Understanding point of view2m 26s
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Avoiding common pitfalls2m 1s
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Solution: Point of view2m 56s
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6. Finalizing the Format
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Does size matter?2m 53s
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Style and substance3m 1s
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The six rules of composition3m 57s
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7. From Concept to Finished Art
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Video: Editing and revising your work