Deconstructing “Escapism”: A Journey in Value, Contrast, and Rule-Breaking Art

Beyond the Brushstroke: The Story Behind “Escapism”

I’m excited to pull back the curtain and share the creative process behind my latest painting, “Escapism.”

This piece wasn’t born fully formed; it emerged from experimentation, intentional rule-breaking, and a relentless pursuit of visual impact. This blog post will explore the process behind this contemporary painting.

The Spark: From Digital Cutout to Artistic Vision

The initial concept for “Escapism” started with an image from a set I purchased from Grafit Studio. Then I used Photoshop and it’s cutout filter to produce a composition that sparked a specific idea. However, it quickly evolved beyond that initial reference.

I found myself drawn to the potential of creating a painting that prioritized a deliberate visual hierarchy. I wanted to craft a piece where the foreground element, a striking skull, would command attention while the figure in the background would subtly support and enhance its presence.

This is difficult because we as humans recognize other humans first. Faces especially. That’s the first thing the viewer is going to be drawn to like a magnet but I need to use the elements of painting to force the viewers attention away from the figure and onto the skull.

Guiding the Viewer’s Eye: Composition and Leading Lines

Composition plays a vital role in directing the viewer’s gaze. In “Escapism” a strategic leading line, the right leg of the figure, guides the eye downward towards the focal point, the skull.

The shadow cast by the left leg acts as a visual separator, demarcating the transition between the detailed top and the more impactful bottom. This is all in service of bending the rules of traditional figurative art to achieve a specific visual goal.

To draw the viewers eye even further I made sure to use sharper edges in the skull and try to keep the figure surrounded by similar values with softer edges.

Deliberate Choices: Value, Color, and the Zorn Palette

One of the most defining aspects of “Escapism” is its use of a limited palette. I chose to work with a Zorn palette, using Winsor & Newton paints, a classic combination known for its rich earth tones and beautiful mixing possibilities. Limiting my color range forced me to focus on the true essence of form and value a crucial aspect of any value study.

The value structure itself is key. The upper portion of the painting is characterized by soft edges and a relatively muted palette, creating a sense of depth and distance. Pushing the figure to the background as much as I can.

Conversely, the skull in the foreground is presented with stark contrast and powerful definition. This interplay of light and dark, a deliberate use of contrast, is essential to the painting’s narrative. I specifically introduced Payne’s Gray, a blue-toned color, to enhance the separation and visual weight of the skull against the ground.

This is how we can use the elements of painting to tell a story and direct the viewer through the narrative. Sharp edges attract attention, soft edges do not. High contrast values attract attention, compressed value ranges do not. High saturation attracts attention, grays do not. Complementary colors attract attention, analogous colors do not.

Embracing Imperfection: The Importance of Experimentation

The process wasn’t without its challenges. I wrestled with the temptation to add unnecessary details and refine certain areas, knowing that those elements could potentially detract from the painting’s overall purpose.

Maintaining the subordinate role of the figure proved to be a constant balancing act. It’s a lesson in prioritizing the larger narrative over fleeting artistic impulses. It’s about embracing the beauty in imperfection and recognizing that the journey of creation is more important than the final product.

I look at this painting after finishing it, and most of all my paintings, and see it’s flaws. Many different things that now in hindsight I could fix. But, that’s okay, I’ll take those lessons onto the next painting.

Beyond “Good” Art: A Personal Exploration

Ultimately, “Escapism” is less about creating a universally “good” painting and more about exploring a specific artistic intention. It’s a demonstration of how you can bend the rules to achieve a desired visual effect. I hope this art tutorial (in a broader sense) provides insight into my approach to art-making. I’m genuinely interested to hear your thoughts and interpretations of this piece.

Why “Escapism”

Originally this painting was called Hunter 85. But at the end I wanted to put more into the name as I thought more about the purpose of this painting while painting it. I wanted to express this idea of our human nature to avoid death. To escape from the harsh truth of life. We will all die it’s inevitable. But like us, the figure in the painting is avoiding the skull, pushed back, out of site, not looking at it. I wanted to bring all the attention to the skull, to death, to the reminder that, YES, we are going to die. But that makes this moment, this life, so much more important. To LIVE! To do everything we can to make this fragile existence meaningful!