Buddha

                  This  Buddha for my garden represents kindness and calm, a reminder for a busy life.

The Elements and Principles of Design

I am  interested  in the Elements and Principles of Design used in any media. As a potter and painter,I need  criteria to guide the making and critiquing  of my work.  Most of my study of the elements and principles has been done for painting but pottery follows the same ideas in a different media.
     Personal  choice of what to paint or make in clay provides the desire  to do the work.
 Focal point and composition are job-one once something catches my attention.  After starting , maybe thinking about  the work for weeks or even having struggled with an idea through several failures, decisions are made using  the Elements of color, value, shape, line, texture, size and rhythm integrated with the Principles of unity, conflict, dominance,  repetition, balance, harmony, alternation and gradation.

                                                          It's a brain game, the right side is trying to make sense of the left side.

 This small study was done with dominate value , limited complimentary colors, strong line, repeated  rounded shapes in large and small sizes which lead the eye in a rhythmic path supported by the shadow
.
 This kind of analysis isn't useful   if there's no chance to make changes especially with watercolor and clay.  Having a method to study and plan is really helpful when it becomes part of the procedure.  

Some 2012 Posts I Lost

The Petunia was in the August show at Blue Whole
along with  Easter Lillies