An effective use of colour, contrast, value and composition is key to creating impactful visuals. It can be challenging, but I think focusing on a few key things can make all the difference.
Below, I'll suggested ten tips for making more dynamic paintings. If you need new gear, see our guides to the best drawing tablets and the best digital art software.
01. Overlaps
Depth is created by overlapping elements in a picture, as well as by using scale and value.
02. Vary values
Value should shift across elements, a room or a landscape. Think about light against dark, and dark against light.
03. Use contrast
Contrast values, shapes, scale and colour. Vary and contrast elements across a composition by making things large against small, complex vs simple, dark vs light, colourful vs toned down, shiny vs dull, and so on.
04. Clever clumping
Clump your forms together in groups. To do this, employ overlapping forms that combine and glue shapes together in a variety of clumps.
05. Create a rhythm
Allow forms to stagger and vary, rather than all lining up evenly. This builds a rhythm through the composition that the viewer likes to follow. Lead the audience to the focus of the composition by overlapping and clumping elements in a pleasing line through the image.
06. Frozen in time
Find the moment, don’t just pose a figure. A pose is meant to present something, but doesn’t communicate much of a story or build much curiosity. Get your figures moving in a composition by choosing a moment of movement rather than a moment of pause. This goes for action images, too.
07. Cut across forms
Paint across forms, don’t follow them. Brushstrokes should cut across legs, arms, face shapes, drapery and the like. Vary the brushwork, which builds volume. Train this way, and later you’ll be able to follow forms when your brushwork improves. Remember, following the form is shape-based and flat, while cutting across the form is form-based and sculptural.
08. No straight whites
Delay using straight whites until the very last, and even then do so sparingly. Always mix a little colour into the white as you paint layers on forms, especially on skin, just for now. Later you’ll find plenty of ways to use straight white in a composition.
09. Around the colour wheel
Greying a colour can deaden it. Work around the colour wheel and not across to keep colours fresh and exciting. You’ll learn faster how to contrast greyed and bright colours, and then understand how to work across the wheel or diagram.
10. Add a third colour
New painters can be afraid to use a lot of colour. It can look flat, without the illusion of depth, if only one or even two are employed. For more depth, add a third colour to the mixture or the overall scheme. This can be done by changing the temperature. Contrast a warm blue with a cool blue, for example.
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To learn more on Greg's work see our interview. And for more creative advice, see Lynn Chenn's tips for building creative confidence in your art. No time to practise? See our suggestions for quick creative exercises.
This content originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine, the world's leading digital art and fantasy art magazine. ImagineFX is on sale in the UK, Europe, United States, Canada, Australia and more. Limited numbers of ImagineFX print editions are available for delivery from our online store (the shipping costs are included in all prices).
