SCALE
Sails at Largs was painted quite some time ago and amazingly I didn’t notice the incorrect scale of the figures in relation to the sailboat till after it was finished. It’s definitely worth a giggle!
Scale (A Blog by Mike Barr)
“When it comes to painting, many faults may become apparent only when we have finished a piece, walked away from it and then come back later for a fresh look. Fresh eyes and mind are more likely to pick up things than when we are in the thick of things.
One of the aspects of painting that isn’t spoken about much is the question of scale, particularly in a landscape or cityscape.
The scale of objects in relation to the overall scene, and compared with other objects, is important to make a painting believable. If there is anything that stands out to viewers who may not even be artistic, is when objects don’t look like the right compared to everything else. And this is particularly true if they know the subject well.
Of course, artistic license allows many things and even scale can be skewed when the occasion requires some exaggeration and emphasis.
The problem occurs incidentally when we paint objects that aren’t the subject of particular attention.
We may decide to slot in a few figures just to animate an otherwise uneventful scene and this is a marvellous prop to add some life. When we decide to do this, we are adding scale to painting. Once a figure is added, we understand the scale of everything else.
The problem can be simple but not always easily seen. Automatically, the brain scales the painting on the basis of a figure and if the figure itself is the wrong size it will spoil other effects. It’s like a slanted horizon on a seascape – once you spot it you can’t ignore it – ever!
The depth of a beach scene is a test of scale when we start adding objects including boats and people. It’s something I have fallen foul of plenty of times, just have a look at the supporting painting in the article. The expanse of the beach needs scale and perspective. Innocent little seagulls can be real traps, and the scale of them next to figures that may be close is important. Boats and sails come under the same rule of scale and the main test is that everything gets smaller in proportion as they disappear into the distance.
City scenes need scale too and are perhaps a little easier because there is so much to compare with. Visual comparison is needful in all drawing and is the basis of it, particularly so in a portrait. Observation of life and of our own paintings is the work of an artist and is one of the mysteries that is there to be solved - if we accept the mission!”
Happy painting!