In the world of art, size isn't just about big versus small – it's about intention and impact. Just like lines and shapes, size can be used strategically within a piece.
One way to guide the viewer's eye is through size. By making an element larger and more dominant, you declare its importance. Think of a painting with one flower significantly bigger than the rest. The larger flower becomes the star, attracting attention and creating more visual interest compared to a scene with flowers all the same size.
Artist Georgia O'Keeffe famously used size to compel viewers to truly see a flower. By presenting a normally small object in a massive scale, she created paintings with a powerful impact. On the other hand, small paintings can create a sense of intimacy, drawing the viewer in for a closer look.
Variety in size is key to avoid monotony. Imagine a field of flowers where all the blooms are identical – it might resemble wallpaper, visually pleasing but lacking in artistic excitement.
Size can also be used to surprise and direct attention. A Western painting with a lone cowboy riding through a dreary rain shower. The entire scene is painted in muted grays, emphasizing the cold and wet atmosphere. But the cowboy's bright yellow slicker stands out, grabbing the viewer's eye not because of its size within the painting, but because it's a small burst of color in a vast area of gray.
Finally, size plays a crucial role in creating aerial perspective, the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional artwork. Larger objects appear closer to the viewer, while smaller ones seem to recede into the distance. By strategically using size, you can create a sense of space and depth in your artwork.
