tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post4593424487246511007..comments2024-03-28T09:25:25.716-04:00Comments on Gurney Journey: Tonal FocusJames Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-10984563742470466602010-05-22T06:20:35.292-04:002010-05-22T06:20:35.292-04:00Guptill has more successful examples of using emph...Guptill has more successful examples of using emphasis in his Pen and Ink.Marty Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05626249018147054170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-29124119125520003452009-05-13T16:38:00.000-04:002009-05-13T16:38:00.000-04:00Hello James,
while I get the same result as the on...Hello James,<br />while I get the same result as the one you are suggesting I tend to consider the LEFT to be more consistent, believable. Unless in the right you may justify the lighter color of the top arch I would feel like there is fog or smoke bleaching-out its view. Besides that I really appreciate such concrete example of this technique which could really drive the observer's eye where the author needs it to be.<br /><br />Thank you for your always stimulating writings.<br /><br />Maxangelmaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10516048976393227010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-38967315834665450982009-05-13T12:18:00.000-04:002009-05-13T12:18:00.000-04:00These looked like two completely different picture...These looked like two completely different pictures to me when I first looked at them.. because my eye went to two different spots I would guess.Michael Pieczonkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03564760964865130176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-23503023112758897142009-05-12T16:40:00.000-04:002009-05-12T16:40:00.000-04:00Top arch and bottom arch, just as apparently inten...Top arch and bottom arch, just as apparently intended.Jean Spitzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13520415864511680025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-74810825019998043342009-05-12T11:20:00.000-04:002009-05-12T11:20:00.000-04:00It worked exactly as it should...high contrast def...It worked exactly as it should...high contrast definitely draws the eye in, it almost "irritates". Thanks for the tip!:)Bojanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18415281908183351685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-2222355609750755922009-05-12T10:38:00.000-04:002009-05-12T10:38:00.000-04:00I was always told that, depending on other factors...I was always told that, depending on other factors, to reserve my highest contrasts for the areas I wanted the viewer to see.<br /><br />This is a good illustration of that!r8rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08458251039005409196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-36806434337157784672009-05-12T09:21:00.000-04:002009-05-12T09:21:00.000-04:00I saw it exactly the same way as you did.I saw it exactly the same way as you did.E Colquhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02521661863846363083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-44268974855223631882009-05-12T09:06:00.000-04:002009-05-12T09:06:00.000-04:00It worked as intended for me as well. However, it...It worked as intended for me as well. However, it took a little longer to get to the focal point in the first picture. In the second, I snapped right to it. I have no idea why though!Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09011033104850067775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-57538234779743954442009-05-12T05:32:00.000-04:002009-05-12T05:32:00.000-04:00It worked the same for me.
Concerning the image ...It worked the same for me. <br /><br />Concerning the image at right, for me it's a global scene, dealing with quite neutral action. The scenery, the arch are the real protagonist.<br />In the second one, it's a more storytelling image to me. we are more involved with what is going on the street, we are part of the people walking by. we can wonder who is this mysterious silhouette under the arch...<br /><br />it's a personal sensibility question, but i prefer the second one.badbothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827386343541823313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-61777968174415070142009-05-11T22:25:00.000-04:002009-05-11T22:25:00.000-04:00In the left example, I think the top arch and bott...In the left example, I think the top arch and bottom arch are competing. The top has more contrast but the bottom has all of the lines leading the eye to the focal point. I'm stuck admiring the architecture. I think the right example is better conceived because all of the elements of the design, the top left shadow, the canopy, the edges of the road, and the figures, are all leading the eye to the focal point. And having the contrast on the bottom arch compels me to want to follow the traveler through the archway. I suppose it depends on the desired effect.Shawn Escotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16070563436541794913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-58742602824353349592009-05-11T20:08:00.000-04:002009-05-11T20:08:00.000-04:00Left: my eye went to the shadow just above the bot...Left: my eye went to the shadow just above the bottom arch on the left<br /><br />Right: the exact opposite effect, my eye went to the top because of the lack of contrast.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01250619162715301509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-87434162917179405152009-05-11T17:17:00.000-04:002009-05-11T17:17:00.000-04:00I'm so glad I didn't rush to read the rest of your...I'm so glad I didn't rush to read the rest of your post before taking a good look at the pictures. Worked for me as planned too.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01679485132057382813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-35850014514314280022009-05-11T16:04:00.000-04:002009-05-11T16:04:00.000-04:00very interesting and solid proof of the importance...very interesting and solid proof of the importance of composition! I don't quite agree Erik though. I think the right is a better composition solely because it still has focus at the horizon but works well as a whole. Composition 1 seems strangely skewed to the right corner, and my eye feels always drawn to it when I have the desire to take in the whole scene. But I guess that could just be me/personal preference. Anyhow you didn't ask for which we thought was better compositionally but just thought I would throw that in anyhow!:) Great blog!Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03803824748971570791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-74477149061173030462009-05-11T15:57:00.000-04:002009-05-11T15:57:00.000-04:00It works, Mr. Gurney, even before I had read your ...It works, Mr. Gurney, even before I had read your post. Then again, maybe I've been influenced by all those years of being told that the eye is drawn to high contrast areas. ;-)colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14244453791724435617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-60778222431386867752009-05-11T14:43:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:43:00.000-04:00If the idea is to bring the focus to the people ra...If the idea is to bring the focus to the people rather than the arch, the composition seems not very effective.<br />As said by others: the first image seems stronger, but the arch dominates.<br />So the second picture seems like a bad attempt to bring the focus to the people in a composition that doesn't really allow for that.<br /><br />Lesson learned: if in a finished piece, the focus seems wrong, you may still be able to fix it (more or less) by putting a spotlight on the intended focus point.<br />But it's a kludge nevertheless!Erik Bongershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02409523352634066030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-87031617946811537382009-05-11T14:14:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:14:00.000-04:00Same here. And right after the arches, my eye was ...Same here. And right after the arches, my eye was drawn towards the cart under the lower arch in the first drawing and towards the figures in the foreground in the second drawing.<br />Great exercise! I need to do more of this!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-34032858812279048782009-05-11T14:04:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:04:00.000-04:00Really helpful, thanks for posting. I studied the ...Really helpful, thanks for posting. I studied the image first before reading and it worked as intended for me too. It's interesting how the contrast is higher not only at the intended focal point but the surrounding areas that lead to it.Leah Waichulishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04125524098543901461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-59614942029386934642009-05-11T13:38:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:38:00.000-04:00Worked like that for me, too. - I mean, brighter a...Worked like that for me, too. - I mean, brighter areas attracted my attention.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03035351428671762555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-59822294034296942542009-05-11T13:37:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:37:00.000-04:00Worked like that for me, too.
However, my gaze t...Worked like that for me, too. <br /><br />However, my gaze tended to get stuck on the upper arch on the left picture. On the right picture, I tended to look around more. Maybe the upper arch dominates (simplicity? position at top of the image?) whether light or dark, so having it dark and the bottom part of the picture illuminated balances out the illustration as a whole.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03035351428671762555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-49475868488186604672009-05-11T13:28:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:28:00.000-04:00The movement of my eye was like a backwards letter...The movement of my eye was like a backwards letter c in both pictures.<br /><br />I would start at the top for the first pic, and the bottom for the second one.Patrick Dizonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05474426989493027469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-15593770943775445162009-05-11T13:12:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:12:00.000-04:00Worked exactly as planned, for me.
Thanks for the...Worked exactly as planned, for me.<br /><br />Thanks for the book recommendation, I didn't know about that one.<br /><br />His other book, Rendering in Pen and Ink is also a classic - one of the best books on composition ever written.Thomas Denmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06135075012362548876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-53123438213983907032009-05-11T12:56:00.000-04:002009-05-11T12:56:00.000-04:00Yep, my eye focused just the way he wanted - and b...Yep, my eye focused just the way he wanted - and before I finished reading the post, I picked the "archway" focused one as the stronger composition as well - perhaps because the focal point was at eye level. Great tip!Susan Adsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00698268460716108960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-61788911567098297842009-05-11T12:37:00.000-04:002009-05-11T12:37:00.000-04:00You always have the best book suggestions. Thanks!...You always have the best book suggestions. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-67775461002309167842009-05-11T12:32:00.000-04:002009-05-11T12:32:00.000-04:00Pretty much the same result for me, and I didn't r...Pretty much the same result for me, and I didn't read what the intention was until after.<br /><br />It works regardless of influence, just because eyes are attracted to high contrast areas. I might have to pick up this book to check it out.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18262476114387821096noreply@blogger.com