Give Your Paintings Balance with the L Path

Published: Sat, 04/14/18

Dear ,

Whether painting a landscape scene or putting together a still life setup, the L Path is proven method for composing the major movements in a composition. It creates a balance where the vertical leg sets a vertical axis, usually close to the edge and the horizontal leg stabilizes the weight. It's usually on the horizontal line where we find most of the activity in the painting.

Take a look at how these three artists have successfully employed the L path.

Qiang Huang used the coffee pot to set the vertical of the L leg, then arranged the images along the horizontal leg to give balance. Notice how the major activity is along that horizontal leg.

Jennifer McChristian does the same thing, but in reverse, flipping the L movement.

Joe Paquet's vertical leg actually hugs the edge of the canvas, and like Qiang's still life, the major activity lives along the horizontal line.

Here they are together with a diagram showing the L path in each.

Happy Painting,

Dianne

dianne@diannemize.com

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