Much is written and discussed among painters about "finding your style". I have come to believe that our style finds us, and we cannot escape it. What people often call your "style" is an expression of your artistic DNA that is inescapable. As Kevin Macpherson has said, a person's painting style is like his handwriting: it is absolutely unique, and cannot be disguised, even if he tries.
Twyla Tharp writes that a key aspect of a person's creative personality is his preferred "focal length". I had sensed that concept for a long time, but
had never been able to articulate it as well as she does. Tharp says that every one of us is innately more comfortable seeing the world at one of several different ranges: either at a large, expansive distance; at arm's length; or close-up. If you aren't a camera buff and are not familiar with focal length, see above for an illustration from Nikon of how the same view can be experienced as a vast expanse, as a comfortable mid-range scene, or as a intimate close-up.
An example from art history is the great 17th century Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer painted a few landscapes that were wide open views, such as the one above. But his greatest paintings are set within one small room. It seems clear to me that Vermeer's focal length was up close, or at most, arm's length. He could make an entire world from just one face, or just one room. I rest my case with these three paintings, "The Milkmaid", "The Music Lesson", and "Girl with a Pearl Earring".
Looking for a different point of view, Camille Corot comes to mind as an artist with a long focal length. Corot was an Italian painter active in the early 19th century. His vast landscapes, in which people are occasional tiny dots, are his masterworks. He was clearly drawn to view the world as a wide-ranging expanse. Here are a couple of examples:
My own preferred focal length is close-up, or perhaps mid-range. When I look over the body of my landscape work, I find that I tend to focus in on something in the near distance, rather than to describe the far distance. Here's an example: I was drawn to this old farm complex, rather than to the expansive view that included a distant mountain range:
There are, of course, exceptions. One exception is below. I painted that painting standing at the edge of the overlook to capture the sweeping vista of the valley below. We all try to expand our horizons, but in the end, I agree with Twyla Tharp, that each person is at heart more naturally inclined to see the world at a particular focal length. What is yours?
had never been able to articulate it as well as she does. Tharp says that every one of us is innately more comfortable seeing the world at one of several different ranges: either at a large, expansive distance; at arm's length; or close-up. If you aren't a camera buff and are not familiar with focal length, see above for an illustration from Nikon of how the same view can be experienced as a vast expanse, as a comfortable mid-range scene, or as a intimate close-up.
 |
| "View of Delft" Johannes Vermeer |
An example from art history is the great 17th century Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer painted a few landscapes that were wide open views, such as the one above. But his greatest paintings are set within one small room. It seems clear to me that Vermeer's focal length was up close, or at most, arm's length. He could make an entire world from just one face, or just one room. I rest my case with these three paintings, "The Milkmaid", "The Music Lesson", and "Girl with a Pearl Earring".
Looking for a different point of view, Camille Corot comes to mind as an artist with a long focal length. Corot was an Italian painter active in the early 19th century. His vast landscapes, in which people are occasional tiny dots, are his masterworks. He was clearly drawn to view the world as a wide-ranging expanse. Here are a couple of examples:
 |
| "The Bridge at Narni" Camille Corot, 1826 |
 |
| "Banks of a River" Camille Corot |
 |
| "Chemin de Pibernet" 11 x 19, oil on canvas (c) Lesley Powell 2014 Available Here |
 |
| "Patchwork Fields" 12 x 9, oil on linen (c) Lesley Powell 2014 Available Here |
And the same could be said of writers, though I'd never thought of it till you said it. It takes a rare genius like Tolstoy to write something as intimate as The Death of Ivan Ilyich and also a canvas as huge as War & Peace. I guess he had a highly flexible focal length.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think only the great masters are equally adept at different focal lengths. I suspect there is an analogy in the music world also...thinking of Beethovan's string quartets and his expansive symphonies.
Delete