Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post - Reading a painting and movement from left to right

Michael Fournier · 02-01-2002, 05:59 PM

Well after reading all the posts I have given this a lot of thought. At first I completely agreed with the original post that you should consider that your painting will be read from left to right by Westerners.

But then I read Tarique's post and it made me think about it more. And here is my take on this.
Ask your self this: Have not western raised individuals been able to appreciate the composition and beauty of a painting done by eastern artists and loved it just the same as a western artist's work?

And have not many who grew up in eastern cultures seen western paintings of the great masters and seen the beauty and genius of their work?

Sure I will agree that we defiantly are products of our culture and our tastes and way of viewing the world are tainted by that culture.

But beauty is universal!

In fact a study was done on just that subject and although there were many differences in how we ornament ourselves and as to what cultures considered attractive. It was found that the basic concepts of beauty were very similar. On the whole all cultures found the more symmetrical the features of a face were the more beautiful the person was considered. And although there were very different tastes from one person to another as well as cultural differences in appearance. They found that a person considered attractive was usually found to be attractive across all cultures.

And I feel that same can be said for Art. After all you are not reading a painting you look at it.

So one person's gaze may enter from the right the other from the left so what?? Let's decorate a room with two doors one front left the other front right. Would you not decorate it to be equally as attractive no matter which door you entered from?

And once in that room no matter how you entered you would move to the center and if it was not interesting you would continue out the other door.
The same for a painting it is what is at the center that matters (not actual center but center of attention) If it is well composed and captures the attention as you want it does not matter which door you enter.

You will stop in the same spot. If not then the painting fails no matter which door you enter you will just leave out the other side.

Just my take on it.

02-01-2002, 05:59 PM	#7
Michael Fournier Associate Member FT Pro / Illustrator Joined: Dec 2001 Location: Agawam, MA Posts: 264	Point of View Well after reading all the posts I have given this a lot of thought. At first I completely agreed with the original post that you should consider that your painting will be read from left to right by Westerners. But then I read Tarique's post and it made me think about it more. And here is my take on this. Ask your self this: Have not western raised individuals been able to appreciate the composition and beauty of a painting done by eastern artists and loved it just the same as a western artist's work? And have not many who grew up in eastern cultures seen western paintings of the great masters and seen the beauty and genius of their work? Sure I will agree that we defiantly are products of our culture and our tastes and way of viewing the world are tainted by that culture. But beauty is universal! In fact a study was done on just that subject and although there were many differences in how we ornament ourselves and as to what cultures considered attractive. It was found that the basic concepts of beauty were very similar. On the whole all cultures found the more symmetrical the features of a face were the more beautiful the person was considered. And although there were very different tastes from one person to another as well as cultural differences in appearance. They found that a person considered attractive was usually found to be attractive across all cultures. And I feel that same can be said for Art. After all you are not reading a painting you look at it. So one person's gaze may enter from the right the other from the left so what?? Let's decorate a room with two doors one front left the other front right. Would you not decorate it to be equally as attractive no matter which door you entered from? And once in that room no matter how you entered you would move to the center and if it was not interesting you would continue out the other door. The same for a painting it is what is at the center that matters (not actual center but center of attention) If it is well composed and captures the attention as you want it does not matter which door you enter. You will stop in the same spot. If not then the painting fails no matter which door you enter you will just leave out the other side. Just my take on it. __________________ Michael Fournier [email protected] mfour.home.comcast.net/~mfour/portraits/