Details and water drops
Attention to good detail is important whether you are painting realistic floral arrangements, fruit, vegetables, sharp focus still life, landscapes, animals or portraits of people . The glint of light in an eye or on a water drop, pollen on a pistol, tiny stamens in a flower center or bug bites on a leaf; attention to details will give your paintings life and a spark of realism.
Center of Interest
Not all details should be painted bold and outstanding; some must be calm, quiet, soft and subdued. Whether a detail is major or minor is dictated by its location in the painting. When painting details in the center of interest area, develop them to the fullest extent as the center of interest has the brightest and warmest colors, strongest value contrast and sharpest details. As details on objects in the design move further away from the center of interest area and into the supporting areas or background, contrast is less, details are not as sharp-focused and therefore developed less to keep them softer and make them less interesting.
Supporting Areas
Softer or less interesting means less noticeable but not poorly painted. Even though details are soft or even obscure, they should be neatly and carefully executed. Control of value and intensity are important factors in keeping details quiet in the supporting areas.
Technical Skills and Brush Control
All detail line work should have a graceful flow and clean edges. Detail and liner brushes in excellent condition are important tools for executing fine detail work. Detail strokes should be executed with one continuous flowing stroke and not be overworked or have cleaned up edges. It has been said many times that practice is the key. Practice is the only way to achieve good technical skills and brush control.
If your eyesight or vision is less than desired, the use of a magnifying glass can be a beneficial aid for doing the tiniest of details, especially in the center of interest area where they must be the most skillfully executed. There are many kinds on the market; I find that one with a good light is best for me.
Skillful and beautifully painted details will give your painting a professional touch.
