How to determine the "correct" scale for your art project?

Question

The very fist step in traditional art painting, drawing, sculpting, and such is: 1. Determine the scale of the work!The painter must select their canvas, a drawing requires the right size sheet of paper, and a chisled statue requires the right size stone.But how do you decide?And does the scale affect the composition of the work being executed?

Answer 1

This is a great question, and one which I wish more drawing students would consider. The answer is this: thumbnail sketches. What are thumbnails? Small - very small sketches that are formatted to the same proportions as the finished canvas. Thumbnails are usually quick, rough, messy, and only readable by the artist who creates them.

1. To determine what that should be, start with a series of rectangles that are 2 inches by 3 inches; fill an entire page of your sketchbook with these rectangles.
2. Next, start roughly sketching in lines or values into the first rectangle as you "practice" placing the composition in place. Work quickly, without details, while you consider size and scale relationships, values, positive / negative space, and so on. This should take FAR LESS THAN ONE MINUTE.
3. You'll not have success yet. The idea is to begin with one thumbnail and take what's working from it to the next one. Consider what might be working in the first thumbnail and take that idea to the next rectangle.
4. Quickly sketch in the part of the first thumbnail that you feel is (or might be) successful, and build a new thumbnail around it, using the same technique as in the first one.
5. Think about that 2" X 3" format. Is it working? Is there too much negative space somewhere? If so, change the ratio of the subsequent rectangles. Remember, you are in charge. Make this tool work for you.
6. Continue to work through the rectangles, creating a new thumbnail in each one. The important thing is to evolve from what is not working toward what is working, adding in new elements to replace the ones that need to go.
7. What sort of changes should you see? Scale, relationships, value, visual weight, and really all the elements of designing a successful composition.
8. How many thumbnails are needed for success? Impossible to say. Sometimes it is 12; sometimes it is 80. This is why they should be quick! Think of thumbnailing as a tool for creating a formula for your art piece.
9. When you begin to see thumbnails that address most of what's needed, you can begin to add a bit of definition. Line weight, color, texture, etc. Keep them quick and rough, still.
10. When you feel you can't improve the last thumbnail, scale it up to a size that you want to work with. Transfer the thumbnail to your canvas with a light charcoal pencil (so that you can erase it later).

Whether you find success with 10 or 100 thumbnail sketches, you will have a strong grasp on your concept and on the necessary elements needed to create a wonderful piece. You'll feel a sense of ownership, and the results will demonstrate this.

Best,

Letha