Finding a theme
A theme is the main idea of an artwork. It can come from nature (a storm, a calm lake), from a feeling (joy, worry) or from imagination (a dream city, an animal with wings).
Ways to find a theme
- Look out of the window and ask: how does this feel?
- Close your eyes and picture a place that has no name.
- Write three feeling words you had today and pick one.
Try it: in the 3D choose a feeling from the list. Which one is closest to your mood today?
Planning colour, shape and composition
Colour speaks first. Cool colours like blue feel calm. Warm colours like yellow and red feel lively or hot. Dark colours feel heavy or sad.
Shape adds mood. Round shapes feel soft and safe. Sharp, pointed shapes feel tense. Wide flat bands feel still. Small low shapes feel quiet.
Composition is how you place things. Shapes high on the picture feel light and happy; shapes low in the picture feel heavy or sad. Many shapes feel busy; few shapes feel quiet. In the 3D, the energy slider changes how many shapes you see.
| Feeling | Colour | Shape | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calm | Cool blue | Wide, flat | Low and even |
| Joy | Yellow | Round, bouncing | High |
| Anger | Red | Sharp spikes | Crowded, tilted |
| Sadness | Dark slate | Small, round | Low |
Expressing inner images in painting and sculpture
An inner image is a picture you see in your mind. To show it, first make small quick sketches. Choose the best one and then paint it, or build it as a sculpture.
Painting is flat (2D). You show depth with size, overlap and colour.
Sculpture is solid (3D). People can walk around it, so you must think about the front, the sides and the back. Materials can be clay, paper, wire, wood or recycled things.
There is no right or wrong feeling. Your picture should be honest. Later you can add a short title that says what you felt.
Steps to make your own
- Pick a feeling or idea (theme).
- Choose two or three colours that match it.
- Choose one main shape.
- Make three small sketches of different layouts.
- Pick one, then paint or build it.
- Step back, look, and fix one thing.
Key formulas and definitions
- Theme = feeling or idea in the mind
- Colour + shape + placement = mood
- Painting = 2D; sculpture = 3D, seen from every side
- Idea -> sketch -> choose -> make -> review
Worked examples
1. You want to show a quiet, peaceful evening. Choose a colour, a shape and a place for the shapes.
Cool blue colours, wide flat shapes, placed low and evenly.
2. You want a very happy sculpture. How would it look?
Bright yellow, round shapes, stacked high so it feels light.
3. Your picture should feel angry. Which of these would you use: pointed red shapes or small blue circles?
Pointed red shapes, because sharp edges and hot colour feel tense.
4. You make 3 sketches of a feeling, then choose 1 to paint. How many sketches do you not use?
3 - 1 = 2 sketches.
Common mistakes
- Thinking art must look real. Expressive art shows how it feels, not how it looks.
- Using too many colours at once. Two or three colours keep the mood clear.
- Forgetting the back of a sculpture. People can walk around it.
- Copying someone else's picture. Use your own feeling and idea.