PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Chapter 1.8
Emphasis and Focal Point
Copyright © 2011 Thames & Hudson
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Introduction
 Emphasis is the principle by which an artist draws
attention to particular content in a work of art or
design
 A focal point is a specific place of visual emphasis
 An artist can emphasize focal points through the use
of line, implied line, value, color—any of the
elements of art
 Emphasis and focal point usually accentuate
concepts, themes, or ideas the artist wants to
express
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Subordination
 When an artist emphasizes different elements in a
work of art, he or she creates visual relationships
and connections between them
 The opposite of emphasis is subordination

Subordination draws our attention away from certain areas
of a work
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Double-chambered vessel with
mouse
•
•
•
•
The mouse attracts our attention
because it is so detailed
The spout of the vessel also
stands out, not only because of its
color but also because of its
geometric simplicity
Third and fourth areas of
emphasis are found in the
decorations on the two chambers
of the vessel
These areas connect because
they share common shapes,
coloration, and texture that draw
our attention away from the
undecorated—subordinated—
areas of the vessel
1.141 Double-chambered
vessel with mouse, Recuay,
Peru, 4th–8th century.
Ceramic, 6” high. Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York
1.142 Jules Olitski, Tin Lizzie
Green, 1964. Acrylic and
oil/wax crayon on canvas,
10’10” x 6’10”. Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
Jules Olitski,
Tin Lizzie Green
•
•
•
Because abstract works can
never directly evoke our
memories of things or people,
they frequently rely on
compositional principles, such
as emphasis
Olitski frames our attention on
the color field in the center of
the work with three colored
dots on the right, red horizontal
strokes on the top and bottom,
and a tan-colored stroke on the
left
These color shapes support
the real focus of this work,
which is the blue-green color in
the center
1.143 Mark Tobey, Blue
Interior, 1959. Tempera on
card, 44 x 28”
Mark Tobey,
Blue Interior
•
•
•
•
When a work does not have
areas of emphasis, that
changes the way we respond
to it
Tobey was interested in
creating a meditative response
to the landscape of the Pacific
Northwest, where he grew up
Because Tobey does not use
areas of emphasis, we are free
to roam visually in his painting
We can immerse ourselves in
the work, as if it were an ocean
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Focal Point
 A focal point is the specific part of an area of
emphasis to which the artist draws our eye
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Pieter Bruegel the Elder,
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus
• The story of Icarus is one
from Greek mythology
– His wax wings melt as he
flies too close to the sun
• Bruegel diverts our attention
so that we barely notice
Icarus plunging to his doom
• Instead the artist’s main
area of emphasis is the
plower in the foreground,
possibly illustrating the
proverb “No plow stands
still because a man dies.”
1.144 slide 1: Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, c. 1555–8. Oil on canvas, mounted on wood, 29 x 44⅛”.
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
1.145 Artemisia Gentileschi,
Judith Decapitating
Holofernes, c. 1620. Oil on
canvas, 6’6⅜” x 5’3¾“. Uffizi
Gallery, Florence, Italy
1.145 slide 2: Directional
lines in Artemisia
Gentileschi's Judith
Decapitating Holofernes
Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes
Emphasis Used to Create Drama
•
Through Gentileschi’s use of
directional line and contrasting
values we are drawn irresistibly to
the point where the climax of the
story is unfolding
•
Judith’s arms and those of her
maidservant (visually connected to
the sword itself) stretch toward the
dark values of their victim’s head
•
The light values of the five bare
arms create strong directional
lines that lead to the focal point
where blood spurts from the
violent attack on Holofernes’ neck
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action
 Artists can use direction, dramatic contrasts, and
placement relationships to organize the elements in
a work and draw our attention to areas of emphasis
and focal points
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:
Line
 Line is an effective way to focus a viewer’s attention
in an artwork
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
1.146 slide 1: The Emperor
Babur Overseeing his
Gardeners, India, Mughal
period, c. 1590. Tempera and
gouache on paper, 8¾ x 5⅝”.
Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, England
1.146 slide 2: Detail of The
Emperor Babur Overseeing his
Gardeners, showing directional
lines
The Emperor Babur Overseeing his
Gardeners
• The gardener/artist Babur is
pointing to a feature that
channels water in four
directions
• The strong diagonal of the
channel draws our attention
to the water as it runs
toward us
• The central cross-shaped
confluence of the waters
becomes the focal point of
the composition
• In this work, water is the
focal point conceptually as
well as visually
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:
Contrast
 Artists look to create effects of contrast by
positioning elements next to one another that are
very different
 For example, areas of different value, color, or size
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
1.147 Francisco de Zurbarán,
The Funeral of St.
Bonaventure, 1629. Oil on
canvas, 8' 2” x 7' 4”. Musée du
Louvre, Paris, France
Francisco de Zurbarán,
The Funeral of St. Bonaventure
•
•
•
•
Most of the lightest values in
the painting are reserved for
the clothing adorning the dead
body of St. Bonaventure
These create a central focal
point that stands out in
contrast to the surrounding
dark values
The whiteness of his clothing
symbolizes Bonaventure's
spotless reputation
Enough light value is
distributed to the other figures
to allow our eyes to be drawn
away from the saint’s body,
making the composition more
interesting
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:
Placement
 The placement of elements within a composition
controls rhythm and creates multiple focal points
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
1.148 Ando Hiroshige,
“Riverside Bamboo Market,
Kyobashi,” from One Hundred
Famous Views of Edo, 1857.
15 x 10⅜”. James A. Michener
Collection, Honolulu Academy
of Arts, Hawaii
Ando Hiroshige, “Riverside
Bamboo Market, Kyobashi”
• The positions of the moon,
the bridge, and the figure in
a boat form three separate
focal points
• Each shape commands our
attention and draws more of
our focus to the right side of
the work
• The varying distances
between the placements of
the three focal points also
create rhythm that adds
visual interest
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Conclusion
 All the elements and principles of art can serve to
create emphasis
 Both actual and implied lines shape our examination
of a work of art by directing the movement of our
gaze
 Contrasts between different values, colors, or
textures can sometimes be so dramatic and distinct
that we cannot help but feel drawn to that area of a
work
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Click the image above to launch the video
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 1.8
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts
By Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
Copyright © 2011 Thames & Hudson
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Picture Credits for Chapter 1.8
1.141
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Nathan Cummings, 1966, 66.30.2. Photo Metropolitan Museum of
Art/Art Resource/Scala, Florence
1.142
Photo © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Courtesy Jules Olitski Warehouse LLC. © Estate of Jules Olitski,
DACS, London/VAGA, New York 2011
1.143
© Estate of Mark Tobey, ARS, NY/DACS, London 2011. Courtesy Sotheby’s
1.144
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels
1.145
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
1.146
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
1.147
Musée du Louvre, Paris
1.148
James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Study Questions chapter 1.8
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis in a
work of art.
a. Focal point
b. Variety
c. Subversion
d. Vanishing point
e. None of these answers
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis in a
work of art.
a. Focal point
b. Variety
c. Subversion
d. Vanishing point
e. None of these answers
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. When an artist wants to draw attention away
from a particular part of the work, he or she
uses__________.
Topic: n/a
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. distortion
e. balance
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. When an artist wants to draw attention away
from a particular part of the work, he or she
uses__________.
Topic: n/a
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. distortion
e. balance
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by Jules
Olitzki draws attention to this part of the work.
a. top
b. bottom
c. center
d. left
e. right
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by Jules
Olitzki draws attention to this part of the work.
a. top
b. bottom
c. center
d. left
e. right
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Blue Interior by Mark Tobey focuses the
viewer’s attention squarely on this area of
emphasis:
a. there is no area of emphasis
b. the blue marks.
c. the light marks.
d. the center.
e. the bottom edge.
Feedback/Reference: Page 137
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Blue Interior by Mark Tobey focuses the
viewer’s attention squarely on this area of
emphasis:
a. there is no area of emphasis
b. the blue marks.
c. the light marks.
d. the center.
e. the bottom edge.
Feedback/Reference: Page 137
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. In Bruegel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,
the viewer is directed away from Icarus
plunging into the sea through the use of
__________ .
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. balance
e. proportion
Feedback/Reference: Page 138
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. In Bruegel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,
the viewer is directed away from Icarus
plunging into the sea through the use of
__________ .
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. balance
e. proportion
Feedback/Reference: Page 138
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. In Artemisia Gentileschi’s work Judith
Decapitating Holofernes, the viewer is
directed to the __________ that is indicated
by directional lines.
a. area of emphasis
b. subordinated point
c. vanishing point
d. the top of the work
e. focal point
Feedback/Reference: Page 139
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. In Artemisia Gentileschi’s work Judith
Decapitating Holofernes, the viewer is
directed to the __________ that is indicated
by directional lines.
a. area of emphasis
b. subordinated point
c. vanishing point
d. the top of the work
e. focal point
Feedback/Reference: Page 139
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. This kind of line tends to be more visually
active so it can draw the viewer’s attention.
a. Vertical
b. Diagonal
c. Horizontal
d. Solid
e. None of these
Feedback/Reference: Page 140
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. This kind of line tends to be more visually
active so it can draw the viewer’s attention.
a. Vertical
b. Diagonal
c. Horizontal
d. Solid
e. None of these
Feedback/Reference: Page 140
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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Placement of elements in a composition
controls this and creates multiple focal points.
a. Size
b. Proportion
c. Rhythm
d. Line
e. Focal point
Feedback/Reference: Page 140
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Placement of elements in a composition
controls this and creates multiple focal points.
a. Size
b. Proportion
c. Rhythm
d. Line
e. Focal point
Feedback/Reference: Page 140
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Hiroshige used this process to create the work
"Riverside Bamboo Market, Kyobashi.”
a. Sculpture
b. Ceramics
c. Tapestry
d. Printmaking
e. Glass
Feedback/Reference: Page 141
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Hiroshige used this process to create the work
"Riverside Bamboo Market, Kyobashi.”
a. Sculpture
b. Ceramics
c. Tapestry
d. Printmaking
e. Glass
Feedback/Reference: Page 141
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. Which of these elements of art and principles
of design can be used to create emphasis?
a. All of the other answers
b. Shape
c. Color
d. Contrast
e. Rhythm
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. Which of these elements of art and principles
of design can be used to create emphasis?
a. All of the other answers
b. Shape
c. Color
d. Contrast
e. Rhythm
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios