Lesson Overview

• Focus Artists: Vermeer and Rembrandt

• Focus Elements:

– Value: lightness or darkness of color

– Form: a 3-demensional shape, either real an illusion.

• Focus Principles:

– Contrast: putting opposite aspects of an element together to create interest

– Emphasis: attracts and holds the viewers attention

The Milk Maid by Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter who

lived from 1632-1675. He is best known for

painting domestic scenes and for his careful

use and treatment of light. Take a moment to

look at the different areas of light and shadow

in this painting. This is called value. Where is

the light coming from?

Girl with a Peal Earring By Johannes Vermeer

Vermeer was very skilled at using value to

give “form” to his paintings. Look at the

girl’s shoulder, head dress, and facial

features. They all look like they are full

curving shapes, rather than flat shapes.

Take a moment to

look at and discuss

some of Vermeer’s

other paintings.

Can you tell where the

light is coming from?

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was a

Dutch Painter and etcher who lived from

1606-1669. He and Vermeer both painted in

what is called the Dutch Golden Age, which

was a time of great wealth and prosperity.

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt

Rembrandt is most known for the

contrasting values he used in his paintings.

He used very light values and very dark

values rather than middle tones. This

contrast created a very dramatic effect.

Night Watch by Rembrandt

Artists use different techniques to emphasize the most

important part of a painting. The area of emphasis is called

the focal point. What part of this painting has the most

emphasis? What has Rembrandt done to give that area

emphasis? The two men in front are a focal point because

of their location and their contrast of being the lightest and

darkest in their clothing. Also notice how the angle of guns

and other objects are pointing toward them. The small girl

in the light dress would be a secondary focal point.

Rembrandt painted many self-

portraits. He made much of his

money painting portraits of

religious leaders and the wealthy

class. To accurately paint a

portrait, the artist needs to have

an understanding of the

proportions of the face.

Probably the biggest mistake in drawing a face is the

position of the eyes. If I tell you to draw a face, the eyes will

likely be on the top half, the nose in the middle and the

mouth in the bottom half. Look at the red lines. They mark

the top, middle, and bottom of the head. They eyes are

actually in the middle.

The width of the head is equal to five eyes—shown above

by the blue lines. The inside of the eye lines up with the

outside of the nostrils. The corners of the mouth line up

with the center of the eyes. The top of the ears lines up

with the top of the eyes and the bottom of the ears lines

up with the bottom of the nose.

Self-Portraits• Use a black and white copy of a

photograph of yourself or a magazine photo.

• Start by VERY LIGHTLY sketching the shape of your head– an oval that is slightly skinnier at the bottom. Use light marks to indicate where your eyes, ears, mouth, and nose will be according to what we have learned.

• After you have accurately marked your drawing, look at the photo and begin drawing your face. Use light lines at the beginning. Add value at the end—darkening lines and shading.

• Be observant. Don’t just draw what is in your head. This isn’t the kind of face you want to draw ☺. Draw what you see, not what you think you know.

• Use next slide as a guide. Remember, every person is unique. Proportions change slightly from childhood to adult. This is just a reference.