Putting It Y All Into Perspective P ainting is just another way of keep- ing a diary. ~ P Picasso ablo 4 our perspective is what makes you, you. You can bring more of yourself to your paintings and drawings with the art of perspective. The traditional way to use perspective is to create the illusion of depth and dimension on a flat surface. Another way to use perspective is what I like to call creative framing. Creative framing is using an out-of- the ordinary vantage point to translate your inner impressions. The creative exercises in this chapter will show you how to use both of these approaches. Get ready for some new perspectives on perspective! A comfortable understanding of perspective drawing--the traditional method--allows the viewer to see a landscape or interior from the artist's point of view. In the watercolor painting on the opposite page, I made use of one-point per- spective to beckon the viewer to cross the threshold and step into this Greek island lane. As you look at this watercolor, it is as if you are standing in my shoes while I was creating it. Step a little to the left or right and you would see a different view. Now, take a look at the sketchbook drawing on this page. It is a mixture of perspectives and conflicting planes. I drew it as if seeing the buildings from many different vantage points all at once. I wanted to suggest the quality of a hand-built environment--houses all cobbled together, no square corners or right angles in sight. Manipulating traditional ideas of perspective produces a very personal and playful vision of this same Greek village. Keeping an artistic journal as a daily reference point helps me put my life into perspective, too. Some days, life is a jumble. As I sit down with my journal, I won- der what to capture. Shall I concentrate on just one narrow slice of my day? Or, embrace the larger constellation of my life? I use my artistic journal to reflect on my surroundings and sensations. Journaling is a wonderful way to discover your point of view and find a natural focus. The act of keeping art in my everyday life helps me truly acknowledge the present, appreciate the past and anticipate the future. BLUE AND WHITE, SANTORINI Watercolor on Arches 140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed paper 26" × 20" (66cm × 51cm) Collection of Jan Stewart and Gordon Allen 59