By merely increasing or decreasing the amount of contrast in any area we can move the observer through the painting.

The person viewing your work has no idea what the scene really looked like, nor do they care.

That a viewer does not see what the artist intended does not make the composition a failure... In reality all artists speak first to themselves and then to an audience.

Artists need not meet any standards to practice their craft... Virtually every other occupation requires some sort of license, union membership or something that says you are qualified.

The theme, or harmony, of a painting can be created by any one of its visual elements. A single colour... repetition of shapes... Light can be a theme.

Put a symbol, or language of some sort, in a painting and it will be noticed by the viewer whether or not they can read that particular language.

Think of the centre of interest in a painting as you would read it in a novel or see it in a movie. The crisis or climax is that point when you simply can't put the book down or wouldn't dare leave the movie, for whatever reason.