Paul Ingbretson talks about Articulation Versus Detail #98

I frequently have students misunderstand the difference between detail or elaboration and articulation. An interesting but crucial fine point is discussed here.

In Response to John P

[connieeppich]

From dictionary.com: verb "to pronounce clearly each of a succession of speech sounds, syllables, or words; enunciate:" I appreciated how you clarified your application of this word to the Boston School method.

[Thyinternet]

Hi Paul! Please correct me if I’m wrong here - but when articulating as described here, it sounds like it’s really important to”name the baby?”- or in other words to really get clear on which visual effect or set of relations leads the articulation on a given spot? For example ... say, the model’s wearing a dark green hat against a bright grey November sky. There’s a clear, high contrast there, a found edge with a distinct bump count which really expresses the shape to her head, or the arabesque of the whole. I’m getting it wrong in my painting - maybe not wildly inaccurate, but the effect is still wrong, and I’m told to articulate it better. Turning back to it, I’d better understand it’s probably not the hue or chroma of the dark green hat which needs refining, because the leading effect of the spot in question is most urgently determined by variables of value and edge in this one case. Then the next day, say, there’s a spot within a hazy but spectacular sunset I’m failing to articulate ...