Unit 2: Focal Point

Focal point is a design principle that an artist can use to highlight the most important aspect of their artwork. Focal point is the specific part of a work that grabs the viewer's interest. It is the portion of the piece of art that great value is given to. If a piece of art was a story, the focal point would be the main idea. The focal point of an art piece can be anywhere within the painting, not necessarily in the middle. For example, when viewing the picture above, my eyes are immediately drawn to the brown object that the individual is holding. My vision then shifts to the view of the train tracks shown from the middle portion of the brown object. The brown object would be the focal point, which is placing emphasis on the view of the train tracks within it. The brown object is the main point of the picture and the artist wants to gain your attention there. Focal points are extremely important when dealing with art. Although all aspects of a piece of artwork is important, the focal point determines what the artist wants you to focus on and how it tells the story of the art piece.