Emphasis

EMPHASIS

Emphasis is highlighting or drawing your attention to some aspect of a scene or subject.

There are several ways to create emphasis:

• Framing

• Placement of subject (governed by rule of thirds)

• Selective focus to simplify the background (shallow depth of field)

• Drawing the viewer's attention to a certain spot using leading lines.

• Contrast (ie: one green apple is emphasized in a pile of all red apples)

Following the seven principles of art and design, you should always single out the crucial component – the focal point. Its presence in the work assists the viewer by first showing the important and then helping the viewer see the rest.