Donna's Cave Paintings Blog - by Donna Liguria Art
An artist’s view of the world – its colors, its creatures, and the canvases yet to paint.
Follow Me on the journey of art stories, articles, art tips and the beauty of the world around us. – Donna Liguria Fine Art of Woodbridge, Virginia.
Composition Part 5. Subject Symmetry and Visual Balance
Part 5 of 21 of my Composition Series
Visual Balance in art is described as, "when an Artist distributes the forms, color, line, and other elements of art to spread out in the space. Balance is one of the Principles of Art and Design and an essential one. People who do not understand balance in arts will feel that something is not right in the artwork." - From Madhansart.com
Learn About Dynamic Symmetry: Improve Your Compositions!
If your subject(s) are balanced across the canvas it could be that a visually heavy single item on one side is balanced by several smaller items on the other side. For instance, a single large tree to one side of the canvas has a grouping of smaller trees across from it. This helps to visually balance the design, not only with the number, but the 'weight' is distributed, via the colors, numbers, sizes, etc. Sort of like a balance on a scale of a single object may weigh the same as many objects on the other side.
The balance in the image should be from left to the right, from top to the bottom and from foreground to background. Water reflections are very cool and interesting ways to show symmetry.
This is part of a series of blog posts on the guidelines, or rules of composition. Look for all of them in the Search this Blog feature at the top right by searching for the word "composition". I hope you enjoy the posts!
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
Friday, August 7, 2026. Notification Day arrives! The waiting is over to learn my artwork's fate, and maybe for you too. Did our artwork get int? Was it accepted? Was it rejected? The biannual art show at the Burwell-Morgan Mill called Art at the Mill gave us our fates.
AATM Saturday, September 19 to October 4, 2026
The Fall Art at the Mill art show sent us our email notifications today, letting each of us know what got in and what did not.
The show is set to open on Saturday, September 19 and runs through Sunday, October 4, 2026. The Artist Reception is Sunday, September 27 from 2-5.
Where is it? 15 Tannery Lane, Millwood, VA at the Historic Burwell-Morgan Mill. The Mill holds a biannual art show in the Spring and Fall and well worth the travel from Woodbridge, VA. Around 1000 artworks JURIED IN from about 300 artists. See my past posts about Art at the Mill for lots of pictures.
Click on any photo to enlarge.
Who got in? Here are a couple of my art friends that got in the show...
Sandra McClelland Lewin
Here are the 3 I got juried in:
The Mum & the Grasshopper
20 x 20 acrylic $650
Celtic Crows
20 x 24 Acrylic/Silver leaf $575
Marsh Life
24 x 30 Acrylic $1200
Bettie Sperty
Bettie got all 5 of her entries in!!
Donna Liguria
Occasionally I will paint something with the intention of it being submitted to a particular art show, and what a relief when the do accept it or them! Otherwise, what do you do with them?!? I painted a series of Millstones with a total of 4 in the series. So 3 of the 4 were accepted and here are pictures of the 4 of my submissions that got in to Art at the Mill:
Millstone 1 Burwell Morgan Mill Series Acrylic 10x10x1.5 $235
Millstone 2 Burwell Morgan Mill Series Acrylic 10x10x1.5 $235
Millstone 3 did not get juried in. It happens.
Millstone 4 Burwell Morgan Mill Series Acrylic 10x10x1.5 $275
Fishing at the Occoquan River Acrylic 11x14x.75 Framed $335
Rebekah Keener
The crane one is "Idle Speed," 11"x14," acrylic, and $425.
"I Moth Ask You a Question," 8"x8" acrylic, $250
Artists - I say it every year - you should enter this show OR at a minimum, go see it to experience it!
Art Lovers searching for art they love to go in their homes or offices, to give as gifts, to collect - with around 1000 artworks from artists all over Virginia - the selection is HUGE and quite a variety in styles! So go see this show!
And sometime on Friday, September 18 - the Gallery Tab will open on the website and you can see https://artatthemillfall2026.artcall.org/ all of the artwork (and purchase it - but you must go there to pick it up).
Art at the Mill, Burwell-Morgan Mill from Woodbridge, VA
A congratulations to everyone - just getting in to this show is wonderful!
We so look forward to the Art at the Mill every year and we hope you make the trip out to see this always spectacular art show. Hopefully the weather stays great because it is a very scenic drive - and coming from Woodbridge, a couple of great wineries along the way.
Drop a comment below to congratulate the art girls!!
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
I bit the bullet. I made a YouTube Video Channel and have begun the process of learning the intricacies of making videos, slideshows, shorts, editing, and adding audio. Getting your artwork out to the world and all that jazz on Social Media is a blessing and a curse, wouldn't you say?
Creating a YouTube Channel and Videos
I've hesitated for a long, LONG time, but finally this week, I jumped into the tube...well YouTube. I don't like pictures of myself. I don't like listening to myself. I don't want to be in a video and always considered that I am terrible in pictures. But YouTube can be a great way to get your art seen. To tell your story. To show the world what you do, what you think, what inspires you. Terrible dilemma and I would think a lot of artists feel my pain.
Deciding to finally take the plunge, I know this will be awkward, I'll be nervous. I will edit. Re-edit. Edit the Re-edit. To Edit-finity and beyond!
I suppose I'm starting off the easy way and putting slideshows together of various artworks and the occasional video I've taken. I plan to make process videos while creating my art and show art receptions, art galleries, and more. That's all a part of my world at this time of life...hence In Donna's World.
I've also read that people want to see the mistakes, the nervousness, the real you. Perhaps to prove you are real and not AI. But then again, artificial intelligence...isn't that what bravery at times? Well, here we go!
Here are a several of my first Videos and Shorts on YouTube. My Channel is called "In Donna's World" and found at https://www.youtube.com/@donnaliguria
Bear with me as the learning curve and the courage curve (to put myself in front of camera) are steep in the process of putting yourself out there. It is amazing all the hats an artist MUST put on, when honestly, all they want to do is have paint brush in hand and putting that paint on the canvas in front of them.
And I would appreciate your support and help in getting this Channel off the ground by doing the subscribe, comments, the likes, and your encouragement. Those watches and clicks help build the numbers on YouTube. Thank you all for your help!
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
Composition Part 4. Add Energy with Diagonal Lines
Part 4 of 21 of my series on Composition. Part 3 was on "Leading Lines"
It is said that the use of vertical lines add strength and that horizontal lines can create stability in an image. Then we toss in diagonal lines and we may get dynamic tension, uncertainty - and possibly an interesting engaging energy when we get 'leaning lines'.
When using diagonal lines, be rather obvious about it, and take the intersection off the frame or have it come from or into a corner. If you are too subtle with diagonals it may look more like a mistake than an intentional decision.
This is part of a series of blog posts on the guidelines, or rules of composition. Look for all of them in the Search this Blog feature at the top right by searching for the word "composition". I hope you enjoy the posts - let me know in the comments below!
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!______________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
Perspective is defined as a "view or vista" and gives the artist a way to show the appearance of depth and distance in art. Various focal points can be used to make the art subject on a canvas or paper appear three dimensional. This is Part 2 on a series on perspective, so whether you are new at it or old hat, a refresher may help get the techniques just so.
Two-Point Perspective
When your artwork subject is a building, a structure, a street corner, a cityscape, when the view is at an angle, you'll need to understand 2-point perspective. There is a horizon line and 2 vanishing points spaced apart on that horizon, which gives the artwork a better 3D view of the buildings, streets, a fence line, etc, receding into the distance.
When drawing and painting any architectural forms, cityscapes, pathways, roads, illustrating an interior room, or furniture arrangements, use 2-point perspective to give a more realistic representation of the space - in 3D.
Do you have any tips to share about perspective? Drop a comment below.
See Perspective Part One - One Point here - a good read on the basics and terminology of Perspective
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
Wrapping, Storing, Moving, Protecting Your Artwork
Create your own custom art sleeves to protect your art when transporting to and from art shows. Storing your art at home or in studio also needs to be considered for your paintings and framed art and photographs.
Protect Your Art
I have seen it happen more times than I can count. I've seen artists bring their art to an art show in a cardboard box with nothing around the work to protect the works from each other. I've seen artists carry a pile of artworks piled up on top of each other face up, down, face to another frame, canvas hardware to canvas face - you name it. And then throw the art in the back of the car to jiggle its way home.
The horror.
I've seen an art show with artwork hung with nicks in the frames and the artworks. Yes, I have. Unimaginable handling of what is supposed to be fine art, with the prices to go with it. How could anyone spend their time and talent on their artwork then mistreat it so badly? Then try to make good money on it?
Take the time to wrap, store, and protect your art - most especially when its on the move. You can and should create your own art sleeves!
Reflective Bubble Foil Insulation Sleeves
Create custom sleeves for various sizes of artwork from Reflective Foil Insulation. Think "pillow case" or "envelope". You need 3 sides closed and one side open. You can staple the sides and reinforce with aluminum tape or perhaps duct tape.
Purchased at Lowe's, Home Depot, or from Amazon, you can find various sizes and priced sheets or rolls to create your own sleeves. The insulation is lightweight and is enough padding that canvases and frames shouldn't get nicks and scratches when carrying and moving artwork to your art shows.
Art Tips: Use painter's tape and put a number on each sleeve that corresponds to the artwork that belongs to the sleeve. It helps knowing which canvas matches to which sleeve quickly when breaking down an art show and helps tracking your inventory.
We know that after a long day at a show, we all want to pack up and go home, but you must protect your unsold works so that they sell another day in another place.
I doubt the interior of the foil is acid-free, so long-term storage may prove to be unadvisable.
I found large bundles of felt a few years ago at Walmart and again, going with the "pillow case" style of envelope sleeve, I cut the felt into various sizes corresponding to the artwork canvases I needed to move. A simple stitch to close the three sides was all that needed to be done. Potentially, if you fold the fabric, you may only need to sew 2 sides.
Art Tips: Use a Sharpie and write your name on the felt, or create and sew on your artist label to the felt to mark it as yours. Use different colors of felt for different sizes of canvases.
Pillow Cases, Blankets, Towels
I've used actual pillow cases to move a couple of pieces of art, as well as blankets and towels. Really, there is nothing wrong with it, just use something!
Archival Acid-Free Storage Bags
At a minimum for protecting and storing my art canvases, I use various sizes sizes of archival acid-free storage bags in a size larger than the canvas to store artwork to keep dust off the surface. I store the artwork standing straight up with the same-sized works, face to face and back to back (alternating), keeping in mind to not pack too tightly (especially if an artwork has texture).
For textured canvases, put something between the pieces for added protection.
Art Tips:
Do not store artwork leaning into each other.
Do not store artwork with the hanging materials pressed up to another canvas.
Artwork shouldn't be stored in hot environments, or high humidity.
Do not store, nor hang artwork in sunlight.
You do need to store artwork with acid-free glassine paper, tissue paper, foam board, or cardboard, especially for longer-term storage.
What would you add and how do you store or move your artwork? Drop a comment below.
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
Composition Series Part 3. Leading Lines Create Depth
Part 3 of 21 of my series on Composition
Sort of like a flow chart, the lines directing your eyes through the page point where the creator wants you to follow to SEE the whole picture. A composition with leading lines can direct what you want to "point out" in your painting or your photo, your design.
What is a Leading Line?
Positioning objects just so in your design help to point out a feature. Much like you use your arm to point at something, someone can follow your arm to your hand, to your finger and the direction you are pointing to look at the object. In the design, the leading line can be a straight line, a curved line, an S-curve, or an 'implied' line. In the photo below, the lines on the sides of the river lead toward the city, the reflection lines in the water and the curve of the line above and in the water all frame and have you focus on the city in the background.
Repetitive objects, which we know are the same size, gives you a sense of depth and the sidewalk lines, the column rows, the row of lamps all lead you to the final end point.
Other elements that can be leading lines are a row of benches in a park, or a bridge leading to another spot across the water. The reflection in the water and the clouds stretching above the horizon can be leading lines as well.
You Need This! - How to find and use Leading Lines
Other examples are sidewalks, roads, paths, street lights - all leading to a subject. Think about those ways to direct the focus in your next composition.
Which is your favorite composition "rule" so far? Drop a comment below.
@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission
Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!
_________________________
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
*I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.
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