Breaking the (Painting) Rules
from Skip Whitcomb
Short summary: This blog post explores how breaking traditional rules can create exceptional works, focusing on the approaches of John Singer Sargent and Maynard Dixon Both artists showed that breaking the rules thoughtfully—not randomly—can lead to striking results. Their risk-taking and deliberate planning demonstrate the value of thinking creatively in art and beyond. The post encourages readers to appreciate and experiment with unconventional approaches for unique outcomes.
Painting is full of rules. But sometimes, the best artists break those rules to create something truly special. John Singer Sargent and Maynard Dixon are two painters who took risks with their compositions—how they arranged things on the canvas—and made their work stand out. Let’s take a closer look at what they did and why it works.
John Singer Sargent was a master at drawing attention to key parts of his paintings. In the piece below, he placed a bright red spot in the bottom corner of the canvas. This might seem like a strange choice—most people wouldn’t expect to find something so eye-catching in a corner! But Sargent used this red mark to pull viewers into the painting.
Hospital at Granada (1912), John Singer Sargent
From there, your eyes naturally move through the painting. He placed other important elements, like people and shadows, in a circular pattern that leads you around the scene. Everything feels connected, even though he made bold choices. It’s like he was saying, “I know this breaks the rules, but trust me—it works.
Maynard Dixon took a completely different approach. He painted huge landscapes that made you feel small just by looking at them. His painting below gives most of the space to a giant rock formation, leaving little room for anything else. There’s minimal sky to balance things out, which is what most artists would not have done. But that’s the point—it feels massive, and that’s what makes it so powerful.
Men and Mountains (1933), Maynard Dixon
Dixon also loved using diagonal lines to guide the viewer’s eye. Most artists are taught to include horizontal lines to make things feel stable, but Dixon didn’t follow that rule. By using diagonals, he made his landscapes feel alive and full of energy. His paintings weren’t just pretty—they had personality.
Both Sargent and Dixon show us that breaking the rules can lead to surprising results. They didn’t just ignore the basics of art; they built on them in creative ways.
Sargent - used color and movement to guide your eyes in unexpected directions.
Dixon - played with space and lines to create drama and energy.
Even though their styles were very different, they both showed how careful planning can make risky choices pay off. They weren’t random about it—every detail in their paintings was there for a reason.
When we look at these works, we can see how important it is to think outside the box. Whether you’re creating art or just appreciating it, remember that there’s more than one way to make something beautiful. Taking risks, like Sargent and Dixon did, can make a painting stand out and feel unique.
So next time you see a painting that feels a little different, take a closer look. Chances are, the artist thought a lot about how to make it work—and they might just inspire you to try something new, too.
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