Active and Passive Areas in Painting
from Eric Jacobsen
When you're developing a painting, one of the most subtle yet powerful tools in your artistic toolkit is the contrast between active and passive areas. While this might sound like a compositional theory reserved for art school, it's actually an intuitive concept that can dramatically improve the way your paintings communicate and feel.
Let’s break it down in a simple, approachable way and look at how you can use this technique in your own work.
What Are Active and Passive Areas?
Think of active areas as the places in your painting that grab attention. These are visually dynamic — full of contrast, texture, pattern, movement, or color variation. They energize the viewer’s eye and spark curiosity.
On the other hand, passive areas are calm and quiet. They don’t shout for attention but instead serve as restful zones that provide balance and space. They allow your active areas to shine without overwhelming the viewer.
“Spring Clouds” by Eric Jacobsen
Why This Balance Matters
If your painting is all active areas, it can feel overwhelming — like everything is shouting at once. If it’s all passive, the result might be visually dull or flat. The key is creating a relationship between the two: contrast creates interest, and interest holds attention.
This isn’t just about visual noise and silence — it’s about control. You get to guide the viewer’s eye through your painting, deciding where they look first, where they linger, and how they move through the piece.
How to Spot Active vs. Passive Areas
Active areas have:
Strong value shifts
Distinct edges or contours
Texture or pattern
Movement or gesture
Intense or varied color
Passive areas show:
Low contrast or soft transitions
Simplicity in shape or tone
Repetition or harmony
Minimal visual change
You can see this in action in works by artists like Jay Hall Connaway, who often uses detailed realism (active) framed by large open spaces (passive) to create a powerful dynamic.
“Storm Over Pawlet, Vermont” by Jay Hall Connaway
Techniques to Create Active and Passive Areas
1. Simplify Your Shapes
Complex shapes tend to be more active.
Large, unbroken shapes lean passive.
Try limiting complex, energetic marks to areas you want to emphasize.
2. Value Contrast
High contrast = active.
Low contrast or tonal similarity = passive.
Squint at your painting or use a value viewer to see this clearly.
3. Edge Variety
Sharp, defined edges draw attention.
Soft, lost edges recede into passivity.
Use edge control to guide visual flow.
4. Color Intensity
Saturated, pure hues feel active.
Muted, blended colors feel passive.
Use chroma intentionally to guide the eye.
The real magic happens when you start to think like a choreographer. You want the eye to move through the painting in a rhythm — not just bouncing from active spot to active spot, but flowing from energy to rest and back again.
Some tips:
Use active areas to pull the eye to focal points.
Use passive areas to give breathing room and enhance contrast.
Think of the whole composition as a landscape of energy.
Mastering the balance of active and passive areas doesn’t mean following rigid rules. It’s about developing awareness — seeing what your painting is doing and making intentional choices to create harmony, rhythm, and interest.
Whether you’re painting a quiet seascape or a bustling street scene, this concept applies. Like music needs both notes and silence, your painting needs both excitement and calm to feel complete.
So next time you step back from your easel, ask yourself:
Where is the eye going?
Where can it rest?
What areas are doing the talking — and which ones are just listening?
The answers might be the key to taking your work to the next level.
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