Hello, fellow artist. Ever wanted to tell a story or convey a “deeper meaning” with your paintings?

Well, that’s what we’re all here to chat about today. Because art is about telling a story to your viewers, even if you don’t realize you’re doing it. So, check out the full video below in which we go over this really in-depth, or scroll down to read more!

Video: How to Tell a Story with Your Art

Tips to Convey a Meaning in Art

Now, we’re talking about paintings here today, but absolutely all of these tips can apply to other types of visual art, too (like pottery, glass art, etc.)

Don’t Expect Viewers to “Get It”

Every person who takes a look at your artwork is, well, a different person! So, you should never expect one person’s interpretation of your work to match someone else’s.

Some viewers won’t even “get” anything out of your art at all–and that’s okay. Just know that the viewers who do “get it” might just become your new top fans.

Keep Your Story Simple

More times than not, simple is effective when it comes to telling a story or conveying a message in your artwork. For example, in the video above, I show you a painting of a bridge that I created with a certain “point of view”. And that point of view was just straight-on, giving the bridge in the painting a feeling of “going on forever”.

And that feeling of “going on into infinity” can mean so many different things to different people, which is why I like to ultimately leave the “story” behind my paintings up to my viewers. However, the message I personally see in this painting goes like this: a bridge can take us anywhere, and the journey may be long and unending, though it winds through beautiful scenery.

Of course, a simple story can become more complex the more you think about it, which is another good reason to keep it simple with your paintings.

Don’t Sacrifice Quality

One of the most important things to remember when you want to tell a story with your art is that the quality of your work is never to be sacrificed. Which, in essence, means you should not focus more on the “message” of your paintings than the painting itself!

It can be easily to carried away in this thought of, “my painting is going to challenge the ideological morals of the world and change all of humanity!” But, you know… at the end of the day, your painting is a painting, so don’t let the message take the front seat.

Use the Elements of Art

Now, to get more technical about things, using the 7 elements of art can actually help you tell a story through your paintings. The elements of art include line, shape, form, space, color, value, and texture, and incorporating all of these things will give you a stronger painting that can, in turn, convey a stronger story.

For example, by focusing on the element of space, you can “space out” certain objects in a painting, giving more limelight to one object or another. Putting a lot of space around one object can give it a type of artistic “halo”, and that’s another way to tell a story with that object.

If you’d like to learn more about the 7 elements of art, check out my free elements of art workshop, featuring a printable workbook and video class!

And, if you want more painting tips, inspiration, and even access to full online painting classes, I recommend you check out Canvas Academy—your guide to becoming the best artist you can be!

Additionally, you can see more blog posts relating to painting and all things art by clicking below.

And… happy painting (or creating), fellow artists!

–Kari