{"id":46265,"date":"2026-04-05T12:26:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T12:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/?page_id=46265"},"modified":"2026-04-05T12:27:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T12:27:47","slug":"members-minute-4-6-26","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/members-minute-4-6-26","title":{"rendered":"Members Minute 4\/6\/26"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"coursetitlecontainer\">\n<div class=\"coursetitle\">\n<h1><span>The Member's Minute:<\/span> Episode 568<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"favorites\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"insertbackground\">\n<div class=\"removep\">\n<div class=\"videoflexwrapper\">\n<div class=\"videotop\">\n<div class=\"hero\">\n<div class=\"overlay\">\n<div class=\"logincenter\"><div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-sc-login\"><div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget\">\n<form method=\"post\" action=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-login.php\" class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-form\">\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-username\">\n<label for=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-username\">Username or Email:<\/label><br \/>\n<input type=\"text\" name=\"log\" id=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-username\" class=\"form-control\" title=\"Username\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-password\">\n<label for=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-password\">Password:<\/label><br \/>\n<input type=\"password\" name=\"pwd\" id=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-password\" class=\"form-control\" title=\"Password\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-lost-password\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword\" tabindex=\"-1\">forgot password?<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-remember-me\">\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"rememberme\" value=\"forever\" \/>Remember Me<\/label>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-submit\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"redirect_to\" value=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/members-minute-4-6-26\" \/>\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"redirect_to_automatic\" value=\"1\" \/>\n<input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" value=\"Log Me In\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/form>\n<div class=\"ws-plugin--s2member-pro-login-widget-code\">\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"loginlogout\">You must be logged in to access this lesson.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebartop\">\n<div class=\"vertalign\">\n<div class=\"logoimage\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/logosmall75.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebarcarddescriptiondark\"><span>JOIN THE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTOR<\/span><br \/>\n    Get ALL of our courses, ebooks, live lessons, critiques, lesson plans and more today.<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebarbuttonholder\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"sidebuttonsmem\">START FREE TRIAL<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom:10px;\"><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<div class=\"contentfix\" style=\"padding-top:20px;\">\n<div class=\"tabs\">\n<div class=\"panel\">\n<h2>A Vibrant and Engaging Critique<\/h2>\n<p>In this episode of \u201cThe Members\u2019 Minute,\u201d instructor Matt takes a close look at a striking and highly detailed painting by T\u00fcnde. From the very beginning, Matt notes the visual impact of the piece, emphasizing its energetic composition and rich use of color. The painting is filled with intricate elements\u2014flowers, vines, a fence, and a hummingbird\u2014all working together to create a lively and engaging scene. While the complexity adds charm, it also presents opportunities to refine the overall composition and strengthen the focal point.<\/p>\n<h2>Understanding the Focal Point and Composition<\/h2>\n<p>Matt begins by analyzing the composition, focusing on the clarity of the focal point. Although the hummingbird appears to be the intended focal point, it becomes slightly lost due to the busyness of the surrounding elements. Interestingly, this isn\u2019t entirely a drawback. The viewer\u2019s eye is first drawn to areas of strong contrast\u2014particularly where greens in the foreground meet the oranges and blues behind them\u2014before eventually discovering the hummingbird. This delayed discovery creates a sense of visual exploration.<\/p>\n<p>However, Matt suggests that the focal point could be strengthened. For future compositions, he recommends adjusting the placement of the hummingbird slightly upward and to the right, aligning it more closely with the rule of thirds. This adjustment would improve balance and create a more dynamic visual flow without sacrificing the painting\u2019s complexity.<\/p>\n<h2>Balance, Movement, and Visual Rhythm<\/h2>\n<p>The painting demonstrates strong movement, guided by vine-like shapes that lead the viewer\u2019s eye across the surface. Matt also highlights the effective use of repetition, particularly in the fence slats, flower shapes, and recurring colors. These repeated elements create rhythm and cohesion, helping unify the many details within the composition.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the placement of elements near the edges\u2014such as the dream catcher and lower corner details\u2014helps balance the visual weight. These components prevent the composition from feeling too heavy in one area, contributing to an overall sense of harmony.<\/p>\n<h2>The Importance of Value and Contrast<\/h2>\n<p>A major focus of the critique is value\u2014the lightness or darkness of color\u2014which Matt describes as the most important element in creating the illusion of light and form. While T\u00fcnde\u2019s painting includes a full range of values, the strongest contrasts are concentrated in the lower right portion. This naturally draws the viewer\u2019s eye but leaves other areas, particularly the upper left, feeling less developed.<\/p>\n<p>By temporarily removing color, Matt reveals that some areas lack sufficient value contrast, especially between the sky and the fence. Increasing contrast in these regions\u2014either by darkening the fence or adjusting the sky\u2014would enhance depth and clarity. He also suggests refining shadow shapes to create more gradual transitions and improve realism.<\/p>\n<h2>Color Relationships and Artistic Voice<\/h2>\n<p>One of the painting\u2019s greatest strengths lies in its bold and vibrant color relationships. Matt points out the effective use of complementary and near-complementary colors, which create strong visual contrast and energy. The interplay of blues, oranges, greens, and red-purples gives the piece its dynamic quality.<\/p>\n<p>Importantly, Matt reassures T\u00fcnde that the bright blue background\u2014initially a concern\u2014is actually a unifying element that holds the painting together. Rather than muting it, he encourages embracing this bold color choice as part of the artist\u2019s emerging style.<\/p>\n<h2>Final Thoughts and Suggestions<\/h2>\n<p>To further improve the painting, Matt recommends enhancing contrast around the hummingbird to make it stand out more clearly. This can be achieved by adjusting surrounding values or subtly shifting color. He also suggests ensuring consistent paint application across the canvas, as variations in thickness can make areas feel unfinished.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, Matt praises the originality and expressive quality of T\u00fcnde\u2019s work. While technical refinements can elevate the piece, its vibrant color, rhythmic repetition, and unique voice already make it a compelling and memorable painting. The critique ultimately encourages continued exploration and confidence in developing a personal artistic style.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sidebarbottom\">\n<div class=\"relatedcourse\">Your Instructor<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructor\">\n<div class=\"instructorimage\">\n<div class=\"instructorpic\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/images\/mattauthor.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Fussell - Instructor\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"instructorname\">Matt Fussell<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructordes\">\n<p>Founder of The Virtual Instructor, artist and teacher. Matt makes learning art easy to understand and enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p><div style=\"padding-top:10px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/blog\/author\/admin\">Learn more about Matt<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relatedcoursescontainer\">\n<div class=\"relatedcourse\">Related Courses and Classes<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/painting-a-duck-with-acrylics\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Duck with Acrylics<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/duck-with-acrylics-400.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/blueberries-with-acrylics\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Blueberries with Acrylics<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Blueberries-with-acrylics-sq-400.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/landscape-painting-with-oils\" class=\"sidebarbottom-curriculum\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftlean\"><i class=\"far fa-play-circle\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><\/i>Landscape with Water Mixable Oils<\/div>\n<div class=\"rightlean\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Landscape-Painting-Oils-River-400.jpg');\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Member&#8217;s Minute: Episode 568 A Vibrant and Engaging Critique In this episode of \u201cThe Members\u2019 Minute,\u201d instructor Matt takes a close look at a striking and highly detailed painting by T\u00fcnde. From the very beginning, Matt notes the visual impact of the piece, emphasizing its energetic composition and rich use of color. The painting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"paget-iframe.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46265","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/46265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46265"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/46265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46267,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/46265\/revisions\/46267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevirtualinstructor.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}