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While strolling through a quilt show, what is it that makes some quilts just seem to jump out and grab your attention? What is the secret ingredient the artist uses to effectively make you stop to notice their quilt over all of its neighbors? Emphasis is a technique used by artists to shift the viewers attention to what the artist finds to be the most important. Emphasis is one of those magic ingredients that can make your work stand out from the crowd.

In the case of Photobomb by Sharon Baxter, what is the first thing you are immidiately drawn to when viewing the quilt? Is it the giraffes in the background or the undulating quilting of the landscape? Did you even notice that there are giraffe's in the quilt? NO, it is that adorable bird who seems to have purposefully stuck his head, front and center, into the scene.

The title of the work, Photobomb, says it all. Wikipedia defines it as, "The act of accidentally or purposely putting oneself into the view of a photograph, often in order to play a practical joke on the photographer or the subjects." This is exatly what the bird is doing, and Sharon Baxter's brilliant use of emphasis, makes this quilt so absolutely hilarious and charming. She did her job; she got your attention.

So what are the tricks for creating emphasis when it comes to your quilt? Below are six ways you can make your quilt have visual impact when it comes to standing out from the crowd. But remember, your strongest focal point (e.g. the bird) should have the strongest weight visually. For example, if you had two or three of the same size and type bird in the quilt on the left, the end result would not be as effective as this one goofy guy.
 

Isolate - Separate your subject from others by type or area of space.
Lead - Invisible lines direct the viewer to one specific point.
Contrast - Use color temperature or value to make a pop.
Size - Make your subject bigger.
Unusual - One thing is not like the others in the scene.
Location - Bring the subject up front, but slightly off center, to add more interest.

Now that you understand the ways that you can create emphasis, let's look at some excellent examples of quilts featuring emphasis:

Isolate - Separate your subject from others by type or area of space.

Lead - Invisible lines direct the viewer to one specific point.

 Contrast - Use color temperature or value to make a pop.

Unusual - One thing is not like the others in the scene.

Size - Make your subject larger.

 


Location - Bring the subject up front, but slightly off center, to add more interest