Percy Principles of Art and Composition

• Percy Principle #1 - Avoid a sore thumb. Nothing in the composition

should be so strong that the rest of the composition looks neglected.
When you have a sore thumb, you do not notice the rest of your hand. Avoid the
SORE THUMB. I study my composition to see if anything looks too important,
I change that part to make it less important, OR I find something else in the
composition and make it more important. However, even scars add interest,
emphasis, and expression if they are integrated into the whole.
.
• Percy Principle #2 - Keep everything connected. Connect each part
of the composition to something else in the composition. I think of this as
Theme with Variation. If I use a big red circle, perhaps I need another circle
or another red or another big thing. I probably should not have another big red
circle. If I use a black and white cow, I may need another animal or organic
shape, or I may need another instance of black and white spots, etc., and so on.

• Percy Principle #3 - Include Secrets. Artwork is more interesting and

expressive if it has hidden features and ideas that it only reveals to
diligent observers. The popular arts, by contrast with fine art, make everything
obvious at first glance.

• Percy Principle #4 - Challenge common assumptions. Strong artwork

often makes the viewer question prior assumptions about the world. Is
my artwork making an ARGUMENT? What does my artwork have to offer that
the viewer may find incomprehensible, disagreeable, or contentious? By
contrast, popular arts tend to support all popular ideas and assumptions in simple
straightforward ways.

• Percy Principle #5 - Cherish Mistakes. Mistakes are fascinating gifts,

and what we do with them makes all the difference. It is hard to plan
creative work, but when a mistake happens, I am given a gift. When I respond to
the mistake and make a new thing from it, I do not have to borrow other artist's
ideas to be creative. It has emerged as my solution. On the other hand, when
the mistake is an obvious failure, it means that I have to get to work, do research,
experiment, or simply PRACTICE MORE. These are all positive outcomes.
Percy Principle #1 was about sore thumbs. Mistakes are sometimes like sores
that make something less boring and more fun to see. I leave enough scars to
keep the story interesting and expressive.
Also see - Dennett, Daniel C. (1995) "How to Make Mistakes." In: J. Brockman,
K. Matson (eds.) How Things Are. New York: William Morrow and Company:
137-144.

• Percy Principle #6 - Be Accident Prone. Accidents in art are tragic or

happy - depending on the artist's disposition to respond. The benefits of
 accidents and mistakes are very similar. They both present unexpected problems
or opportunities. If one of my soft clay pieces accidentally falls off a ware board,
it presents itself to me as an idea for a wall plaque, wall vase, mirror frame, or
something else not yet imagined. If a large bowl form falls flat and becomes a
platter, it may not be functional, but it can be transformed into relief sculpture.
This particular piece of clay can be thrown in the rework, but the images
presented to me are filed in my mental hard drive. A series of wall pieces or
platters may emerge from the ideas presented by the accident. Creative people
prize accidents and mistakes precisely because accidents move the mind to places
it does not voluntarily go. Creativity is not simply problem solving. Experts
may be good at problem solving, but the highly creative also love the art of
"problem finding".
Accidents and mistakes are such useful problem finding techniques that we need
to practice them. Some lessons can have "intentional accidents" as part of the
lesson. It is a way to learn how to generate problems and ideas.

• Percy Principle #7 - Never borrow other artist's ideas. Steal 'em! Ideas
are free for the taking. Ideas are all around us in the vapor of existence. Images
and particular arrangements of words, on the other hand, are copyrighted.
Inventions are patented. Copyrights and patents are "intellectual property", but
ideas and concepts belong to everybody. They are in the public domain - always
have been. If I find a good idea, a truth, I do not want to borrow it. I do not want
to return it. I want to appropriate it, test it, and make it my own. I own it. Like the
thief, I want to steal it so I can tell it, paint it, and fling it with clay and glaze.
Ideas are free. The ability to express a good idea is a valuable artisitic ability.
Source: I was introduced to this Principle by Nick Lindsay, poet and son of
Vachel Lindsay, poet. In 1972, as he was helping me build our house, I asked
Nick if he felt like borrowing another poet's ideas. He said, "Never borrow 'em.
STEAL 'EM. Make 'em your own. Don't plan to give 'em back."

This list of principles is a "work in progress". I make no claim of originality here but
neither are they copied or simply borrowed. I make no claims of infallibility. However,
I offer these ideas, for what they are worth, because they are ideas that I own and find
useful to consider as I work. You may also find them worth owning - not just
borrowing. If you are an artist who has another important principle, I would love to hear
from you. If you find flaws or question any of these principles, I would be pleased to
hear your response.
written by Marvin Percy Bartel
updated June 14, 2010

All rights reserved, Marvin Bartel © 2004. You are invited to link this page to your
page. For permission to reproduce or place this page on your site or to make printed
copies, contact me. Author bio

Marvin Bartel, Ed.D., Emeritus Professor of Art, Adjunct in Art Education

 Goshen College, 1700 South Main St., Goshen IN 46526

Other related and recommended sites:

HOME page on Teaching Artistic Thinking - Essays and Lessons by the

same author
An example Rubric to evaluate artwork
List of Assignments and Studio Projects
Group Assessment Form for this used for some group assignments
How to Plan Art Lessons (you can check this one to see if my plans are similar to what I
want you to do)
www.bartelart.com to see an art teacher's artwork
Archive of Courses previously taught including ceramics, photography, art education, and
house design.
Goshen College Art Department, Goshen College Home Page

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