What do you see in the picture above? I see a big, muscle bound dude in chains, about to get ripped to pieces by female werewolf.
We can deduce from the hair color that the big dude isn't Conan. Could possibly be Doc Savage, but the hair is too long.
Not a major hero, which means he can be sacrificed on the altar of dramatic storytelling.
Looks like he is a goner. Farewell, unknown muscle bound guy!
Except...that I cropped the picture.
Let's look at a version that reveals a bit more.
Okay...this is different. Woman with bloody sword lurking in the shadows. The bloody sword indicates that she is a fighter, and a competent one. At least more competent than the person whose blood is on the sword.
If she intervenes, muscle guy has a fighting chance, even if it's not his fight. A bit of a nail-biter for him, except he can't bite his nails because...chained to two pillars.
If you have followed this blog, you may recognize the woman: Alice of Sandby. Well, one of the versions of Alice that I have used in other pictures. You may also notice that something is written along the side of the blade. So, the sword is Illi, Alice's not-so-nice-but-oh-so-lethal rune blade.
Suddenly, it looks like it is the werewolf that is in serious trouble.
So, the story changed completely because of how the picture was cropped. Cropping is about the simplest thing you can do with a picture, and yet, it is also one of the most powerful things you can do.
Try it! Whether you are a painter, a photographer, a 3D artist, or something else, have a look at your pictures, and see if you can change the stories they tell by cropping them.
One last thing:
Facebook blocked my previous blog post, The Importance of Reading. Check it out if you wonder why artists can benefit by reading.
Be seeing you!
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