Question: Why do artists squint?

Artists squint to simplify what they see. It is easy to be distracted by the overwhelming amount of information in the visible details around us. Fortunately, most of these details are removed from our view when we squint. Seeing fewer details makes it easier for the artist to identify essential shapes and values, as well as the hard and soft edges.

Squinting removes details in two ways. First, squinting changes the shape of the eye taking the subject out of focus. Second, it reduces the amount of light entering the eye eliminating much of the color. This gives the subject in view a soft monochrome appearance. As a result, the forms are simplified and the variation between hard and soft edges and light and dark values becomes more apparent.

Have you ever wondered how to squint? Daniel F. Gerhartz says, "The best approach is to gently close your eyes until the lights and darks become more separate or value patterns simplify and the sharpest edges emerge. The key is to keep this up through the process, only opening your eyes to more easily identify the color temperature shifts within the simple shapes."

Also, never squint at your canvas. Richard Schmid's states: "People do this all the time because it seems to eliminate mistakes by making everything in their picture look soft and 'arty.' It is the same device that Hollywood uses to film aging movie stars (using a soft focus lens to obscure wrinkles). They only kid themselves and so will you. So to repeat--squint at your subject, but open your eyes to look at your painting! Don't get this backwards!"