The Hidden Picture

One very effective way to communicate is the hidden picture. People are fascinated by subliminal messages and hidden symbolism.

For several years I hid things on every picture I drew. People would stand with 'brain lock' swaying in the wind arguing over what was there, but I would never tell them unless they found it. It was fun for a while but it became distracting to other more important goals. I use hidden pictures now only when they add too the presentation.

Here are several ways to hide things in your pictures:

1. Camouflage - Masking objects in areas with similar colors, patterns, textures and structures. Example: Works of Bev Doolittle

2. Dualism - Suggesting a double purpose for objects. Example: A bridge represents a pathway to heaven.

3. Archetypes - Universal symbols that carry a wordless message. Examples: Cross, Steeple, Sheep, Fishing net.

4. Ghosts - Adding half drawn suggestions that tell a story. Example: The works of Robert Lumber in Canada.

5. Blacklight - Adding chalk that contains elements that glow under blacklight. Example: The works of Ding Teuling

Blacklight

Blacklight has been a very effective tool for chalk artists since the discovery of the effects of ultra-violet light. The special invisible blacklight chalk (actually it is white under normal light) is usually applied over an area of the picture that is already saturated with white chalk. Then by very lightly and carefully drawing light areas only and skipping the darker areas (reverse drawing), brilliant pictures can appear from nowhere.

Steps to hide picture are simple:

1. Scrub in a heavy base coat of clean white chalk. Use cross hatching. Rub it in good and scrub in a second coat of white. Be sure not to create any distracting patterns or smudges. Do not blend after the second coat with your fingers.

2. Everything that touches the white area must be very clean. This means your fingers, chalk, and brush if you make corrections.

3. Draw very lightly at first. Add chalk slowly only in the area it is needed. Skip over the areas that are shadows. Do not blend the chalk with your fingers, since this will show under normal light.

4. For mistakes use a small, stiff brush to remove the chalk and re-layer it with white before you continue.

Twenty colors of invisible blacklight chalk are currently available. There is an amazing range of artistic possibilities.

Examples of pictures Hidden with blacklight

Visible Picture for the drawing entitled, "Jade"

Hidden picture under blacklight bases on a concept from Darlene Thiesies

Normal Light

Blacklight

Mount Rushmore’ Blacklight images

Structure

Heaven

Blacklight

Exercise:#25

Choose a high contrast slide you would like to draw under blacklight. Project it and follow the above procedure.

Exercise #26

Make a tonal color chart showing how each of the invisible blacklight colors blend. You will be surprised.

Exercise #27

Draw a slide snow scene using green invisible blacklight chalk for the white snow. Turn on the blacklight and watch it change from winter to summer.

Exercise #28

Draw a slide of a lake scene at sunset. Use purple invisible blacklight chalk for the sun and all the white highlights on the sky and water. Turn on the blacklight and watch

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