I use three tricks to draw a viewer's eye to the subject in my drawings, to sharpen my focus:

I use composition. ― For example, I might place a child with a sad expression more toward a corner of my paper like you can read about in my lesson on composition, so the child would appear to be off-center, lonely--even sadder.

I use shading to sharpen the focus. ― For example, compared to the rest of the drawing I might draw more contrast between the light and the shadow on a jubilant child's face, so the child's face would appear to be closer to the light--brighter!

And I use detail. ― In this commission for example, I drew the baby girl's face with photographic detail compared to the way I drew her shirt, so the girl's face would appear to stand out. I wanted the viewer to see her face most of all and get the urge to kiss her little cheeks. Just like I felt when I first saw her!

EXERCISE ― Get a photograph of a group of things like leaves, bricks in a wall, or a flock of birds. Better yet, find a real life grouping inside or out. Within thate grouping you choose, find something that catches your eye, you like, that intrigues you. And draw that thing. Make that thing your focus. But be sure to include some of the other things that surround it. Now use one or more of the 'tricks' I described above to draw the viewer's attention to your focus!

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