Framed Ink practice book · Area B · Study cards

Study cards

59 of his finished images with his thumbnails hidden, for the exercise “Reverse-engineer his thumbnails”.

Mateu-Mestre · FI1 p.34

“little thumbnails attached to each composition”

How to use a card. Pick a card. Write a one-line intent: what you think the image is doing. Make your two thumbnails at small size, value masses and lines of tension. Then open his and compare.

My note · reading his thumbnails

His line thumbnails don’t follow one convention. Some trace physical edges, some join implied dots, some use arrows, curves through heads or a single dot for the subject. Treat each one as his read of the image. Yours can differ and still work.

Some cards have only his mass thumbnail, a single mixed one, or a thirds grid. The note inside each key says which. Two FI1 examples are left out because the Area B page already uses them: the street chase (p.39) and the soldiers (p.43).

← Back to the exercise on the Area B page

Introduction: the value template

A small cowboy walks through a lit gap between huge dark rock masses.

Introduction: the value template (1)

FI1 p.35, example B

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Lines only. His mass template for B and C is “A” on p.34, shown on top.

A gun butt and a gloved hand in dark foreground, a porch on the right, a small cowboy in the lit gap.

Introduction: the value template (2)

FI1 p.35, example C

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Lines only. His mass template for B and C is “A” on p.34, shown on top.

The restaurant (a general case)

A man and a woman at a café table, both against a bright window.

The restaurant (a general case) (1)

FI1 p.36, variant 1

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

The same couple with a lamp and flower vase between them and arched shapes behind each.

The restaurant (a general case) (2)

FI1 p.36, variant 2

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

The same couple: the man in shadow, the woman inside a big round pool of light.

The restaurant (a general case) (3)

FI1 p.37, variant 3

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

The same couple: the man in a white shirt against a light curved shape, the woman in mid-grey.

The restaurant (a general case) (4)

FI1 p.37, variant 4

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

Establishing shots

A frontal ceremonial guard in a tall fur hat with a bayonet rifle, between two door edges.

Establishing shots (1)

FI1 p.38

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

1950s teenagers beside a big car, houses and trees behind.

Establishing shots (2)

FI1 p.38

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Animating the scene

Three armed agents in a dark room, guns raised at different heights.

Animating the scene

FI1 p.39

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Looking down, feeling down

A high view of a slumped man at a lit table, surrounded by standing and seated figures.

Looking down, feeling down (1)

FI1 p.40

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A high view of a soldier wading through a swamp among big leaves and bamboo.

Looking down, feeling down (2)

FI1 p.40

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One thumbnail that mixes masses and lines.

Overpowering upshots

A low view of an adventurer, a smaller hunter with a rifle behind him under a tree.

Overpowering upshots (1)

FI1 p.41

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A low view up between skyscrapers at night.

Overpowering upshots (2)

FI1 p.41

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One thumbnail that mixes masses and lines.

Using the negative space

The back of a man’s head and shoulder beside an open safe holding small carved figures, lit from low.

Using the negative space (1)

FI1 p.42

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

Three people in a dark room, lit faces at the right, a big dark shape filling the left.

Using the negative space (2)

FI1 p.42

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

A man in a narrow lit gap between two dark backlit figures, a gun above him.

Using the negative space (3)

FI1 p.43 (no number printed; PDF 43)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Order vs. chaos

A flat facade with a strict grid of windows.

Order vs. chaos (1)

FI1 p.44

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One thumbnail that mixes masses and lines.

A flat facade with a few scattered odd windows and a light diagonal.

Order vs. chaos (2)

FI1 p.44

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One thumbnail that mixes masses and lines.

Complex vs. simple

Two ladies in ornate dresses in a street, a plainly dressed man behind them.

Complex vs. simple (1)

FI1 p.45

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A dark forest of straight trunks with one twisted tree.

Complex vs. simple (2)

FI1 p.45

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One thumbnail that mixes masses and lines.

Big vs. small

A huge warrior with a sword filling a doorway, a hanging pot on the left.

Big vs. small (1)

FI1 p.46

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Two women low in the frame, a window above and a big dark diagonal shape on the right.

Big vs. small (2)

FI1 p.46

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Angular vs. curved

A suburban street under arching tree canopies.

Angular vs. curved (1)

FI1 p.47

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Angular vs. curved (2)

FI1 p.47

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

The “tree vs. forest” effect (a matter of numbers)

A uniformed officer in a plumed hat, lit, with fragments of figures in the dark around him.

The “tree vs. forest” effect (a matter of numbers) (1)

FI1 p.48

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

A town of rooftops shown as scattered lit planes in black.

The “tree vs. forest” effect (a matter of numbers) (2)

FI1 p.48

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

Big, medium, small

A paratrooper in free fall, a plane and far jumpers behind, a huge strap and dial in the foreground.

Big, medium, small (1)

FI1 p.49

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A farm landscape: a near tree mass, horses in the middle, a far hill.

Big, medium, small (2)

FI1 p.49

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Landscape as a character

A valley by day, trees on the left, pale cliffs behind.

Landscape as a character (1)

FI1 p.50

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

The same valley at night, almost all dark.

Landscape as a character (2)

FI1 p.50

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Conceal and reveal (a matter of emotions)

Conceal and reveal (a matter of emotions) (1)

FI1 p.51

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A rim-lit woman at a wall phone among columns, a man behind her.

Conceal and reveal (a matter of emotions) (2)

FI1 p.51

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Weird beats, weird shots

A pickup truck under a single tall street lamp on an empty horizon, lots of sky.

Weird beats, weird shots (1)

FI1 p.52

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

An all-black frame with a lit fragment of a face at the upper right.

Weird beats, weird shots (2)

FI1 p.52

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

POV (point of view)

A tilted room seen from a bed, a hand reaching in, two men standing.

POV (point of view) (1)

FI1 p.53

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Dense dark foliage with a tiny pair of figures in a bright doorway.

POV (point of view) (2)

FI1 p.53

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Daytime / nighttime

A mission-style street with a domed tower and palms by day.

Daytime / nighttime (1)

FI1 p.54 (PDF 55)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

The same street at night under a big moon.

Daytime / nighttime (2)

FI1 p.54 (PDF 55)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Keeping the focal point

A close-up of an eye at the upper left in a dark face.

Keeping the focal point (1)

FI1 p.55 (PDF 54)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses, plus a rule-of-thirds grid with the focus marked (no line thumbnail).

A night street of old buildings with one lit window.

Keeping the focal point (2)

FI1 p.55 (PDF 54)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses, plus a rule-of-thirds grid with the focus marked (no line thumbnail).

Scale progression

Giant aliens rampaging, small humans running at the lower right.

Scale progression (1)

FI1 p.56

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A huge ship above a line of aliens, figures pulled up into its opening.

Scale progression (2)

FI1 p.56

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Knowledge vs. unawareness (intercutting)

Gas-masked police with guns stacked at a doorway.

Knowledge vs. unawareness (intercutting) (1)

FI1 p.57

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A man at a laptop in a dark room, a door on the left.

Knowledge vs. unawareness (intercutting) (2)

FI1 p.57

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Beyond the standard points of interest (icons)

A low, wide view of boots and falling shell casings.

Beyond the standard points of interest (icons) (1)

FI1 p.58 (no number printed; PDF 58)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Striped trousers, a briefcase and a water bottle, a second figure cut off at the shoulders.

Beyond the standard points of interest (icons) (2)

FI1 p.58 (no number printed; PDF 58)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

Action shots

Two riders on galloping horses among trees.

Action shots (1)

FI1 p.59

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Both: value masses and lines of tension.

A tense man firing a pistol close to camera, shells flying, a smaller gunman and palms behind.

Action shots (2)

FI1 p.59

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

Masses only. He printed no line thumbnail for this one.

Framed Ink 2: render and mechanics thumbnail

In FI2 he pairs each render with one flat “mechanics” thumbnail, not two. Make your two anyway, then compare your masses with his.

Ch.5 · The subtle step between 1.85:1 and 2.35:1

Three pirates in a rowboat beside a huge galleon, a second galleon far off.

Changing the width / keeping the same height

FI2 p.57, fig. 5.3

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses), with arrows: fig. 5.4.

Marines charging uphill, planes overhead, a bunker at the right edge.

Assault on the bunker

FI2 p.58, fig. 5.8 (the 1.85 version; his thumbnail was drawn for the 2.35 frame, fig. 5.7)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 5.6.

Flying low

FI2 p.59, fig. 5.9

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses), with one point circled: fig. 5.10.

Marines charging uphill, a bunker at the right edge.

Assault on the bunker / keeping the width (1)

FI2 p.62, fig. 5.18 (2.35)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 5.21, p.63.

The same charge in a taller frame with planes above.

Assault on the bunker / keeping the width (2)

FI2 p.62, fig. 5.19 (1.85)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 5.22, p.63.

The same charge with the frame slid down, more ground below.

Assault on the bunker / keeping the width (3)

FI2 p.62, fig. 5.20 (1.85)

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 5.23, p.63.

Ch.6 · Against the grain

Giant towers rising behind small houses and palm trees.

Vertical theme, horizontal panel format (1)

FI2 p.66, fig. 6.1

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses), with arrows: fig. 6.2.

A high view over a city grid with long shadows across it.

Vertical theme, horizontal panel format (2)

FI2 p.66, fig. 6.3

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 6.4.

A view straight down between skyscrapers to a street.

Vertical theme, horizontal panel format (3)

FI2 p.67, fig. 6.5

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses), with arrows: fig. 6.6.

A view straight up a skyscraper against clouds.

Vertical theme, horizontal panel format (4)

FI2 p.67, fig. 6.7

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses), with arrows: fig. 6.8.

A man in a hat between dark buildings at the sides, tall towers in the light behind.

Vertical theme, horizontal panel format (5)

FI2 p.68, fig. 6.9

His thumbnails: open after you’ve done yours

One flat mechanics thumbnail (masses): fig. 6.10.