I like designs with a lot to look at. That is probably obvious from much of the work I make.
But there is a point where detail stops helping and starts getting in the way. I have crossed that line plenty of times.
Every detail has to earn its place
The problem is that clutter usually does not arrive all at once. You add one texture because it looks good. Then another small object. Then something to fill an empty area. Individually, every addition makes sense.
Together, the image can lose its focal point.
One of the simplest tests I use now is to back away from the design. If I cannot tell what the main subject is anymore, I probably added too much.
Distance first, detail second
I want a piece to work at two distances. From farther away, the composition should be readable and the main subject should be obvious. Up close, the smaller marks and textures should give the viewer more to discover.
That balance becomes especially important on slate because the image is built from light marks against a dark stone. Too many competing bright areas can flatten everything into noise.
Our slate art guide explains more about how the material affects contrast and detail.
Most of the time, when a design feels crowded, the fix is not another detail. It is figuring out which detail I can remove without losing the story.
You can see that approach across the work in the current collection.