Sometimes, when you are working on your art, you want to share your story, or to convey a message.

All real stories have a hero or, at least, a main character.

Visual art can have a main character too. That does not have to be a person. Any object, that you think is important, or an area within the composition can be your "main character" in an artwork.

So how do we, as artists, designate the main character?

How do we get our viewers to look where we want them to look?

How do we tell them what's really important here?

The answer to those questions is emphasis.

Emphasis is the principle of art that helps the audience understand your message.