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Composition(visualarts)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Composition(visualarts)
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Inthevisualartsinparticularpainting,graphic
design,photography,andsculpturecompositionis
theplacementorarrangementofvisualelementsor
ingredientsinaworkofart,asdistinctfromthesubject
ofawork.Itcanalsobethoughtofastheorganization
oftheelementsofartaccordingtotheprinciplesofart.
Thetermcompositionmeans'puttingtogether,'andcan
applytoanyworkofart,frommusictowritingto
photography,thatisarrangedorputtogetherusing
consciousthought.Inthevisualarts,compositionis
oftenusedinterchangeablywithvarioustermssuchas
design,form,visualordering,orformalstructure,
dependingonthecontext.Ingraphicdesignforpress
anddesktoppublishingcompositioniscommonly
referredtoaspagelayout.

Contents
1Elementsofdesign
1.1Lineandshape
1.2Colour
2Principlesoforganization
2.1Viewpoint(leadingtheeye)
3Compositionaltechniques
3.1Ruleofthirds
3.2Ruleofodds
3.3Ruleofspace
3.4Simplification
3.4.1Limitingfocus
3.5Geometryandsymmetry
3.6Creatingmovement
3.7Othertechniques
4Example
5Seealso
6References
7Furtherreading
8Externallinks

TheArtofPaintingbyJanVermeer,notedforhis
subtlecompositions

Elementsofdesign
Mainarticle:Elementsofart
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Thevariousvisualelements,knownaselementsofdesign,formalelements,orelementsofart,arethe
vocabularywithwhichthevisualartistcomposes.Theseelementsintheoveralldesignusuallyrelateto
eachotherandtothewholeartwork.
Theelementsofdesignare:
Linethevisualpaththatenablestheeyetomovewithinthepiece
Shapeareasdefinedbyedgeswithinthepiece,whethergeometricororganic
Colourhueswiththeirvariousvaluesandintensities
Texturesurfacequalitieswhichtranslateintotactileillusions
ToneShadingusedtoemphasizeform
Form3Dlength,width,ordepth
Spacethespacetakenupby(positive)orinbetween(negative)objects
Depthperceiveddistancefromtheobserver,separatedinforeground,background,andoptionally
middleground

Lineandshape
Linesareopticalphenomenathatallowtheartisttodirecttheeyeoftheviewer.Theopticalillusionoflines
donotexistinnature,butinvisualartselementscanbearrangedtocreatethisillusion.Theviewer
unconsciouslyreadsnearcontinuousarrangementofdifferentelementsandsubjectsatvaryingdistances.
Suchelementscanbeofdramaticuseinthecompositionoftheimage.Thesecouldbeliterallinessuchas
telephoneandpowercablesorriggingonboats.Linescanderivealsofromthebordersofareasofdiffering
colororcontrast,orsequencesofdiscreteelements.Movementisalsoasourceofline,andblurcanalso
createareaction.
Subjectlinescontributetobothmoodandlinearperspective,givingtheviewertheillusionofdepth.
Obliquelinesconveyasenseofmovementandangularlinesgenerallyconveyasenseofdynamismand
possiblytension.Linescanalsodirectattentiontowardsthemainsubjectofpicture,orcontributeto
organizationbydividingitintocompartments.Theartistmayexaggerateorcreatelinesperhapsaspartof
theirmessagetotheviewer.Manylineswithoutaclearsubjectpointsuggestchaosintheimageandmay
conflictwiththemoodtheartististryingtoevoke.
Straightlinescreatedifferentmoodsandaddaffectiontovisualarts.Aline'sangleanditsrelationshipto
thesizeoftheframeinfluencethemoodoftheimage.Horizontallines,commonlyfoundinlandscape
photography,cangivetheimpressionofcalm,tranquility,andspace.Animagefilledwithstrongvertical
linestendstohavetheimpressionofheightandgrandeur.Tightlyangledconvergentlinesgiveadynamic,
lively,andactiveeffecttotheimage.Stronglyangled,almostdiagonallinesproducetensionintheimage.
Theviewpointofvisualartisveryimportantbecauseeverydifferentperspectiveviewsdifferentangled
lines.Thischangeofperspectiveelicitsadifferentresponsetotheimage.Bychangingtheperspectiveonly
bysomedegreesorsomecentimetreslinesinimagescanchangetremendouslyandatotallydifferent
feelingcanbetransported.Straightlinesarealsostronglyinfluencedbytone,color,andrepetitionin
relationtotherestoftheimage.
Comparedtostraightlines,curvesprovideagreaterdynamicinfluenceinapicture.Theyarealsogenerally
moreaestheticallypleasing,astheviewerassociatesthemwithsoftness.Inphotography,curvedlinescan
givegradatedshadowswhenpairedwithsoftdirectionallighting,whichusuallyresultsinavery
harmoniouslinestructurewithintheimage.
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Colour
Colorischaracterizedbyattributessuchashue,brightness,andsaturation.Colorsymbolismassigns
additionalassociations,dependentonculture.Forexample,whitehaslongsuggestedpurity,butitcanalso
takeslightlydifferentmeaningssuchaspeace,orinnocence.However,insomeplaces(forinstance,Japan
andChina)itsignifiesdeath.

Principlesoforganization
Mainarticle:Principlesofart
Theartistdetermineswhatthecenterofinterest(focusinphotography)oftheartworkwillbe,and
composestheelementsaccordingly.Thegazeoftheviewerwillthentendtolingeroverthesepointsof
interest,elementsarearrangedwithconsiderationofseveralfactors(knownvariouslyastheprinciplesof
organization,principlesofart,orprinciplesofdesign)intoaharmoniouswholewhichworkstogetherto
producethedesiredstatementaphenomenoncommonlyreferredtoasunity.Suchfactorsincomposition
shouldnotbeconfusedwiththeelementsofart(orelementsofdesign)themselves.Forexample,shapeis
anelementtheusageofshapeischaracterizedbyvariousprinciples.
Someprinciplesoforganizationaffectingthecompositionofapictureare:
Shapeandproportion
Positioning/Orientation/Balance/Harmonyamongtheelements
Theareawithinthefieldofviewusedforthepicture("cropping")
Thepathordirectionfollowedbytheviewer'seyewhentheyobservetheimage.
Negativespace
Color
Contrast:thevalue,ordegreeoflightnessanddarkness,usedwithinthepicture.
Geometry:forexample,useofthegoldenmean
Lines
Rhythm
Illuminationorlighting
Repetition(Sometimesbuildingintopatternrhythmalsocomesintoplay,asdoesgeometry)
Perspective
Breakingtherulescancreatetensionorunease,yetitcanaddinteresttothepictureifusedcarefully

Viewpoint(leadingtheeye)
Thepositionoftheviewercanstronglyinfluencetheaestheticsofanimage,evenifthesubjectisentirely
imaginaryandviewed"withinthemind'seye".Notonlydoesitinfluencetheelementswithinthepicture,
butitalsoinfluencestheviewer'sinterpretationofthesubject.
Forexample,ifaboyisphotographedfromabove,perhapsfromtheeyelevelofanadult,heisdiminished
instature.Aphotographtakenatthechild'slevelwouldtreathimasanequal,andonetakenfrombelow
couldresultinanimpressionofdominance.Therefore,thephotographerischoosingtheviewer's
positioning.

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Asubjectcanberenderedmoredramaticwhenitfillstheframe.Thereexistsatendencytoperceivethings
aslargerthantheyactuallyare,andfillingtheframefullfillsthispsychologicalmechanism.Thiscanbe
usedtoeliminatedistractionsfromthebackground.
Inphotography,alteringthepositionofthecameracanchangetheimagesothatthesubjecthasfeweror
moredistractionswithwhichtocompete.Thismaybeachievedbygettingcloser,movinglaterally,tilting,
panning,ormovingthecameravertically.

Compositionaltechniques
Therearenumerousapproachesor"compositionaltechniques"toachievingasenseofunitywithinan
artwork,dependingonthegoalsoftheartist.Forexample,aworkofartissaidtobeaestheticallypleasing
totheeyeiftheelementswithintheworkarearrangedinabalancedcompositionalway.[1]However,there
areartistssuchasSalvadorDalwhosesoleaimistodisrupttraditionalcompositionandchallengethe
viewertorethinkbalanceanddesignelementswithinartworks.
Conventionalcompositioncanbeachievedbyutilizinganumberoftechniques:

Ruleofthirds
Mainarticle:Ruleofthirds
Theruleofthirdsisaguidelinefollowedbysomevisualartists.Theobjectiveistostopthesubject(s)and
areasofinterest(suchasthehorizon)frombisectingtheimage,byplacingthemnearoneofthelinesthat
woulddividetheimageintothreeequalcolumnsandrows,ideallyneartheintersectionofthoselines.

Ruleofthirds:Notehowthehorizonfallsclosetothebottomgrid
line,andhowthedarkareasareintheleftthird,theoverexposedin
therightthird.

Theruleofthirdsisthoughttobeasimplificationofthegoldenmean.Thegoldenmeanisaratiothathas
beenusedbyvisualartistsforcenturiesasanaidtocomposition.Whentwothingsareintheproportionof
1:1.618(approximately3to5),theyaresaidtobeinthegoldenmean.
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Dividingthepartsofanimageaccordingtothisproportionhelpstocreateapleasing,balanced
composition.Theintersectionpointsonagoldenmeangridappearat3/8inand3/8down/up,ratherthanat
1/3inand1/3down/uponthegridofthirds.

Ruleofodds
The"ruleofodds"statesthatbyframingtheobjectofinterestwithanevennumberofsurroundingobjects,
itbecomesmorecomfortingtotheeye,thuscreatesafeelingofeaseandpleasure.Itisbasedonthe
assumptionthathumanstendtofindvisualimagesthatreflecttheirownpreferences/wishesinlifemore
pleasingandattractive.
The"ruleofodds"suggeststhatanoddnumberofsubjectsinanimageismoreinterestingthananeven
number.Thusifyouhavemorethanonesubjectinyourpicture,thesuggestionistochooseanarrangement
withatleastthreesubjects.Anevennumberofsubjectsproducessymmetriesintheimage,whichcan
appearlessnaturalforanaturalistic,informalcomposition.
Animageofapersonsurrounded/framedbytwootherpersons,forinstance,wherethepersoninthecenter
istheobjectofinterestinthatimage/artwork,ismorelikelytobeperceivedasfriendlyandcomfortingby
theviewer,thananimageofasinglepersonwithnosignificantsurroundings.

Ruleofspace
Mainarticle:Leadroom
Theruleofspaceappliestoartwork(photography,advertising,illustration)picturingobject(s)towhichthe
artistwantstoapplytheillusionofmovement,orwhichissupposedtocreateacontextualbubbleinthe
viewer'smind.
Thiscanbeachieved,forinstance,byleavingwhitespaceinthedirectiontheeyesofaportrayedpersonare
looking,or,whenpicturingarunner,addingwhitespaceinfrontofhimratherthanbehindhimtoindicate
movement.

Simplification
Imageswithcluttercandistractfromthemainelementswithinthepictureandmakeitdifficulttoidentify
thesubject.Bydecreasingtheextraneouscontent,theviewerismorelikelytofocusontheprimaryobjects.
Cluttercanalsobereducedthroughtheuseoflighting,asthebrighterareasoftheimagetendtodrawthe
eye,asdolines,squaresandcolour.Inpainting,theartistmayuselessdetailedanddefinedbrushwork
towardstheedgesofthepicture.Removingtheelementstothefocusoftheobject,takingonlytheneeded
components.
Limitingfocus
Inphotography,andalso(viasoftwaresimulationofreallenslimitations)in3Dgraphics,oneapproachto
achievingsimplificationistouseawideaperturewhenshootingtolimitthedepthoffield.Whenused
properlyintherightsetting,thistechniquecanplaceeverythingthatisnotthesubjectofthephotographout
offocus.
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Theblurredbackgroundfocusestheeyeon
theflowers.

Atasmalleraperture,thebackground
competesfortheviewersattention.

Asimilarapproach,giventherightequipment,istotakeadvantageoftheScheimpflugprincipletochange
theplaneoffocus.

Geometryandsymmetry
Relatedtotheruleofoddsistheobservationthattrianglesareanaesthetically
pleasingimpliedshapewithinanimage.Inacanonicallyattractiveface,the
mouthandeyesfallwithinthecornersoftheareaofanequilateraltriangle.
PaulCzannesuccessfullyusedtrianglesinhiscompositionsofstilllifes.A
triangularformatcreatesasenseofstabilityandstrength.

Creatingmovement

Asimplecomposition
withcloudandrooftop
thatcreatesasymmetry.

Itispleasingtothehumaneyeforittoconstantlymovearoundtheimage.
Usingthetechniquesstatedaboveyoucantrytoavoidastaticcomposition.In
imageAthe2mountainsareequallysizedandpositionedbesideeachother
creatingaverystaticanduninterestingimage.InimageBthemountainsaredifferentlysizedandoneis
placedclosertothehorizon,guidingtheeyetomovefromonemountaintotheothercreatingamore
interestingandpleasingimage.Thisalsofeelsmorenaturalbecauseinnatureobjectsarerarelythesame
sizeandevenlyspaced.

Othertechniques
Thereshouldbeacenterofinterestorfocusinthework,to
preventitbecomingapatterninitself
Thedirectionfollowedbytheviewer'seyeshouldleadthe
viewer'sgazearoundallelementsintheworkbeforeleading
outofthepicture
Thesubjectshouldnotbefacingoutoftheimage
Exactbisectionsofthepicturespaceshouldbeavoided
ImageA
Small,highcontrast,elementshaveasmuchimpactaslarger,
dullerelements
Theprominentsubjectshouldbeoffcentre,unlessasymmetricalorformalcompositionisdesired,
andcanbebalancedbysmallersatelliteelements
thehorizonlineshouldnotdividetheartworkintwoequalpartsbutbepositionedtoemphasize
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eithertheskyorgroundshowingmoreskyifpaintingisofclouds,sunrise/set,andmoregroundifa
landscape
Theseprinciplescanbemeansofagoodcompositionyetthey
cannotbeappliedseparatelybutshouldacttogethertoformagood
composition.
Also,inyourworknospacesbetweentheobjectsshouldbe
thesame.Theyshouldvaryinshapeandsize.Thatcreatesa
muchmoreinterestingimage.

Example

ImageB

Thesepaintingsallshowthesamesubject,theRaisingofLazarus,
andessentiallythesamefigures,buthaveverydifferentcompositions:

Duccio,131011

GeertgentotSintJans,1480s

Guercino,c.1619

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Rembrandt,c.1630

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Seealso
Miksang(contemplativephotography)
NewEpochNotationPainting(Anotationsystemforpainting)
Pagelayout(graphicdesign)
CLACL(CLACLanguage)(AComputerLanguageforcomposition)

References
1. Dunstan,Bernard.(1979).ComposingYourPaintings.London,StudioVista.

Furtherreading
Arnheim,Rudolf(1974).ArtandVisualPerception:APsychologyoftheCreativeEye.Universityof
CaliforniaPress.ISBN9780520026131.
Downer,Marion(1947).DiscoveringDesign.LothropLee&Shepard.ISBN0688412661.
Graham,Peter(2004).AnIntroductiontoPaintingStillLife.ChartwellBooksInc.ISBN07858
17506.
Grill,TomScanlon,Mark(1990).PhotographicComposition.WatsonGuptillPublications.ISBN0
817454276.
Peterson,Bryan(1988).LearningtoSeeCreatively.WatsonGuptillPublications.ISBN08174
41778.
Langford,Michael(1982).TheMasterGuidetoPhotography.NewYork:DorlingKindersley
Limited.ISBN0394508734.

Externallinks
PercyPrinciplesofArtandComposition
(http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/percy1.html),GoshenCollege
ArtDepartment

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