Iepa lecture 3 and 4 understanding composition

Understanding Composition
8 Elements of Composition

By Definition
Composition
the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients
in a work of art, as distinct from the subject.
It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of
art according to the principles of art.

Understanding Composition
• Composition is different from the subject matter of a painting.
• Every painting, whether abstract or representational, regardless of
subject matter, has a composition.
• Good composition is essential to the success of a painting. If done
properly, good composition draws the viewer in and then moves the
viewer's eye across the whole painting so that everything is taken in,
finally settling on the main subject of the painting.

Composition is the art of arranging in a
decorative manner the diverse elements at
the painter's command to express his
feelings.
-
Henri Matisse, Notes of a Painter

The Elements of Composition
The Elements of Composition in art are used to arrange or organize the visual
components in a way that is pleasing to the artist and the viewer.
They help give structure to the layout of the painting and the way the subject is
presented.
They can also encourage or lead the viewer's eye to wander around the whole
painting, taking in everything and ultimately coming back to rest on the focal point.

Element of Composition: Unity
Unity gives a feeling in the composition of belongingness together, or
the painting gives a feeling of being stuck on, awkwardly, or out of
place.

Element of Composition:
Balance
Balance is the sense that the
painting "feels right" and not
heavier on one side. Having a
symmetrical arrangement adds a
sense of calm, whereas an
asymmetrical arrangement
creates a more dynamic feeling. A
painting that is not balanced
creates a sense of unease

Element of Composition:
Movement
• Movement: There are many
ways to give a sense of movement in a
painting, such as the arrangement of
objects, the position of figures, the flow
of a river.
(See example) You can use leading lines
(a photography term applicable to
painting) to direct the viewer's eye into
and around the painting. Leading lines
can be actual lines, such as the lines of
a fence or railroad, or they can be
implied lines, such as a row of trees or
curve of stones or circles.

Element of Composition: Rhythm
• In much the same way music does, a piece of art can have a rhythm
or underlying beat that leads your eye to view the artwork at a
certain pace. Look for the large underlying shapes (squares, triangles,
etc.) and repeated color.

Element of Composition: Focus (Emphasis)
• The viewer's eye ultimately wants to rest on the "most important"
thing or focal point in the painting, otherwise the eye feels lost,
wandering around in space.

Element of
Composition:
Contrast
• Paintings with high contrast
- strong differences
between light and dark, for
example - have a different
feel than paintings with
minimal contrast in light and
dark, such as in Whistler
Nocturne series.
• In addition to light and
dark, contrast can be
differences in shape, color,
size, texture, type of line,
etc.

Element of Composition: Pattern
• A regular repetition of lines, shapes, colors, or values in a
composition.

Element of Composition: Proportion
• How things fit together and relate to each other in terms of size and
scale; whether big or small, nearby or distant.

Remember:
The Elements of Composition are not the same as the Elements of Art,
though composition is sometimes included as one of the latter.

ART COMPOSITION RULES
Rules of the Thirds
Rule of Odds

Rule of Thirds
• The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a
subject with the guide lines and their
intersection points, placing the horizon on the
top or bottom line, or allowing linear features
in the image to flow from section to section.

Effect of the Rule of Thirds:
On the one on the left, your eye is
drawn straight into the center of
the image and you tend to ignore
the rest of the picture.
On the one on the right, where the
lion's face is on one of the Rule of
Thirds 'hotspots', your eye is drawn
the the lion's face, then around the
painting following the curve of the
body.

Rule of Odds
• The Rule of Odds states that framing your subject with 2 surrounding
objects (thus creating an odd number of 3) suggests balance and
harmony visually.

Rule of Odds
Does the left or right photo
grab your attention more? The
thing that's changed most is
the number of brushes. In
order to retain the viewer's
attention, it's better to have
an odd number of things in a
painting than an even. That's
the Rule of Odds

Importance of
Composition
composition pulls the eye of the
viewer across the painting, taking in
individual elements to finally focus on
the main feature or focus of the
painting
composition provides a structure to
the painting and can alter how the
subject matter is presented and the
whole aesthetic effect of the artwork
Denys George Wells
Still Life with Teapot, Oranges and Goblets

3 STAGES OF COMPOSITION
FOCAL POINT
Something that the viewer is drawn to immediately
Natural Focal Elements*Focal Elements Influencers
STRUCTURE
Organization of the Elements
Rule of Thirds*Golden Ratio*Pyramid*
Symmetry*Full Frame
BALANCE
Ensuring the visual
“weight” of the
image is balanced

Focal Elements
something the viewer’s eyes are drawn to immediately
• Natural Focal Elements
• High contrast
• Saturation
• Camera Focus
• Motion
• Faces & Figures
• Focal Elements Influencers
• Guide lines
• Framing
• Geometry

Structure
The organization of the elements based on the rule
Rule of
Thirds
Golden
Ratio
Pyramid
Symmetry
Full Frame

Visual Weight
ensuring the visual weight of the image is balanced
• Visual Weight includes:
 Size
 High contrast
 Saturation
 Faces
 Figures
Last Trip
Mark Justiniani
Oil on Canvass

Using shapes
and Value
• Some paintings done by
great artists of the past.
The images on the right
show the rule of thirds
and points of interest –
the images on the left
show different kinds of
compositions and
shapes made when
following eye-flow:

Uses Value
• A masterful painting by
Edgar Payne titled “The
Rendezvous”. He uses
the form of the rock as
well as the shape of
shadows and light to
direct your attention
right where he wants
you to look, while also
keeping your eye
moving around the
painting.

Sources:
• https://www.thoughtco.com/elements-of-composition-in-art-
2577514
• http://www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/tips-composition-31514496
• https://www.thoughtco.com/art-composition-rules-2578089

Iepa lecture 3 and 4 understanding composition

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