Composition 2

COMPOSITION

1. What is composition? Composing means arranging the plastic elements (shapes, dots, lines, colour and textures) so that the painting, poster, etc. can be read and understood more easily and to highlight its organisation. The composition is what provides visual coherence to the artwork. In a composition must exist a link amongst all visual elements which provides unity. Examples: •

In a composition the link could be the colour (establishing a rule to determine which colours to use: For example, using analogous colours, complementary colours or different values of the same hue.)

2. Visual balance.

When we arrange the different elements in a composition (painting, poster, etc.) we want to get balance. Throughout history human beings have tried to achieve a physical and psychological balance, because balance provides well-being and mental stability, while imbalance provides anguish and sorrow. A composition is balanced when the weight of a figure offset the weight of another figure, or the weight of some figures are offset by the weight of other figures, or when there exists harmony amongst the different objects used in the composition. In visual arts every figure, object or abstract stain has a specific weight

Imagine that you have a weighing scales and you want to know the weight of several colours and shapes. Watch every couple of shapes and answer these questions: •

a) Which

shape more weight?

b)

c)

d)

has

Balance by placement. Every shape placed in the center of the field of vision will transmit sensation of balance in the observer. If it moves away from the center an imbalance comes up. That’s why if we have only one figure in our composition, we will usually place it in the middle of the support.

If a shape moves away from the center it increases its weight in direct proportion with the distance to the center of the support. Balance

Imbalance

If we have a shape which is away from the center of the composition we can add another shape in a different placement in order to get balance. To place the second shape we can use symmetry, for example.

A shape at the bottom of the sheet of paper seems lighter than at the top. It could be because of the law of gravity and the sensation that the shape goingshapes to fall We canisplace down. with bigger visual weight at the bottom of the composition.

Balance by size. A bigger shape has more visual weight than a smaller one, it looks heavier. Some shapes can offset other ones, depending on their sizes and their position on the piece of paper.

Weight 1 + Weight 2 = Weight 3

We can offset a big shape with another shape of the same size or with smaller shapes of which addition of weights is equal to the weight of the bigger shape.

For example: if we have a big dot at the centre of a drawing we can offset it by adding smaller dots around the margins. (Balance by placement and size).

Balance by color. Color effects related to visual weight: • Sensation of size: One color can cause that a shape looks bigger or smaller. Light colors seem to enlarge while dark colors seem to become smaller. • Sensation of weight: Some colors look heavier than other ones. There are three color qualities which contribute to the sensation of• visual weight. The hue: The hue is the pure pigment, the color itself. For example: red, blue, magenta, etc. are hues. Here are some colors (hues) arranged from heaviest to lightest: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Red (heaviest). Blue. Green. Orange. Yellow (lightest).

•

The value: It is the quality of color used to describe the degree of light or darkness of a hue. In other words, it is the amount of white or black present in the color. Darker or higher values seem to have more visual weight than lighter or lower values.

• The saturation: It describes the degree of purity of a hue. A color is pure when it is obtained by mixing very few colors. The purer is a color the more saturated it is. The most saturated hues are the primaries (yellow, cyan and magenta) because they are made of just one color. More saturated colors seem to have more visual weight than low saturated Magenta is heavier than green colors. because magenta is purer. It is a primary color, so it’s made of just one color. It is the pure pigment. Green is a less saturated color

Balance by form and texture. Geometric shapes and figures with compact and dense texture will weigh more than other shapes with freer form and porous texture, which allows to see the surface of the support.

3. Simple composition diagrams. A composition diagram is a established way of arranging the shapes in the support to get balance. They are usually formed by a geometric shape or one or several lines. Here you have some of the most usual diagrams.

Symmetric

T shape

Triangular

L shape

Arrow shape

Cross shape

In diagonal

s shape

Radial

Oval

The Beggar Child, by Murillo, 1650.

The Spring, by Goya, 178687.

There are three simple rules that define how to structure space and how to organize the forms in a drawing in order to get balance: The rule of balance: It dictates that the most important element should be in the center of the support and the least important ones should go evenly (size and placement) to the left and right of the composition.

Zhang Xiaogang, Bloodline Big Family No. 9, 1996

The rule of compensation: It is based on the balance of the visual weights. The main figure/s are moved away from the center of the composition while other figures are added in a different placement and distance from

Philipp Otto Runge, The Hülsenbeck children, 1805-

The rule of thirds: It is a composition rule used to arrange the different elements of an image in a balanced, harmonic and appealing way. This rule divides an image into 9 equal parts using two vertical parallel straight lines and two horizontal parallel straight lines. These lines and their intersection points are recommended to place the elements of an image.

Rule of thirds and the horizon line: When you take the horizon line down you give more importance to the sky. This is also better in terms of composition, which is more dynamic and appealing and focuses your attention on a specific area.

When you set the horizon line in the middle of the support you give the same value or weight to every half. This makes the image more static and without

When you lift up the horizon line you give more importance to the bottom of the composition: the sea, the dunes, etc. This also works well in terms of

Which of these pictures has a right composition?

Rule of thirds and the vertical divisions: When you set the main figure of the image in the middle of the composition it looks static, dull, boring and indecisive. Remember that when we are creating an image we want to transmit and tell something to the observer. In this case the boat looks still. When you set the main figure of the image in one of the thirds vertical divisions, the composition is more dynamic. If we set the boat in the first third, it has more space forward, what implies movement and a purpose, a direction. If we set the boat in the last third the dynamism of the composition has changed. The boat may look faster, as if the frame couldn’t follow the movement. It could also seem that the boat is arriving in its destination.

4. The shape of the support. The surface that we draw on is called a support. The shape of the support should also be considered in a composition. A vertical support can give a sensation of balance and height. It has a relationship with spirituality and elevation, so it's used in religious paintings because it strengthens the ascendant effect of spirituality. The horizontal support represents peace and stability. The bigger the difference between width and height, the stronger the effect. It's especially for Landscape of Teused Vaa, by Gauguin. landscapes paintings.

St. Joseph and the Christ Child, by El Greco, 15971599.

The square support is very static and transmits balance.

Composition in red, yellow, black, grey and blue, by Piet Mondrian.

A round support is more dynamic and may produce the sensation of movement. Elements seem to float.

Ships Tied Up in Rio de Janeiro’s Bay, by José Pancetti, 1934.

The golden rectangle is a support used very often by painters and architects throughout history. It is based on mathematic rules established during the classical Greece. The golden rectangle is a rectangle of which sides follow the golden ratio (proportion) a/b = 1,61803. This number is called the golden ratio and it's named with the Greek letter Phi (ф). The golden ratio is a very harmonious and balanced proportion. This proportion has been used through art history as synonymous of beauty and balance (in architecture, painting, sculpture...). A golden rectangle can be progressively subdivided into a square and another golden rectangle.

Construction of the golden rectangle.

The Wharf Towards the Library, Canaletto, 1740.

4. Rhythm. All artistic fields use rhythm to organize the different elements which take part in the specific artwork. Music combines times and sounds.

Dance combines different physical movements. Arts and Crafts use shapes and colors.

Rhythm is a harmonic sequence or repetition of elements in an image. Any kind of sequences describes a trajectory that organizes a surface and gives the impression of dynamic impulses. These trajectories can be horizontal, vertical, sloping, concurrent at the same point, etc.

• According to the shape rhythms can be: o Uniform rhythm. This takes place when we repeat the same form in a constant and regular way.

Triple Elvis, by Andy Warhol.

o Alternate rhythm. It occurs when more than a shape is repeated in regular intervals.

Alternate rhythm by color. Air and Water I, by M.C. Escher.

o Discontinuous rhythm. It occurs when the intervals vary in length.

o Increasing and decreasing rhythm. It is created when size, thickness, height or color is changed successively.

o Symmetrical rhythm. It can be central or axial symmetry.

• According to the placement in space rhythms can be: o Rectilinear rhythm. If the shapes follow a straight line.

o Broken rhythm. If the repetition of shapes follows a broken line.

o

Curved rhythm. When the elements follow a curved line.

o Radial, concentric and spiral rhythm. When the elements start at a central point and open outwards in a sequential way, rhythm is organized by imaginary radii. In the same way, concentric rhythm starts at the centre and the elements expand out towards the outside.

o Modular rhythm. A module is a set of grouped forms that create a visual unit when put together.

According to the trajectories followed by the elements, rhythms may express different things. A rectilinear rhythm create a visual effect of seriousness and order. A broken rhythm expresses nervousness, dynamism, aggressiveness, etc.