Composition

The Elements of Art and the Principles of

Design

Line• Line is defined as a series of points

connected through space.

Line

• http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGall2.asp?catID=361&pageID=1&rows=12&contestCatID=&camID=

Line•6 types: *horizontal: imbues calm & peace*vertical: imbues strength & stability*diagonal: directional/guiding lines*zig-zag: imbues anxiety & danger*curving: imbues whimsy and fun*implied: unconnected series of points

that create a sense of a line

horizontal

• Do not place horizontal lines in middle of page

• Use caution when applying lots of horizontal lines, can cause visual boredom

• Make sure you “square” your horizontal lines

• Don’t bisect your format

What did they do great?

What did they do poorly?

Vertical

• Keep lines from “tapering” • Using a horizontal orientation with

strong verticals imbues a sense of barely contained strength

• Be careful of bisecting format

How do they work?

diagonal

• Lead the viewer through image• Create visual interest points when

intersecting with other lines• Don’t bisect format• Brain “reads” visual information from

left to right, therefore diagonals starting from bottom left to upper right are natural directional lines

What’s working?

Zig-Zag• Great directional

potential • Creates

energetic rhythm

Curving• Variety of

curving lines: peaceful flowing bands to whimsical spirals

Great compositional

trick, say what?

• The “S” curve is a compositional practice that engages the viewer to follow the curve throughout the image. Follow the river…..

Implied

Say….what are you implying?

Resources

• http://drawsketch.about.com/od/drawinglessonsandtips/ss/contourdrawing_5.htm

• http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADSA_enUS370US377&tbs=isch:1&ei=9JOSTLOvAcK88gaGg5GnBQ&q=horizontal+lines+in+photos&start=20&sa=N

Space and Shape

• The final frontier….ha ha

Space: positive & negative

• Space: the areas composing an artwork

• Positive space is filled with value

• Negative space is unfilled

• Are U positive?

Shape

• Shape: defined areas…can be defined by pattern, color, line, value, etc

• Geometric: defined mathematically: square, circle, oval, triangle, etc

• Organic: not defined mathematically: any amoeba shape or freeform shape

Diagram: all the pretty shapes…

Value• Hatching: lines to show value

• Cross hatching: crossed lines to show value

• Stippling: using dots to show value

• Blended: gradual transition of value

High contrast: Great difference in value

High Key: overall value is

light values

Texture: the appearance of a tactile texture

What?

Pattern: Repetition of shapes, lines,

values and/or objects. Just like visual texture, your brain will recognize similar elements. If the pattern is

the same over whole image, the brain will “read” it quickly and then dismiss it. Need to

include a little variety for interest.

What is not working?

Does it work and why?

color

• Characteristics: *Represents meaning (culturally dictated)*Affects psyche*Has temperature

• 3 Primary: Red , Yellow, and Blue• 3 Secondary:

*Orange= Red + Yellow*Green= Yellow + Blue*Purple= Blue + Red

color

• 6 Tertiary or Intermediate colors:

*Red-Purple

*Red-Orange

*Blue-Green

*Blue-Purple

*Yellow-Orange

*Yellow-Green

Color Schemes

• Monochromatic: one hue and it’s corresponding tints and shades. Tint= hue + white and Shade = hue + black

• Analagous: one color and the colors next to it on the color wheel that are related. Ex. Blue, blue- purple,

purple and red-purple

Color Schemes

• Complementary Colors: colors that are not related and have a unique relationship.

• 3 basic pairs: Pair each secondary color with the only primary color not used to create that secondary color. Opposites

on color wheel.

3 Uses for Complementary colors

• To create a focal point or emphasis: when placed next to each other, the colors create an area of visual interest because they contrast in temperature and due to the fact that they are not related.

• To tone down the intensity of another color: small amounts of complement placed on top of a color will lesson the brightness of the base color.

• To make brown or gray: mixing complements will create gray if you use more of the cooler color and brown if you use more of the warm color

Color schemes

• Split complementary: one color and the 2 colors on either side of it’s complement

• Triad: the 3 primary colors or the 3 secondary colors: all share same color intensity.

Principles of Design

• Balance

• Emphasis

• Rhythm

• Proportion

• Unity/Harmony

Balance• Balance: the visual weight of an artwork…think about your positive and

negative space and where the areas affect composition• 3 types of Balance: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Radial• There are many other factors to consider in order to make pictures appear

balanced. Some of these are as follows: – An object far from the center of the picture seems to have more weight than one

near the center. – Objects in the upperpart of a picture seem heavier than objects of the same size

in the lower part of a picture. – Isolation seems to increase the weight of an object. – Intensely interesting objects seem to have more compositional weight. – Regular shapes seem to have more weight than irregular shapes. – Elements on the right side of an asymmetrical picture appear to have more

weight than elements of the same size on the left side of the picture. – The directions in which figures, lines, and shapes appear to be moving within the

picture area are important to balance; for example, a person may be walking in a direction, or his eyes may be looking in a direction, or the shape of some element creates a feeling of movement. When the feeling of direction is present within a scene, it tends to upset the balance if judged on the size of the subject alone.

Symmetrical• The visual weight is the same on both

sides of the composition….does not mean it has to be the same subject on both sides!

Asymmetrical

• The visual weight of both sides of the composition is uneven.

radial

• The visual elements radiate from a central point, much like a bicycle or flower

Are you balanced?• Important balancing techniques in photography

• Light against dark.Black against white has a much stronger contrast than gray against white. To balance gray against white you need a larger gray area to compensate compared to if you used black.

• ColorsSmall areas of vibrant color can be balanced to larger areas of more neutral colors

• SpaceOpen space can be balanced on one side with the primary subject on the other side of the imageLarge against smallSometimes larger elements on one side of the image can be balanced by a smaller element that is positioned by itself at the far end of the other side of the image.

• ShapeLarge flat areas without much detail can be balanced by smaller irregularly shaped objects since the eye is led towards the more intricate shape. This is a very tricky type of asymmetrical balance that often ends up looking out of balance.

• TextureSmaller areas with interesting textures (variegated light and dark, or random fluctuations) can balance larger areas with smoother, untextured looks

• Eye directionYour eye can be led to a certain point in a picture by using elements like triangles or arrows or as simple as the eye is led in the direction the people in a picture is looking.

What’s the balance?

What’s the balance?

Emphasis/Focal Point• The dominant area of the photograph. It is where your

eye goes to first or where it dwells longest.

Ways to create

• Placement: near or around center• Size: either smaller or larger than other

elements• Detail: more or less detail than other elements• Color: contrast in temp or use complementary

colors• Converging lines: diagonal directional lines lead • Contrast: any contrasting element• The unusual: anything out of the ordinary

You find it!

Seat work!

• Find one example of each type of balance

• Find one example for each of the R U Balanced techniques

• Find one example for each emphasis/focal point technique

Unity/Harmony• Use of similar elements throughout the image to create an overall

sense of all areas relating• Color

TextureValueShapessubjects

?

Proportion• proportion refers to the comparative, proper, or harmonious

relationship of one part to another or to the whole with respect to size, quantity, or degree; a ratio

• Regular: the usual or normal relationship• Distorted: some or all parts are bent at an unusual angle\• Exaggerated: at least one part is either smaller or larger than normal

?

Rhythm

• Visual movement created by repetition of a motif or module.

• Motif: 2-D elemental unit

• Module: 3-D elemental unit

• Used to manipulate where the viewer looks in the image

• 5 types of rhythm: Regular, Random, Alternating, Flowing and Progressive

Regular Rhythm: even repetition of motif

Random: irregular repetition of motif

Alternating: repetition of 2 or more motifs OR

altering the repetition pattern of

one motif

Flowing: I think you get this one…

Progressive: Each time the

motif is repeated, it

changes

Compositional do’s and don’ts

Frame within a frame

Do not bookend

Do not center focal point

Do not “Corner”

Do not put even subjects with even negative space

Do isolate and concentrate

Do let subjects go off page

Do frame within a frame

Do Use Rule of Thirds

More resources

• http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm