LINES & SHAPESI N V I S U A L C O M P O S I T I O N

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

WHAT’S COMPOSITION

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape Colour

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape Colour Texture

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape Colour Texture

Tone (Value)

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape Colour Texture

Tone (Value) Form (3d)

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Shape Colour Texture

Tone (Value) Form (3d) Space

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Line Colour Texture

Space Depth

Shape

Tone (Value) Form (3d)

LINE AND SHAPE

Line — the visual path that enables the eye to move within the piece. Literal lines do not exist in nature, but are the optical phenomena created when objects curve away from the viewer.

Shape — the form of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, texture, or material composition.

LINES

Visionary landscape architect, planner, educator, and environmentalist. In his book Landscape Architecture, Simonds put together a diagram of 48 Mood Lines.

Through repeated use, certain patterns and lines have gained universally recognized meaning.

JOHN ORMSBEE SIMONDS

ACTIVE PASSIVESTRUCTURAL

SOLID, STRONGNONSTRUCTURAL

FLUID, SOFT

STABLE UNSTABLE STABLE UNSTABLE

POSITIVE BOLD, FORCEFUL

TENUOUS UNCERTAIN, WAVERING

THE VERTICAL, NOBLE, DRAMATIC,

INSPIRATIONAL, ASPIRING

THE HORIZONTAL EARTHLY, CALM,

MUNDANE, SATISFIED

PRIMITIVE SIMPLE, BOLD EFFUSIVE FLAMBOYANT REFINED

JAGGED, BRUTAL HARD, VIGOROUS

MASCULINE, PICTURESQUE

CURVILINEAR, TENDER SOFT, PLEASANT

FEMININE, BEAUTIFULROUGH, RASPING

GRATINGSMOOTH

SWELLING, SLIDING

DECREASING CONTRACTING

INCREASING EXPANDING DYNAMIC

STATIC FOCAL, FIXED

IN MOTION

MEANDERING, CASUALRELAXED, INTERESTING

HUMANERRATIC, BUMBLINGCHAOTIC, CONFUSED

LOGICALPLANNED, ORDERLY

FLOWING, ROLLINGFORMAL, PRIESTLY

IMPERIOUS, DOGMATICRISING, OPTIMISTIC

SUCCESSFUL, HAPPYFALLING, PESSIMISTICDEFEATED, DEPRESSED

INDECISIVE, WEAK PROGRESSIVE DEGRESSIVE

RISEATTAINMENT WITH EFFORT

IMPROVEMENT

FALLSINKING

WITHOUT EFFORT

INDIRECT, PLODDINGCONCENTRATING,

ASSEMBLING DISPERSING, FLEEINGBROKEN

INTERRUPTED, SEVERED

DIRECT, SURE FORCEFUL, WITH PURPOSE OPPOSING CONNECTING CROSSING

PARALLEL OPPOSING WITH HARMONY

EXCITED, NERVOUS JITTERY

OPPOSING WITH FRICTION DIVERGING DIVIDING GROWING DEVELOPING

Diagram of 48 Mood Lines documented in Landscape Architecture, by John Ormsbee Simonds

THE VERTICAL, NOBLE, DRAMATIC,

INSPIRATIONAL, ASPIRING

THE HORIZONTALEARTHLY, CALM,

MUNDANE, SATISFIED

FALLING, PESSIMISTICDEFEATED, DEPRESSED

RISING, OPTIMISTICSUCCESSFUL, HAPPY

STABLE

UNSTABLE

OPPOSING

ACTIVE

STATICFOCAL, FIXED

RISEATTAINMENT WITH EFFORT

IMPROVEMENT

FALLSINKING

WITHOUT EFFORT

SHAPES

ANDREW LOOMISWas an American illustrator, author, and art instructor. His commercial work was featured prominently in advertising and magazines.

Best known as author of a series of instructional art books printed throughout the 20th century.

Describes compositions based on lines, geometric shapes, symbols and letters.

SHAPES

SHAPES

LETTERS & SYMBOLS

LETTERS & SYMBOLS

“A well-composed painting is half done.”

—Pierre Bonnard

FIN