Two Dimensional Design - Building a composition

The anatomy of the picture is always more important than the anatomy of the subject.
 - Marc Awodey


To achieve harmony in a design there must be balance and order.

1. Grouping for order
2. Balance of opposites

A work of art is a composition of shapes, colors, textures and tones arranged in a specific manner. Some elements have to change to create excitement while others have to repeat to create unity. The combination is variable but there has to be a balance between the two.

Shapes

1. Geometric
2. Organic

There are two things that can change, the kind of shapes and the sizes of the shapes. For our composition I will use geometric shapes limited to squares and rectangles that will insure unity.


A composition is an arrangement, built out of parts, that aims at seamlessness. - Eric Maisel

Building a composition with line -------------------------

I have used vertical and horizontal lines to begin the composition. The division has created two square and four rectangles white shapes. The problem here is that it is too monotonous and needs greater change to make it more exciting.

I have added more lines and changed the width, this has also created a greater variety of white shapes. The new arrangement is a higher quality than our start but still can be pushed further. We can use more change and the shapes need to be grouped.

This next example has the balance and order we are looking for. 

The following elements change as well as repeat.

Line -  vertical to horizontal - 

Line Width -  thick to thin - 

White Shapes - small to large -

Areas - complex and simple.

Order has been obtained by grouping the small black lines and small white shapes.

By filling in some of the larger shapes with black we get more change and a stronger play between positive and negative.

The complex area is also the focal point, more on that in the next post.

It is important that the artist... understands the importance of composition, the golden mean... the universal symbols... The concept of perfect balance is an intrical part of this process, not only in the art but in our lives.  - Kathleen Carrillo