COMPOSITION

Quadrant-In this simple composition a dynamic balance is created by the changes in value from dark to light. There are not equal amounts of dark or light on each side. Sequential-This simple composition is completely reliant on rhythms. Rhythm is important to all compositions in any discipline and visual art is no exception. The changing sizes and values lead a viewer across the page like changing notes lead a listener through a piece of music. Notice that there are not any two areas that are the same size. This helps to create an asymmetrical balance. Asymmetrical-Also referred to as Dynamic Balance. This sort of composition relies on creating balance between the two sides of the picture. In this picture the negative space, or area on the left where there is no rectangular object, has equal visual weight to the right side. Golden Mean (or Fibonacci Sequence used in a spiral)-This mathematical composition is created from a 1 to 1.618... ratio. You will find this particular ratio works well in creating an interesting balance in a picture. The system is made up of a series of square areas which diminish in size and curve in toward the center, much like a snail's shell. Most compositions do not adhere only to one of these models, but use a combination of two or three to help carry a viewer through more complex pathways.

Sequential Sequential Asymmetrical Asymmetrical Quadrant

Don’t let the next slide put you off! The Golden Ratio You may find that subconsciously you use this all the time. It is the most balanced compositional device. Don’t let the next slide put you off!

The Golden Section is an ancient Greek concept The Golden Section is an ancient Greek concept. It is a formula developed in 600 B.C. by the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras to define the concept of natural harmony. The work began after Pythagoras decided random chance alone was not enough to account for the blending of strength and beauty found in plants, animals, and minerals. Pythagoras proved that the balance between form and function which is the basis of nature's designs is the result of precise mathematical relationships. In architecture, art, and the natural sciences, the concept has since become the foundation for achieving classic, pleasing proportions. The Greeks and Romans used the Golden Section to create architectural masterpieces, with the Parthenon as a classic example. Nearly 2,000 years later, the concept took hold in Europe where chartres and other Gothic cathedrals are highly ornate expressions of the Golden Section. During the Italian Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci brought the same formula to scuplture and painting. Many of his works, including the Mona Lisa, were composed with the aid of an invisible matrix set down according to the mathematical rules of the Golden Section.

The Parthenon, Athens, Greece the ancient temple fits almost precisely into a golden rectangle. The Parthenon, Athens, Greece Further classic subdivisions of the rectangle align perfectly with major architectural features of the structure Leonardo Da Vinci Showing that all the main parts of the human form are equal to the Golden ration 1:1618.

Leonardo da Vinci The Mona Lisa is full of examples of the golden ratio.

The Golden Ratio can also be applied to triangles which overlaid become stars as in Michelangelo’s painting ‘Holy Family’

Rembrandt’s self portrait is a triangular composition holding together an intricate subject within three straight lines. The different lengths of the sides add a little variety. A perpendicular line from the apex of the triangle to the base would cut the base into the golden ratio.

The British artist JWM Turner used the Golden Ratio to subdivide the composition of his painting.

RICHARD DIEBENKORN Diebenkorn is a contemporary artist who uses the golden ratio in his architecture inspired paintings

As did Mondrian

Other Guidelines for Better Composition: Lines Lines also play an important role in composition. This sculpture has some beautiful lines, but they're obscured by the busy background. Let's simplify this picture by moving our camera viewpoint in close to the base of the sculpture.

NUMBER OF ELEMENTS With an even number of elements, such as in this basic composition, your eye instictively pairs up the trees, whether it's two left and two right or two top and two bottom.                     Whereas the next two compositions, each with an odd number of elements, are more dynamic in terms of composition, because your brain can't pair up the elements. One of the first things to decide in a composition is how many elements or items there will be in it. And one of the simplest ways to make a composition more dynamic is to have an odd number in the composition, say three, five, or seven, rather than an even number, say two, four, or six. This way your eye and brain can't pair them up or group them easily. There's some how always one left over which keeps your eyes moving across the composition.

In photography, composition refers to the placement of the subject within the frame of your photograph. Composition also deals with lightness, darkness, lines and balance of the image. One basic rule is the rule of thirds. Images with the subject aligned with the intersection of the horizontal and vertical thirds are usually more appealing. This image by Stephanie Deissner from her Flickr stream is a good example. I've overlaid a grid of thirds on the photo to show where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect. Stephanie has placed the eyes close to the intersection of the upper-left third. This concept is very close to the Golden Ratio

TONAL CONTRAST Tonal contrast is simply the difference between the light and dark areas in a painting. The greater the difference the more attention the area attracts. In the example above the eye goes straight to the area of contrast between the white and black shapes. When the tonal range is reduced, as in the second example, the eye still goes to the area of maximum contrast, but the design looses impact. Tonal contrast is one of the most powerful tools we have to define the center of interest in a painting. Obviously tone relates to colour values; it isn’t always about black and white.