COMPOSITION What is it? Why does it matter? How do I do it well?

What is Composition?

Why does Composition matter?  Does it matter where you place objects in an artwork?  Notes in a piece of music?  Words on a page?

What makes an effective Composition?  Does it convey the feelings, ideas, and emotions the artist wants the viewer to understand?  Does the viewer see what the artist wants them to see?  Are there things that distract from the message and meaning of the artwork?

Artists often make multiple sketches in order to get the most effective composition possible.

Good art requires careful planning.

First thing to think about is BALANCE Why is balance important? Is it a good idea to have balance?

We create balance by manipulating “visual weight”. What is “visual weight?  It is the ability to “draw the eye”. Something that is more noticeable has more “visual weight”. The more we want to look at something the more “visual weight” it has.

“Mass” can cause visual weight.

Unusual or bright colors can cause “visual weight”.

Unusual or isolated shapes can cause “visual weight” too. Ask yourself, what do I notice first?

Placement causes “visual weight”.  Things placed right in the center attract our eye.  Anything that touches the edge attract our eye.

Subject matter also creates “visual weight”. Humans usually prefer to look at:  …other humans!  … animals next

A GOOD ART WORK NEEDS A “FOCAL POINT”! WHAT’S THAT? It is the area that “draws the eye” first.

To make sure the viewer sees what you want them to see, you can:  Create the greatest contrast at the focal point.  Have less detail or blur the area around the focal point.

Artists often use the “RULE OF THE THIRDS”! Things that are placed on the line of the “thirds” or the intersecting points tend to be good places to put things.

Why not place an object in the exact center??? That’s what the viewer will focus on first.

Think about your “EYE PATH”. This leads your eye on a journey through and around an artwork.

Notice how the eye flows from the focal point to other areas of interest and stays in the art work.

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR:  Too much negative space. Fill the picture!

 But don’t overwhelm the viewer with too much stuff.

 Don’t have objects sit on the bottom of your paper or canvas – it looks very “Primary School”!

 If you go off the page on one side you might want to balance by going off the page on the opposite side.

 Be aware of inconsistencies in perspective and scale.

LASTLY: Is there anything distracting in your composition?