What are the rules of composition? The main rule is: if it ...

1 Large CenterComposition is usedall the time. You should be carefulwith this one because if the centerobject become a small center object itwill become one of the badcompositions. With the ModernAbstract Artist this compositionsometimes becomes an object Jasper Johns Flags , Targets and Numbers paintingsalso Frank Stella s shaped you see Matisse s Goldfish saved by the strong diagonal in theWhat are the rules of composition? The main rule is: if it works and servesthe artist purpose, then it is a good is however severalguidelines that have been found since the beginning of art on what looks best. These bestcompositions are hard to over come and still have your art pieces g. Vitruvius, in the 1st Century , After studying Pompeii wallpaintings, wrote in his De Architectura The best place to place the main subject of a paintingwas at the golden section or golden point.

2 Which is at the intersection ofa3to2ratio on thepainting. When you are setting up your piece if you can place the main interest on the goldenspot the piece will probably look a lot better than if you placethe main subject in the center of the the Renaissance, this geometricform was very popular and used in virgin and child form of composition is a basic triangle in the paintingfrom the corners of the painting to the other side composition became a favorite inthe Baroque composition is used a lot popular in in portraitwork and still Sectionolden spotThe Golden Strong DiagonalThe S curve or ZThe L shapeThe Large oval in the center of the GraphicsInstructor Alvin ThompsonGolden Point3223 Large CenterLargeCenterGood Examples:bottom left corner. GeorgiaO Keeffe s Purple Petunia 1927the large center object overtakesthe canvas so that center of thepainting is almost at the goldenpoint.

3 Van Gogh s Sunflowers are a good example of a large having part orshape pointed near anedgeComputer GraphicsInstructor Alvin Thompsonpage 2 The GoldenTriangleThe golden Triangleis a shape that is closeto the large centerobject but has atriangle shape andsometimes a repeatingshape like in the VanGogh s The Zouave,1888 as seen belowJan VermeerGolden TriangeGoldenTriangeto the left. Almost every Madonna and child format is a golden triangle. In Katherine Levin-Lau s, 1997, (bottom right corner) Painting of Mother and child, while using herself as theMadonna the child is hard to make out among the leaves, but she complete the triangle with astrong light on her hands and blouse in the bottom corners. Jan Vermeer s was well aware ofthe golden triangle when he painted his painting The Lacemaker 1632-1675 (upper rightcorner).

4 Vincent Van GoghKatheryn Levin LauComputer GraphicsInstructor Alvin Thompsonpage 3 The L ShapeTheLShapeThe L ShapeTheLShapeThe L ShapeThe L shape, here you have Matisse using an interior scene like a landscape and Rose Barton 1856-1929 in her Piccadilly in June using a city scene in a L shape. In composition it is rare that youwill see a pure shape most times the compositions are more complex and a mixture of severalshapes. Also the contrast, values, texture and lighting conditions can effect the picture shapes. TheL shape seems to work if the space left out of the L is large or small so it is usually a goodcomposition. One that is hard to mess DiagonalStrongDiagonalComputer GraphicsInstructor Alvin Thompsonpage 4 The Z of S CurveTheZofSCurveThe S or Z curveis used mostly inLandscape scenesas seen in thesephotographs by StrongDiagonal isShowed there byVan Gogh s Boats at theBeach bottom leftand by JohnSloan s SixO clock Winter.

5 Computer GraphicsInstructor Alvin Thompsonpage 5 The compositions that are very poor and should be avoided are: Dividing the piece in half,either in landscape or in Portrait. Placing too many objects with too much space betweenthem. This is the same as have too many plots in a story it distracts from what you want theviewer to look of poor CompositionSymmetry vs Asymmetry If acomposition is split in equalparts as in symmetry the resultsare usually poor. Asymmetry isusually where it is at. Try toput the horizon line toward oneof the golden sections as didVan Gogh did in hislandscapes that he paintednear Arles just before hisdeath.