Composition - What is composition?

I think composition is something I really needed to learn more about to become better at it. Reading this gave me some useful things to think about when arranging an image on a page. In the ‘Basic Thinking and Arranging’ section of the text it is suggested that you cut out the components of your image and play around with them. I think this will be particularly useful for me as I sometimes struggle to think of ways I could arrange things when I am just sketching roughs, but maybe using physical components will help me develop my composition skills.  

Session

• Composition is the arrangement of appropriate elements within a frame. 
• Good composition will achieve a satisfied sense of order or beauty, it can highlight a focal point and lead the eye around the page. 
• Composition can say something if used properly, it can convey a message or idea clearly and effectively. 
• The four main elements of composition are: area, depth, line of sight and value. 
• The first thing to do when thinking about composition is to reduce the objects down into their simplest forms. 
• Sketching is a method of thinking and planning but making artwork is perfecting it into a final piece. 

FOREGROUND

MID-GROUND

BACKGROUND

BALANCE

 COLOUR

VALUE

LINE OF SIGHT

NEGATIVE SPACE

PERSPECTIVE

VIEWPOINT

OVERLAPPING OF OBJECTS 

The Warriors - Tomer Hanuka

• Perspective 
• Red is the most striking colour so your eyes are drawn to it. 
• My eyes were lead from the bottom left along the text, up the curve of the merged bodies of the policemen and then up the red railing towards the two people running away. 
• Policemen are in the foreground and mid ground and the people running away are in the background which emphasises the fact they are getting away. 
• The brave use of flat colour divides the image up into sections and red is an accent colour throughout. 

July Zine Cover - Eleni Kalorkoti

• About loneliness in the city 
• The page is split in half and there is a difference between the busy and low contrast city in the bottom half and the bolder, higher contrast image in the top half. 
• The rooftops point upwards which leads the eye towards the figure above. The which t-shirt and arm resembles a softer triangle also pointing upwards. 

Triangles are dynamic.

Squares are formal.

Circles are harmonious.