Composition Presentation

Notes from presentation

What is composition?

The layout of the elements in the set frame to help communicate the artists ideas.

What can good composition achieve?

A well composed picture will give the viewer a sense of order and beauty.

What are the four main elements of composition?

• picture area
• depth in the image
• the line of sight
• the value light and dark in the image and components in the frame.

What is the first thing you should do when thinking about composition?

• Decide what the intent of the image is
• Reduce the components down to their simplest forms.

What is the difference between sketching and making artworks?

Sketching is broad and flexible, it is the raw material of artwork of which the image is made.

Artwork is the finished outcome, it should be considered and composed through the process of sketching.

Picture Area (frame or dimensions) is how you maximise the space and use all of it to create the best composition.

Depth is the foreground, mid ground and background of the image and how this creates an artwork that can pull you in and let you explore into the frame.

Line of sight is all of the lines working towards a central point in the frame.

Value is the lightness and darkness, the arrangement of the visual narratives and information in the frame.

Victo Ngai

The artwork uses line of sight as the seaweed, the violin and the bubbles are all being directed towards the face of the player, making the face the central part of the image.

The value of light and dark between the skin of the face and the darkness of the ocean is also a leading factor in the composition leading the face to be the most important aspect.

Depth is used by using smaller people and creatures in the background in order to create a sense of perspective. 

Michael Kirkham

The value in the artwork draws you in to the colour elements in the image such as the man, stature and artworks. 

The depth explores other elements in the background such as the room beyond what is visible and the ladder. I really enjoy the lack of colour in this element as it leads you on to image what the possibility of potential colours.

The line of sight is used to create the fluidity between the man, statue and artwork which allows the work to follow through and lets the eyes be guided through the work.

Glyn Dillon

The line of sight is guided by that of the symmetry in the image and how the two people in the frame create a balance between the image. The colours also add to the symmetrical nature of the image.

Although subtle, the depth is explored by adding small details such as shoes and coffee cups that are placed on the floor, this indicates that the bed is higher up. Also the marks of the bed and the way the material moves also gives a sense of depth in the image.