Introduction: Two-dimensional design focuses on how visual elements are arranged on a two-dimensional picture plane to make artwork look unified and deliberate.
Closed composition:
Subject matter is completely contained within the picture plane; nothing goes off the edge.
Characteristics: formal and static.
Open composition:
Subject matter extends beyond the edge of the picture plane.
Characteristics: dynamic and engages the viewer to imagine what exists outside the frame.
Course expectation: Open composition will be used for every project to aid understanding of eye movement and balance.
Elements of Art (focus on the first three; touch texture and pattern; color reserved for ART 131)
Five elements to study: shape, line, value, texture, and color.
In this course, emphasis will be placed on the first three elements.
Texture and pattern will be touched on; color is reserved for a later course/module.
Approach: analyze and break down artwork by considering these elements on the picture plane.
Positive and Negative Shapes
Positive shapes: the subject matter itself.
Negative space: the space around and between the subject matter.
Importance of negative space:
Negative space can pull the viewer’s eye toward the subject.
Thoughtful arrangement of subjects creates interesting shapes that guide attention from negative space into the subject.
Example concept: arranging the subject to create compelling shapes that lead the eye along contours.
Line
Line can create movement within a composition.
Types of lines and their effects:
Curved lines: create a gentle, graceful movement (as seen in flowing cloth).
Vertical lines: convey strength and stability.
Horizontal lines: convey calm and tranquility.
Diagonal lines: convey dynamics and action.
Diagonal lines that oppose or intersect can create tension and serve as a focal point.
Line direction and intersections guide how the viewer’s eye travels through the composition.
Value
Value = relative lightness or darkness of a surface.
Uses:
Create space (depth) within a two-dimensional plane.
Create volume and mass.
Guide the eye around the composition to specific areas of interest.
Illusion of Depth on a 2D Surface
Depth devices to simulate space:
Overlapping: seeing one shape in front of another implies depth (e.g., a rectangle in front of a blue square; an oval behind the blue square).
Diagonal lines and linear perspective: lines appear to converge toward a vanishing point, pushing the viewer’s eye back toward the horizon.
Purpose: use these devices to control perceived depth and space on a flat surface.
From Subject to Elements: Simplification
Break the subject into basic elements for organization:
Example: an orange is reduced to a circle.
Rationale: simplifying helps in arranging subjects on the picture plane with clear organization.
Principles of Design (emphasis, unity, variety, movement, balance, economy, scale, and proportion)
Emphasis: creating a focal point; establishing a hierarchy of importance.
The main focal point is the most important; secondary focal points follow in order of importance.
Jacob Lawrence example: main focal point is the most visually salient element (large, foreground, high detail, isolation, high contrast).
Unity: how well the subject matter belongs together on the plane.
Gestalt principles relevant to unity include proximity, similarity, continuation/continuity, and other grouping laws.
These laws explain how our eyes naturally group visual information.
Vermeer example: uses similarity and recurring shapes (rectangles) to guide the eye around the composition.
Repetition and continuation create a path for the eye from focal point to related shapes and negative spaces.
Movement: guiding the viewer’s eye through the composition.
Movement can be created with lines and by arranging shapes to lead the gaze across the artwork.
Degas example: focal point is the violinist (large, foreground, detailed, high contrast, isolated).
The viewer’s eye is led from the focal point to surrounding details (e.g., dark bands, the dancer’s neck, toes) and back again.
Balance: distributing visual weight so that the composition feels stable.
Types of balance: symmetrical balance, asymmetrical balance, radial balance.
Do not confuse “no balance” with “unbalanced” – a piece can be balanced in non-symmetrical ways.
Symmetrical balance example: Taj Mahal photograph demonstrates approximate symmetry (centerline split with near-mirrored elements).
Asymmetrical balance: larger shapes and focal elements placed toward the center with smaller shapes toward the edges to balance visual weight.
Analogy: an adult on one end of a teeter-totter would tip unless weight is redistributed toward the center; similarly, larger elements should be positioned to balance a composition.
Contrast and texture influence balance: high contrast can pull attention, while textured or intricate areas may demand more central placement or scale adjustments.
Economy, scale, and proportion:
Use scale and proportion to ensure shapes fit the picture plane harmoniously.
Consider how artists use relatively larger and smaller elements to balance the overall composition.
Example: an asymmetrical balance with Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth uses movement, gaze direction, and similarity to balance visual weight.
The Grid as a Composition Tool
The grid: a simple system of vertical and horizontal lines spaced equally.
Benefits:
Helps align features along grid lines, creating stable alignment points (e.g., chin, knee, neck alignment).
Background shapes framed by grid lines contribute to unity.
Variations:
Use multiple grid boxes, single grid boxes, or grid lines as compositional devices.
Role of grid in unity:
Objects placed within the grid tend to appear proportional and aligned, reinforcing harmony.
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds: divide the picture plane into three equal parts both horizontally and vertically.
Guide for placement:
Horizon line typically placed on the top third rather than the center to avoid splitting the composition in half.
Key subjects or alignment points align with the grid intersections or lines (e.g., figures along intersecting lines, elements along the lines).
Practical use: helps position focal points, align figures, and structure relationships among elements.
The Golden Rectangle (Historical context)
The golden rectangle (often cited as the most pleasing rectangle) has historical significance dating back to ancient Greece and the Parthenon.
It is often explored in art and design as a means of achieving harmony and proportion in a composition.
The course will explore different scales and proportions, including the golden rectangle, in upcoming weeks.
Flowchart: Process for Composing Art
Step 1: Think about your subject or form.
Step 2: Use tools to simplify the subject into basic elements: line, shapes, value, texture, and color.
For example, you might reduce an object to basic shapes rather than its full detail (e.g., an orange becomes a circle).
Step 3: Organize these simplified elements on the picture plane.
Consider balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economy to create harmony.
The aim is to create space and unity through these organized elements.
Step 4: Apply these principles to guide composition throughout the semester.
Course Preview and Application
The instructor previews these concepts to be referenced in future weeks.
Students are encouraged to revisit the presentation as needed to reinforce understanding of open composition, elements of art, and design principles.