Opening discussion on composition:

This is really just me telling you what I think works as far as good composition. It is easiest for me to show some simple "illustrations" so we don't get bogged down in judging the caliber of those illustrations.

I was going to show how composition is best if it is "uncluttered" and to a degree, I think that is still accurate. But let's take a look at what I played with when I was starting to "illustrate" my ideas.
[list=1]
<LI>http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp1.jpg

Admittedly unremarkable. But, here is point #1.

Size relative to your canvas, does matter. This is why one of those important image editing skills you must master is cropping (cutting unwanted parts of an image . . . parts that distract from what you want to focus on. . . . or what you want the message to say)


<LI> http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp2.jpg

Placement of your object also matters.

here you can see I changed both size and placement. And even with this simple sphere, the placement can lend itself to all sorts of imaginative things to follow. In the top right, is it a black sun of a negative unverse? If we move it to bottom left corner, is it a hole in the ground with some alien shining a light from the inside? I have no horizon line, so many things are still unknown [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] .


<LI>

Is it true? Do I have to keep it uncluttered?

Umm this is where I had to step back from my previous assumption. And in retrospect, maybe it's not true. . . take a look. . . the focus and the story simply change if you choose to add more elements (there is a lot of trial and error here --in figuring out what is cluttered and uncluttered). The Where's Waldo images many of us have seen at some time in our lives are good examples of what I consider fun and funny but cluttered. . . but the purpose is to make you search for Waldo. . . . there wouldn't be any fun if you were asked to look for Waldo and he was right there in plain sight. (but most of the time, people aren't trying to do a where's waldo? image)

Take a look.. . .
http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp3.jpg


I've added many more spheres. When I was setting this up for jpeg export, my first inclination was to shrink the group of spheres to make them fit the canvas. . . . ye olde "color inside the lines", "make it fit inside your box" mentality. But I realized, that I had stumbled onto another interesting twist on composition. . . .. letting the object fall off the edge of your canvas, adds more interest. . .


<LI>
adding contrast of space also adds interest

this is ok . ..
http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp4.jpg

but I think this is better . . .
http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp5.jpg
a greater contrast of empty and not empty (saying full in this instance is a stretch) (or positive and negative space)


<LI>
this one is ok . ...
http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp6.jpg


but I'm having trouble focusing on one thing in the image. . . . having too many things to see at once can be disconcerting.


<LI>
So we fix it with color. .
http://www.nol.net/~athena/paintutor3/aurorab/comp7.jpg
. ... (yes I cheated and changed the number and placement of elements [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] . I get to have fun too [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] )

and now interest and focus have been restored. (everyone in Star-ville cheers. .. .I never particularly liked the name Mudville)

And here I think is the essence of good composition. . . perhaps even a definition in words.

The combination of size, constrast, placement, and color that enhances the interest that an image has to the viewer.


By using simple spheres I hoped to avoid us worrying about artistic technique. Hopefully allowing us to focus on thinking about composition.

I am a fan of japanese comics (manga. .. for comic books and anime . ... for animations . . . I think that's right. ) One of my favorite things to do sometimes is turn on an episode of Dragonball Z (especially if it is one I've seen before . .. otherwise I have to pay attention to the story) and admire the composition of their frames. Everything I've ever seen them do is dynamic. (granted, there are lulls in the dynamics of the composition. ..there have to be to allow for contrast) But record one of those shows then take your VCR remote and pause the scenes at various parts. The screen shots are great! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

When you can start noticing the screen shots in animations, then you can graduate to admiring the screen shots of TV ads or movies. I once read a graphic design book that told you to cut out 2 L shaped pieces of posterboard and use those to help you envision a frame around what you are looking at.

Ok, well, I digressed a bit but tell me what you think of composition. What tidbits did I miss? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] What insights would you add?


Thanks for visiting,

Athena

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[This message was edited by T. Athena Hatton on July 02, 2001 at 18:09.]