1st ESO Visual Arts Teacher Simone
Looking at art… When we read a book, our eyes move fom left to right
as we READ the words. When we observe art works, like paintings or sculptures, our eyes also MOVE around the work, similar to reading.
Looking at art… When we look at a painting, drawing or sculpture, our
eyes moves in a certain way around the work. We observe the point of interest first, and see the details later. The artist designs their work intentionally to influence how we look at the picture.
What is composition? ď‚— Take a look at this image:
What element calls your attention most?
What is composition? “Composition” is when an artist organizes their
artwork with a specific intention. In organizing a composition, an artist decides what is the most important for the viewer to see.
Let’s compare… Take a look at Goya’s painting of Carlos V’s family. How does Goya organize the painting? What is most important?
What if…? What if Goya had
painted the family portrait like this? How does the organization of the figures change the idea?
What is composition? In a composition, the artist can use different resources
to effect how people see the work and what is more or less important in the work: 1) PLACEMENT OF FORMS 2) PROPORTION 3) COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURES 4) TEXTURE 5) COLOR
1) Placement of forms ď‚— Often, an artist will put the most important object in
the painting in the center.
1) Placement of forms ď‚— Putting our attention in the
center of the painting creates a sense of SYMMETRY, ORDER and BALANCE.
1) Placement of forms ď‚— An artist might also put the most important object to
one side, which makes our eyes go to this side of the work. This makes the painting visually UNBALANCED.
2) Proportion «Proportion» defines the relationship in size between
the parts of an element or the objects in an ensemble. If an artist makes an object BIGGER than the rest, we focus more on that object.
Let’s practice Take a look at these works. Ask yourself: Where does my eye go first?
Does the artist use proportion to influence you? Where does the artist place the form in the painting? What feeling does it transmit?
Let’s get to work! In pairs, we will analyze a composition. Write the questions and the answers in complete sentences.
DESCRIBE the work. What objects do you see? How does the artist ORGANIZE THE FORMS? (In the center, to the left, on the top, symmetrical, unbalanced, etc.)
Does the artist use PROPORTION in the composition?
How? (Is one object bigger than the rest?) What do you think is the most important part of the painting? Why? (Where do you think is the point of interest?) What STORY is the artist telling in this painting? Re-draw the same objects in the painting to change the composition and give it a new meaning.
3) Compositional Structures In order to distribute forms on a plane, an artist will
use a geometric scheme in order to structure the work. This is the internal structure of the work, like a «skeleton». For example:
3) Compositional Structures VERTICAL STRUCTURE:
3) Compositional Structures HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE
3) Compositional Structures DIAGONAL STRUCTURE
3) Compositional Structures CIRCULAR STRUCTURE
3) Compositional Structures TRIANGULAR STRUCTURE:
3) Compositional Structures This “internal
structure” makes our eyes look at the work in a certain way. For example, a triangular composition makes our eye move up, toward the point of the triangle.
3) Compositional Structures ď‚— A circular structure can make the eyes move around
and around, without giving any object more importance than the others.
3) Compositional Structures ď‚— A vertical structure makes our eyes move up and down,
giving the work a sense of rhythm.
Let’s practice  Take a look at these works. Which type of composition
structure can we see?
Let’s get to work In groups of two or three, take magazine to make a
collage. Try to organize the forms in a way to create a TRIANGULAR, CIRCULAR, HORIZONTAL, DIAGONAL OR VERTICAL COMPOSITION
4) Color in composition ď‚— When an artist plans the composition of their work,
they use colors with different intentions.
Color in composition If an artist doesn’t
want any element to have more importance than then rest, they will use analogous colors. For example:
Color in composition ď‚— If an artist wants one
element to appear more important, they use colors that contrast. ď‚— For example:
Creating a harmonious composition Use colors of the
same tone (for example blues and greens) Choose colors of the same temperature (either cool or warm) Work with colors that are analogous
Creating a contrasting composition ď‚— Juxtapose (put together)
dark and light colors ď‚— Use complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel, like red and green) ď‚— In this painting by Matisse, our eyes move around a lot because of all of the contrasts.
Creating a contrasting composition ď‚— Use warm colors to
give more importance to an element. ď‚— Use cool colors to give less importance. ď‚— In this painting by Gauguin, the bodies are warm, and call our attention more.
5) Texture in composition ď‚— When there are contrasting visual or tactile
TEXTURES in a work, we tend to focus on the areas of contrast. For example: