Frame, arrangement and the relationship between visual elements.
• What is composition?
Composition is the selection and arrangement of appropriate elements within the picture space - combing forms and space.
• What can good composition achieve?
Good composition can achieve a harmonious whole, expressing the artist's idea clearly and effectively. It can leave the viewer with a satisfied sense of order and beauty.
• What are the 4 main elements of composition?
Picture area, depth, line (of sight) and value.
• What is the first thing to do when thinking about composition?
The first thing to do is to consider the basic idea I want to get across; the story I want to tell, the effect or mood I am striving to communicate.
• What is the difference between sketching and making artwork?
Sketching is broad and flexible thinking, not concerning itself with details. Rough sketches help to identify the elements in the mind's eye and immediately get ideas onto paper. Artwork is where the problems have been solved and the medium is communicating the message for the final piece.
Mastering composition is one of the most essential skills for an illustrator to learn. It will elevate my work to the next level. I need to consider foreground, mid-ground, background, balance of colours and their value, line of sight (how your eyes read the image and the story is told), negative space, perspective, viewpoint, overlapping of objects and anything else I see, feel or observe.
Initial Thoughts
I struggle with composition sometimes and while it is always something I strive to consider, sometimes without realising it, it isn't something that is always successful in my work. This session has taught me to look at artwork and illustration in a different way and really consider the framing that is being used and why. What story is being told? What feelings are created by the viewpoints?
Eleni Kalorkoti
I really like the monochrome colour palette of this illustration and how the hair / fringe takes up most of the canvas. The eye is immediately drawn to the sharp edge of the scissors as the white blade stands out against the black hair in a very dramatic way. The sparkling eyes are also catching because of the white against black;leading us up towards the scissors because of the direction they are looking. I find it very clever the way it has been deliberately arranged in the rule of thirds; with the bottom third and right-hand side third containing the most information. There is a nice balance between details, shape, form and expanse of black.
Eleanor Davis
Another image where something takes up most of the frame, but not in an immediate or dramatic way as the previous illustration - largely due to the harmonising combination of warm and softer colours. The handle of the broom leads the eye down into the frame in the direction of the character's head and the window. The wall slopes down to meet the character's shoulder and further down to the sleeve of the shirt on the elbow, tying them into the piece rather than isolating them. The legs frame the secondary character, who is smaller - further away and therefor not as important. My eyes are immediately drawn to the purple pants against the light yellowy green wall - complimentary colours? - which then allows my eye to explore the image and the narrative.
I created a simple story board of 12 frames to tell my favourite movie, Disney Pixar's Brave (2012). This is an extremely beneficial exercise for my Pearly Kings and Queens picture book as I am due to start storyboarding my ideas. I found it actually really, really challenging to condense the movie down into 12 frames as there are multiple subplots in the film - but had to refine my initial list and really consider what is integral to the main storyline. Such a useful exercise on storyboarding, framing and refinement of ideas to tell the most important aspects!
Practical Task: Elements Painting Challenge
• Figure: Lemur
• Object: Cucumber
• Location: Jail
Reflection
I was unsure of the composition of my first gouache painting - elements were too symmetrical and not as experimental as I would have liked. But if the handout taught me anything, it is to challenge what is written on it. What is wrong with a simplistic, symmetrical image? My second acrylic painting strived to tackle some of my concerns but ultimately became flat and boring - largely, in part, because of the medium I selected of acrylic paints. They didn't quite capture the charming mark making and pattern that I was able to create using gouache. It is interesting to note the thoughts and feelings from each painting because of the medium - where the gouache colours I used had a very warm feel to them they gave an inviting, comforting atmosphere in the prison. Almost funky and jazzy because of the patterned cucumber! The jail cell in the acrylic painting now really captures the loneliness of the lemur longing for the cucumber to eat - instead of gruel! - and the cold, dark and wet environment of an old cell.
I found I had created a lot of roughs as well, because I wanted to play and experiment with this which made it hard to refine a single idea and execute it. I'm still unsure as to whether I picked the most captivating scenarios but it is something to think about for the future!
No comments:
Post a Comment