COMPOSITION

 

I had read some time ago a little book by Bernard Dunstan called Composing Your Painting.   Although I am now doing the Mixed Media section of the OCA course I thought I would look at the book again to see if any of the observations would apply to Abstract paintings and collage work. 

I paraphrase below some of the essential elements to good composition as outlined in the book and have concluded that regardless of whether the painting is a traditional representational picture or an abstract image, all the elements apply. The book doesn't mention texture very much, so I have added that myself.  I have given details of the book in the footnote in case other students viewing this page may be interested in obtaining a copy of the book.

• Volumes, large and smaller ones balanced
• Tone – Light against dark and vice versa
• Golden Section
• Linear framework – divisions in work by thirds, fifths, eighths etc.
• Counter-change
• Shapes in tonal areas to add interest
• Use of colour to identify tone, small against large
• Warm v Cool, warm in cool areas and cool in warm areas
• Neutrals, i.e. greys, creams
• Rhythm and movement through brushstrokes and texture
• Static composition – symmetrical
• Soft directional lines – les movement
• Hard directional lines – more movement
• Short directional lines connecting to others – more interesting
• Right Angles and echoes locking and stabilizing effect or thrust and movement
• Curved movement: energy; guiding eye left to right, place animal or human looking in a certain direction
• Counter directions to add interest
• Repetition: unity, movement
• Lost and found lines
• Texture, rough v smooth, tonal - ie visual

Composing your Painting by Bernard Dunstan, ISBN: 0289709032 Published by Cassell Limited 1979