A Composition that Works

A study in composition can be a revealing intellectual exercise in the various patterns of artistic expression developed over the years. Some theories seem to ebb and flow in popularity with the passage of time (take, for example, the Golden Mean theory from the Renaissance that some artists still hold onto today). Some books on the subject are loaded with superimposed diagrams on famous paintings telling me the direction of the flow of my eyes. (I didn’t know my eyes flowed in that direction!). Or how shapes are intentionally repeated throughout a painting. (I’ve been told how skillfully shape repetition has been interlaced in my paintings – I was glad to be informed, as I wasn’t aware of it!).

There are a whole number of “accepted” value patterns set forth: the cruciform, the cantilever, etc. and certain “acceptable” value percentage relationships we should strive to achieve: if we have three values, they should be painted in uneven percentages set to “proven” patterns.

Or, how about the “don’t do” list:

• Don’t set your horizon line so that it bisects your painting.
• Don’t group in even numbers, only in odd.
• Don’t put an object in the center of your painting.
• Don’t think about what your painting needs – follow the rules! (My addition!)

The list goes on (ad nauseum) and fills books to no end. Unfortunately, these rules are outdated, unhelpful, and don’t seem to apply to my painting at hand. I can’t seem to squeeze my paintings into others’ compositional rules.

If I did, I would loose my artistic freedom and expression. Yet these “rules”, if one looks closely enough, support three underlying principles. These principles have worked well for me over the years and have also allowed me total artistic expression. And they are simple. There is strength in simplicity. (I believe most painting problems, if not all, are the violation of an elementary painting principle). Here they are:

First, a strong painting should catch the eye at a distance. In other words, the value and shape construction should be clean and simple. It should not have so many small ambiguous shapes that the design gets lost. There is no formula here, but careful observation of those paintings you enjoy will support this principle. (Remember how, when you went to a show, a painting caught your eye from across the room even before you grasped the subject matter? Most likely the value and shape relationships were exquisite.)

Second, the painting should carry the eye throughout the picture plane. Maurice Denis, the famous painter of the Nabis, once said, “it must be remembered that a painting becoming a battle horse, a naked woman, or any anecdote is essentially a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order. “ In other words, we need to understand that the picture plane is independent of its subject and follows its own organizational structure. The eye needs to travel and fill out the whole picture plane for full impact of statement; otherwise there will be “dead zones.”

Third, after enjoying the fullness of the picture plane, the eye needs to come to an area of dominance with the artists’ intent of holding it there as long as possible. This is where the main message of artistic expression is revealed.

These three compositional principles are simple, yet they work for complete freedom of expression for a variety of styles.

I will discuss how to bring the viewers’ eye to the area of dominance in my next newsletter.

Keep your brush wet!
Eric