Picture composition
Art course on image composition, stable, instable, diagonal,
square, circle, powerful and spiral composition.
Art School
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Simple and tangible
The square composition is the most stable, simple and tangible.
It creates calm and harmony in an image.


Vilhelm Hammershöi (1864-1916)
Growing or shrinking
A circle composition can be seen as simple and complete. The
effect can be a feeling of growth or of shrinking.


Example: Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665)
Expanding


Picture example: Frans Hals (1582-1666)
Vertical motion


Example: Claude Monet (1840-1926)
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Static or horizontal motion


Example: J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851)
Static with diagonal


Example: Cezanne (1839-1906)
Diagonal towards the right
A diagonal motion towards the right gives a stronger feeling
of space than a diagonal towards the left. When we read pictures
the eye moves from left to right which is also how we are used to
reading text.
Towards right is stronger.

Towards left is weaker.


Example: Cezanne (1839-1906)
Diagonal - strong motion


Example: Anders Zorn (1860-1920)
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Stable
A triangle with its base pointing down is the most stable picture
composition. This was very common during the Renaissance.


Example: Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1683-1754)
Instable
A composition based on a triangle with the base pointing upwards
will be considered instable. This can be a way to create motion
and activity in an image.


Example: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905)
Spiral – baroque
An image composed as a spiral gives a powerful and dynamic effect.
This type of composition was common during the baroque era.


Example: Caravaggio (1571-1610) |