Last updated: November 17, 2004

DesignSTRUCTURE™

A Beginning Guide to Composition in Art

OUTLINE OF BASIC COMPOSITIONAL STRUCTURES 

This illustrated guide to composition for beginners fosters understanding of the process of design and the importance of design strategy.  It presents a logical view and visual comparisons of the Elements of Design as they are applied to organization of the Principles of Design.  Learning this process gives birth to studio skills, creativity, and personal expression.

            Two survival instincts based in human visual perception govern the creation of meaningful art and design: to make order out of chaos, and to focus on unique features.  These basic laws of perception allow us to relate similar things to avoid confusion, and to distinguish extraordinary things to enliven our existence.

     These two laws outline how a vital and dynamic living system, a human being, copes with visual reality by instinctively tapping into innate survival skills: (1) Humans seek visual order within the chaos of reality to avoid confusion and potential physical harm.  (2) Humans seek unique visual features to enliven and vitalize an otherwise uniform or boringly similar environment. 

     From these ideas we can discern two perceptual states: confusion (consistent unpredictability) and boredom (consistent predictability), neither state of which is usually acceptable to human beings for an extended time period.  These laws apply not only to the visual environment, but also to other choices we make in life, such as our preferences for music, food, places, activities, and people.  Psychologically, socially, and artistically, our “cravings" may be based as much in deficiency as in desire.  If we are deficient in understanding, we desire to remedy that deficiency through study and practice.  If we desire something strongly, we will manage to achieve it through persistence and perseverance. 

As we practice our art and it is deficient, we desire to improve it.  It is relatively easy to recognize visual deficiency, just as it is easy to recognize beauty.  In all that we do reasonably, we seek a healthy balance (but not a boring equilibrium without relief).  Significant Art achieves a balance between Harmony and Variety.

An artist manipulates the Elements of Art (Point/Pixel, Line, Shape, Value, Texture, and Color) according to preferences relating to the Principles of Art (Harmony created by Repetition and Rhythm, Variety created by Contrast and Elaboration, Balance, Movement, Proportion, Dominance, Economy, and Space). 

            When we begin to study varieties of composition used by designers and artists, pattern construction shows us that repetition creates precise order and considerable beauty.  But unceasing repetition without variation creates decoration with minimal emotional association, or decoration without expressive content. 

An artist must go beyond pattern in order to develop meaning in an artwork.  As Variety increases in a composition, a structuring of dominant shapes or other elements of design remains visible, regardless of the subject matter depicted.  An artwork or design begins as an abstract plan of distributing art elements that will most effectively reveal the subject matter.  Throughout history, artists and designers worldwide have used similar plans or diagrams to subdivide the picture plane into interesting proportions.  Thus, the following compositional structures are a guide to the layering of space within a picture plane to create form.  Most artworks combine more than one of the following structures because multiple layers of art mediums or techniques best achieve compelling visual interest.  A layering of processes is an attribute apparent in museum quality art, worldwide.

  Once you have determined your subject matter, it is best to create the compositional structure that will complement your subject.  Work from background to foreground, proportioning and layering the abstract shapes that carry the subject dynamically.  It is easiest to begin your composition by choosing from among one of these basic formats for the picture plane: 

1.  SINGLE PANEL

2.  PANEL including NARRATIVE BORDER (picture in picture),

3.  DIPTYCH (two panels)

4.  TRIPTYCH (three panels)

5.  MULTIPLE PANELS (other variations)

Then choose from among these seventeen basic compositional structures in order to design the picture plane: Angular, Bridge, Cantilever, Central, Circle, Cruciform, Curvilinear, Even, Diagonal, Diamond, Grid, Horizontal, L-Shape, Radial, Triangle, Two Centers, and Vertical.  Most memorable artworks combine more than one basic compositional structure through a process of layering Shapes that subsequently develops areas of both subtle and dynamic Space.  The design process often begins by proportioning shape from background to foreground.

The following guide introduces the design structures according to their historic use in either Classical or Romantic composition, or in both styles.

Emphasis on Geometry (a.k.a. Apollonian Structure)

Classical implies an emphasis on Geometry or angularity, and symbolizes Reason, the Intellect, and visual unity.

PATTERN

SQUARE PATTERN
	SQUARE PATTERN  (Color)
	SQUARE PATTERN  (Grayscale)
BRICK PATTERN
	BRICK PATTERN  (Color)
	BRICK PATTERN  (Grayscale)
DIAMOND PATTERN
	DIAMOND PATTERN  (Color)
	DIAMOND PATTERN (Grayscale)
CIRCLE PATTERN
	CIRCLE PATTERN  (Color)
	CIRCLE PATTERN  (Grayscale)

THE GRID  (Classical Structure)
	GRID DOMINANT (Color)
	GRID DOMINANT (Grayscale)

THE CIRCLE  (Classical Structure)
	CIRCULAR DOMINANT (Color)
	CIRCULAR DOMINANT (Grayscale)

THE TRIANGLE  (Classical Structure)
	TRIANGLE DOMINANT (Color)
	TRIANGLE DOMINANT (Grayscale)
	TRIANGLE DOMINANT (Color)
	TRIANGLE DOMINANT (Grayscale)

THE DIAMOND  (Classical Structure)
	DIAMOND DOMINANT (Color)
	DIAMOND DOMINANT (Grayscale)
	DIAMOND DOMINANT (Color)
	DIAMOND DOMINANT (Grayscale)

ANGULAR DOMINANT  (Classical Structure)
	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Color)	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Color)
	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Grayscale)	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Grayscale)
	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Color)
	ANGULAR DOMINANT (Grayscale)

ROMANTIC  COMPOSITION (a.k.a. Dionysian Structure)

Emphasis on the Curvilinear, symbolizing Nature and emotion. 

 

 

Diagram

Photograph

Artwork Internet Links

CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Organic/Romantic Structure)
	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Color)	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT ART  (Color)
	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Grayscale)
		A sculpted tree trunk on the Spearfish Canyon Golf Course.
	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Color)	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Color)
		A detail of a mural in Vermillion.
	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Grayscale)	CURVILINEAR DOMINANT  (Grayscale)

Either CLASSICAL or ROMANTIC Structure 

CENTRAL EMPHASIS
	CENTRAL EMPHASIS  (Color)
	CENTRAL EMPHASIS  (Grayscale)

TWO CENTERS
	TWO CENTERS  (Color)
	TWO CENTERS  (Grayscale)
	TWO CENTERS  (Color)
	TWO CENTERS  (Grayscale)
	TWO CENTERS  (Color)
	TWO CENTERS  (Grayscale)

THE BRIDGE
	THE BRIDGE  (Color)
	THE BRIDGE  (Grayscale)

THE CANTILEVER
	CANTILEVER  (Color)
	CANTILEVER  (Grayscale)
	CANTILEVER  (Color)
	CANTILEVER  (Grayscale)

THE EVEN SPREAD
	EVEN SPREAD  (Color)
	EVEN SPREAD  (Grayscale)
	EVEN SPREAD  (Color)
	EVEN SPREAD  (Grayscale)

RADIAL
	RADIAL  (Color)