Composition and the art of Visual Communication
Computer binary code is based on patterns and series of 1’s and 0’s that convey words, color, music, movies and more. Everything we store and see on our computers can be broken down into patterns of 1’s and 0’s. Our DNA is also based on patterns of A’s, C’s, G’s, and T’s. Our whole beings and everything that defines our bodies make up and more is stored in our DNA all coded into patterns of A, C, G, and T’s.
Composition for Film
Always Story first! Your value as a visual artist working on a film comes down to your ability to tell a visual story with clarity and meaning. Drawing and painting skills help, and todays tools make that easier than it has ever been, but that is no reason to slack off on developing those skills because there is a vast amount of talent and programs able to make highly skilled artwork, and that will become your competition. In Composition for Painting and Film, this course, we will focus on visual story telling. Within the walls of a studio, this will be your true value, and what your superiors will be looking for you to bring. To become successful in your career you will have to work on 3 things:
1. Master your Craft
2. Your understanding that you are not perfect, and you may, and don't often have answer for what you seek, but you have what it takes to achieve it, what ever it takes.
3. Confidence, not confidence or seeking confidence that you are liked, but confidence that you will be OK if you are not liked.
In this class you will be introduced to the tools to improve your visual literacy, and we will frame these as the elements of our shared visual language. Through the term we will touch on all 7 Visual Components, 2 Methods of Measure, and 3 Primaries of Design.
"7 Visual Components"
These are the total basic components that are discrete from one that serve as our alphabet if you will. Though you may have focused on values, shapes, color and edges, those are but characteristics of the discrete components listed below.
1. Line: implied lines, closure, eye lines, tracking lines
2. Shape: emotional implications, directional forces
3. Space: flat, limited, deep, ambiguous, cubist
4. Tone: value, value grouping, counterchange
5. Color: emotional, spatial, narrative applications, theory (7 contrasts)
6. Rhythm: contours, gradients, near alignments, closure, directional forces
7. Movement: (in film) Direction and Dot (for painting and film)
Primaries of Design
· Line: texture, marks that define the surface, whose characteristics appear to express neither mass or form)
· Notan: Mass - Light vs Dark
· Chiaroscuro: Form – Light vs Shadow
Methods of Measure
· Major Key (proportion)
· Minor Key (range of contrast within the image or area of the image)
Dominant and Subordinate are conditions created principally through the juxtaposition of scale and proximity.
Visual art possesses a complex system of communication, or language, and composition is the art of establishing a visual context, subject and statement.
The way of learning the art of composition has nothing to do with learning and then breaking rules and everything to do with becoming aware of the visual components, methods of measure, and the bias we impose on the design of every mark we put down, this is the way of our visual language.
It is from this point of view that I suggest that expressing, moreover communicating your ideas, statements, or feelings depends on firstly establishing a visual context. Any bias of relationships that come to bare within your compositions should be inspired by your story, or image message, and executed through visual relationships that establish visual context or your story. The notion that there are standardized, universal rules required to achieve appeal or beauty in our visual language is not only ridiculously wrong but it stifles any possibility of variation of expression. Most rules are created in service of creating one of two things. 1 the pursuit of beauty, or in effort to establish repeatable outcomes. Either way this does not leave any room for any variation in visual expression. You have to be willing to abandon any rules if you want to achieve a broader range of visual expression.
Figure and Ground Relationship and Story Telling
Now draw nine more squares and this time put one circle in each square and make its size and position determine the following actions, or emotions.
Compare your results with the results with those below
There is a good chance that you arrived at the same or very similar answers to the visual conditions illustrated above. In this exercise (since the shape of the figure and format of the ground are the same) there are two relationships between figure and ground that are active, scale and proximity.
This exercise displays your ability to visually assess the story a circle in a square expresses through scale and proximity between only the figure and ground.
Moving: The closeness of the circle to the one side creates a visual tension. Our eyes move more slowly around the circle in the more open areas, but in the narrow space between the circle and side our eyes scan the image faster. This quickening creates a pulling sensation to the right.
Close: Figures closer to the bottom of the frame appear to be closer than those higher in the frame.
This can go way back to possibly before ancient scrolls long before perspective, if we consider our cone of vision, as we perceive the world things at the bottom of our cone of vision are almost always closer than anything else.
Big: Large, filling the frame.
Far: Higher the frame and smaller make the circle appear much farther away than the next one.
Small: It's size is obvious but being close to the bottom of the frame says this circle is also close and that would reinforce the effect.
Raising: Partially cropped anywhere along the top of the frame would give this effect. having moderate scale allows it to have more volume and adds to the spatial closeness.
Falling: Cropped along the bottom somewhere will reinforce this feeling.
Heavy: Larger scale adds to the feeling of volume and resting on the bottom of the frame makes it feel like it is sitting literally on the ground.
Light: Positioning this moderate sized circle above center can add to the feeling of lightness. This can also have the feeling of farther away than it's neighbor (heavy).
Figure-Ground Relationship and Gestalt principles of Perception
Composition begins with the relationship between figure and ground. This consists of making clear the division of object and its surround. As artists, art directors, or visual communicators of any kind we need to move beyond relying on intuition alone, or a vague understanding of composing pictures. We need to study composition and visual literacy in order to take the guesswork out of design. So starting with figure ground here are simple definitions for the gestalt principles of perception:
Figure Ground Relationship
Elements are perceived as either figures (distinct elements of focus) or ground (the background or landscape on which the figures rest).
Closure
When looking at a complex arrangement of individual elements, humans tend to look for a single, recognizable pattern. Elements arranged on a line or curve, or perceived to be more congruent appear to be more related than elements.
Common Fate
Humans tend to perceive elements moving in the same direction as being more related than elements that are stationary or that move in different directions.
Proximity
Things that are close to one another are perceived to be more related than things that are spaced farther apart.
Similarity
Things that are similar are perceived to be more related than things that are dissimilar.
Our visual language is comparative in nature
When we are successful in designing compositions that communicate or ideas clearly, we are successful in manipulating visual components by shifting emphasis in direct response to the message purpose. Our compositions are not merely the sum of the objects we render; rather they are designed about the interrelationships created between them. These choices should be purposeful in supporting and making clear your message. So if we are to learn to become more visually literate we must learn to assess both the relative proportion of the apparent components, and their simple to complex relationships, while also assessing their range of contrast. The more specific we can be in identifying the visual components that are playing active roles in our images, or compositions the better. Then we can begin to assess their relationships in the appropriate manner, through their specific ranges of contrast, which is key to delivering the proper visual expression. For instance value to value, shape to shape, color to color, even space to space.
Creating a composition is defining context
When we focus on aspects of composition we have to consider the basic structure of our visual language. This in itself is difficult to cull a clear understanding because many considerations and issues of relationships or constructs are presented in print from a few basic problematic standpoints. One is that our visual language is non-linear in nature and books tend to be written in chapters that place things in linear progression. Another misleading thing is that sometimes compositional (rules) or systems are implied to create a predictable outcome, which justifies a particular style. (This is important to developing a style guide for a particular look, or style, but not for addressing visual language in general.) Often times students are told they should study classics and predetermined rules that made their work successful. Only then when we master these rules we should challenge or break them to define our individual expression.
Any rule imposed on composition implies that our visual language has a universally accepted grammar, or proper way of assembling any image, which is not true.
"Know what the old masters did. Know how they composed their pictures, but do not fall into the conventions they established. These conventions were right for them, and they are wonderful. They made their language. You make yours. All the past can help you." --Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
---------------------------------------------
Dispelling the rule that says: don't put anything directly in the center of the frame. Rather than blindly following someones rule consider the consequences of the proximity and scale of both the circle in the square above and the painting of Henry the VIII by Hans Holbein. To sell the story of an immovable force Hans positioned the king directly in the center with an imposing frontal gaze, and broad balanced stance. To reduce the added tension of a straight pose directly in the center may imply, Holbein added some twist in his figure indicated with the red line in image 2. You see the blue axis line directly in the center but having some twist allows for the shapes of his figure and costume to favor one direction and not become too symmetrical. In image 3 I have outlined the asymmetry of the contour in pink and interior shapes in green.
Proximity, Scale and Space
The proximity, scale and impression of spatial depth can all be adjusted and modified to create a level of dominance of one shape over another, or build and relieve visual tension. Again, I am not saying visual tension is bad and these are not rules, rather conditions through which we can manipulate the perception of space and dominance. Where as Proximity, Scale and Space may add subtext to our visual story, making clear what is Dominant and Subordinate will add to the story. And your Matrix (which I will explain later) will add to setting the Context. So within Matrix where we set the Visual Context, we use Dominance and Subordinate and Spatial depth to help deliver Story, and Proximity, and Scale to deliver more Subtext.
Things that are closer have a tendency to group (A), or feel like they are more related than things that are farther apart (B). Near tangents (C) create visual tension, and tangents (D) flatten your image.
Relative position in frame can create an aspect of dominance. The circles are in front of the squares below, yet the circle in (H) appears to be a bit more dominant, than the circle in image (I) because it overlaps the square from a higher position. We can notice here the raising and falling effect of the circles and squares.
Compare these two images above. The rectangles are the same distance between so they feel like they relate to one another, and yet the smaller rectangle in the image to the right appears to be farther away from the larger rectangle in Z space or spatial depth. This is because the proximity between the two. In the image on the left, both rectangles appear to be sitting at the same depth to frame. In the second image the smaller rectangle is slightly higher in frame which gives the impression that it too is deeper in Z space or spatial depth.
Here is another example of pushing spatial depth through proximity. Both images have a large and small square. In the image on the left the smaller is over the larger. The overlap tells us the smaller is in front of the larger, but the space between seems shallow. It also appears to have more tension than the image on the right, partly because we are used perceiving larger object closer and smaller ones farther away. In the image on the right the spatial depth between the closer large square and the small square seems much deeper than the one on the left. The larger square in front of the smaller also relieves the visual tension.
Compare these images above. If we overlap two shapes to create a larger shape, that larger shape may feel more dominant because its size and complexity. In image (1) all the circles are similar in scale and the solitary circle is a bit higher in frame which challenges the overlapping circles for dominance because it is higher than the other two. In (2) the solitary circle is smaller which makes the two circles much more dominant because our perceptual sense says that things higher and smaller feel farther away. Now in version (3) the solitary circle is larger than the overlapping circles and higher in frame which overtakes the two in relative dominance. In version (4) I have repositioned the larger solitary circle near to the frame. The visual tension created here appears to pull the circles apart and we are more conscious of the pictorial space, or ground than in (3).
The effects of scale and proximity can vary based on many factors besides these controlled examples. In these images I am keeping the figures limited to two circles in a ground so we can see how subtle variants can change our perception of dominance, sub-ordinance and spatial depth. Some of the examples make a clear visual statement, while others more vague. When we want to communicate a visual statement clearly we want to reduce the ambiguity as much as possible.
In any composition you may want to avoid designing shapes or masses of equal size. Since our primary access into visual imagery is through comparing various shapes of equal or similar size have a tendency to flatten the scene, and create conflict in regards to determining which shape is dominant or the main subject of the scene. Equal shapes or dividing the frame into equal parts creates ambiguity of the image message, as they say 'if everything is equal, nothing is important.
Compare the images above. In image A many parts are equal in scale, where as B offers more variety between the scale of shapes. Notice how the shapes, rhythm, and spatial depth has achieved a greater sense of unity. And the building appears to be more the subject of the shot.
Here are a few images that demonstrate the comparative aspect of Dominance and Subordination.
In image A the large circle is clearly dominant over the smaller circle.
In B the larger circle is cropped, things that are cropped become less dominant. This leaves the smaller circle to have more dominance than in A. When shapes are cropped by the frame they become directly associated with the picture plane, and tend to lose their figure dominance or importance too the visual story. These cropped shapes lose, or hand over story value to become framing elements. The farther out they are cropped the less significance they have as story elements themselves, and in turn help frame or push the dominance to the other shapes within the frame.
In C, the larger circle is clearly the dominant circle, yet positioning the smaller circle so close to the frame it creates a near tangent which creates visual stress and robs some dominance from the larger circle. This would be a distraction from the dominance of the larger circle.
In D, the smaller circle is overlapping the larger circle which signals that it is in front of the larger circle and again makes us more aware of or gives more weight or importance to the smaller circle. In all these cases the proximity and scale are major factors in determining the degree of dominance one circle has over the other. So if we want to determine that one shape has clear dominance over another it is important to consider shapes influence on the dominant shape. Below in 5, 6, 7, and 8 I have pushed the scale and proximity to give more dominance to the smaller circles.
Within (J,K, and L) we can compare levels of visual tension. In (J) the square is parallel to the frame which flattens the image and in this case the tension resides in the area of near tangent. In (K) the tension is far more dynamic because the angle of the square. Now compare (K), and (L). The angle of the square is still dynamic but the near tangents with the frame have been reduced, so it does not appear as aggressive as (K).
When we have multiple shapes within a shot we have more factors besides scale and proximity that can influence which shape is dominant and to what degree. Above when we sense there is direction, flow, or rhythm between the shapes we are creating Closure, closure is a property of the component of line, more specifically an implied line, not a physical line but implied. The opposite of this is randomness or chaos. The level of randomness can become an inadvertent distraction to establishing dominance of one shape. A shape that is out of rhythm created by closure will seem distinct in relation, increasing the potential to carry more dominance.
Our Visual Language
7 Visual Components
These are the most basic components that are distinct from one another and make up the visual elements we have to work with. Some of you may be more familiar with or had been taught that values, shapes, and edges are the most important components, but these are aspects of the components listed below. These components also have various applications or sub characters and are more discrete which we will get into through out the weeks.The language of visual art is comprised of seven basic visual components, interpreted through, and biased by three primaries of design (a dynamic triad), along with a multidimensional measuring system to establish quantify values of relationships. So again we have the “Goldilocks effect” between a finite number of elements to create infinite patterns and variants and a method of determining complex and infinite relative value relationships between these patterns and variants that allow the artist, photographer, image, or film maker their voice, and potential for personal expression in one universal language of visual art.
1. Line: implied lines, closure, eye lines, tracking lines
2. Shape: emotional implications, directional forces
3. Space: flat, limited, deep, ambiguous, cubist
4. Tone: value, value grouping, counterchange
5. Color: emotional, spatial, narrative applications, theory (7 contrasts)
6. Rhythm: contours, gradients, near alignments, closure, directional forces
7. Movement: (in film) Direction and Dot (for painting and film)
Primary Elements of Design
· Line: texture, marks that define the surface, whose characteristics appear to express neither mass or form)
· Notan: Mass - Light vs Dark
· Chiaroscuro: Form – Light vs Shadow
Methods of Measure
· Major Key (proportion)
· Minor Key (range of contrast within the image or area of the image)
Dominant and Subordinate are conditions created through the juxtaposition of the visual elements that make up any composition.
Shape and the influence of directional bias and contrast:
Narrative Storytelling and Visual Literacy
Composing images for film is about stirring emotions through storytelling imagery.
Composing narrative images, is vital in film! Your compositions need to establish Context, which is the framework of the world, or "In the world of...) and maintain a consistency within that established context. At the same time this context must have elastic performance capabilities so your images can deliver the range of expression necessary at the right moment with the right intensity. This means your images (within context) must deliver the Subject, and Subtext. The subject is the intention of the shot which needs to be stated clearly. This provides the 'who and what'. The subtext can be obvious or subtle but in most cases subordinate to the subject. This provides the descriptors, or the 'what about it'. The subtext could be what is going on in someones head, or revealing how they view the situation, or it could be in contrast to their beliefs if they are at odds in the moment. The establishing of Context, delivering Subject, and Subtext is what we try to deliver to the viewer in a clearly readable manner so we don't lose our audience's attention during any shot.
Primaries of Design
Line
Mass- Notan
Form-Chiaroscuro
Below are examples of what I call the Primaries of Design. These consist of Line (Texture), Notan (Light vs Dark), and Chiaroscuro (Light vs Shadow). Our Primaries of Design should not be confused with Visual Components themselves. They serve very different functions. Visual components are the building blocks of our visual language with their own discrete characteristics, each component can only be compared to a like component so they work in contradistinction with one another. Like other languages greater connotation can be achieved through the sum of their juxtaposition, dominance and subordination, and nuance of choices and relationships. Primaries of Design have to do with the interpretation and application of marks, shapes, and their arrangement. Our images may be composed with shapes, colors, spatial relationships, and all our visual components, but how we choose to bias these shapes, colors, etc. has a profound effect on the total image. These choices made by the artist when applied distinctly, and consistently emerge as what we consider an artist's style.
Line
Mass- Notan
Form-Chiaroscuro
These primaries are the pillars of a whole style spectrum. And just as we might look at one painting being predominantly one color by proportion, we also consider the range of contrast of other hues when we are designing a scheme. A design scheme may favor one primary component through proportion of dominant influence. But it may also contain a range of contrast from that primary to the others all within the same image. This allows for great variety of styles.
It is important to note that artists and image makers may or may not be aware of these primaries as they are explained here. Images considered both good and bad have been designed through various means throughout the generations but if we look at the images most coveted in museums around the world through this filter we can see the influence of line, mass, and form used with distinction.
From the earliest cave paintings until today artists have designed their images by combining Line, Notan (interlocking light/dark), and Chiaroscuro (light/shadow patterns), to capture expressive images that serve their purpose.
The cave paintings of Lascaux, France were painted approximately 17,000 BP and are line and notan dominant. For hundreds of thousands of years these were the most common primaries used in creating visual imagery. The image below is from the book of the dead approximately 1500 BC.
Some of the earliest accounts of the use of the depiction of light and shadow can be seen as in Ancient Greek art like the one below from approximately 300 BC. But the contrast between light and shadow remains minimal compared to the surround establishing the silhouettes to define the matrix. Chiaroscuro, depicting Light vs Shadow as the dominant separation within the design matrix would not gain popularity until the Italian renaissance.
In the Byzantine, Early Christian period artists made it popular to separate these components of line and mass into specific zones within their imagery, and began to use value gradients harkening back to the ancient Greeks acknowledgment of light and shadow within specific zones, mainly emphasized in the region of the faces. This can be clearly seen in stained glass of religious subject from this period onward.
In the image immediately above we can see the clear change of execution from Notan in the overall image and Line becoming the dominant primary in the face. This separation of bias remained clear but expanded to include what would later become known as chiaroscuro as you can see in the handling of predominantly the faces in the second image
Compare these two images below by Sandro Botticelli the presence of light and shadow is laid in with great clarity but the local values still define the greater contrast within the matrix.
And this image is divided into far more distinct contrasting local value shapes. Notice the total range in contrast in light vs. dark is greater than the more subtle range of contrast of the light vs. shadow areas in the face, neck, hair, and outfit.
Since this sculpting is carved from one stone and has only one local value, we perceive its dimensional qualities through how light hits the form, therefore it is Form Dominant.
Again we see the strong depiction of form in both the Mona Lisa, and the Rembrandt self portrait, these would both be Form Dominant.
An image could contain areas where line or mass could be more dominant and form subordinate, and clarity of application is most important. When these primaries are confused the image tends to lose its clarity of application. As far as which is dominant and which is subordinate we measure through Major key (proportion), and Minor Key (range of contrast).
Look at the variation of application in the image by Hans Holbein. The delicate line, color, and texture in the face is all about capturing the likeness in shape and local color, (Mass/Line) where as the hair is Mass and Form dominant (line is extremely subtle in this area). The hat is Form/Line, and his cloths is solidly Line Dominant. The clarity in the application of discrete areas makes this image timeless.
The image by Gustav Klimt below is all about Mass with Line/Texture subordinate, and no recognition of light and shadow or Form.
Van Gough's Stary Night is clearly Line dominant and Mass subordinate with no representation of the effect of Light and Shadow.
Mattise's paper cut outs are clearly Mass with Line subordinate to Mass, and no depiction of Form or light and shadow.
mandrian and the Bau Haus movement was all about Line and Mass, the two, exchanging dominance. Keep in mind Major and Minor Key are the methods we use to assess the dominance and sub-ordinance between the two.
In this image below the line is dominant and the gradients are merely ambient with no relation to representing light or shadow.
Mass, and Line/Texture are the dominant features and yet there is a smaller area in the strip mine area depicting a light direction. It's tonal contrast is greater than the very subtle shadows from the buildings. This is a well managed design.
Again clarity is key when designing and combining these modes.
My theory of Primaries of Design is a triadic concept, whose applications can appear to blend naturally and transparently or abruptly. Throughout the history of visual communication artist's reveal their bias through the marks, shapes, and arrangement of design they express in their work. Though art history may concern itself with the story of mans visual enlightenment through origins, locations, artists, and the social and economic causes that molded and changed artistic bias between Line, Notan, and Chiaroscuro. For the artist, visual communicator it is important to become aware of not only the potential of these primaries but become more self aware of their personal bias. We all have our own personal proportion of how we lean into the primaries, and that to a large degree defines our style, visual clarity and visual failure. The Primaries of Design provide a theoretical spectrum of design possibilities as broad as the color spectrum.
The COMPOSITIONS of our paintings are based on series of contrasts. Within every painting there is a range of contrast between black and white, which we call the value range. This range is not the same for every painting. Some are overall light and some are overall dark. Some contain a lot of contrast of value and others very little, and others lie somewhere in the range between. Most often we concern ourselves with principals of light and shadow and how to render the illusion of the effect of light. A strong light creates a dramatic effect, a hazy atmosphere creates a more subtle and moody effect.
We are all familiar with the statement “without light there is no form.” I would like to submit to the class that this is only one section of a larger concept. Yes, without light we cannot see form. But too much light can produce the same effect. The other factor in this concept is local value, or local color. Most all objects have their own inerrant color, and we cannot overlook how local color can influence and bias principals of light and shadow.
These two interdependent and contrasting methods are CHIAROSCURO, or the rendering of light and shadow or form, and NOTAN, or the rendering of light and dark or local value masses. These two conditions are completely opposite to one another, yet in most anything that we paint both conditions are present to some degree, one of these dominating the other. Let me explain this a little more. When Chiaroscuro is dominant the rendering of or contrasts between light and shadow will overpower the contrasts that exists between local values. Therefore the Matrix will be created by the contrast between the light verses the shadow shapes. When Notan is dominant the rendering of or contrasts between light and dark local value masses will be the highest contrast and overpower the contrasts that exists between light and shadow, resulting in a very different Matrix dominated by the contrast between local values, what some call graphic. The bias of one mode over the other can change within your painting either through the natural fall off of light or manipulated by personal choice. But if you are unclear, or inconsistent as to which mode is dominant anywhere within your composition you will create ambiguity that weakens your design.
Besides Form (depicted through Chiaroscuro) and Mass (depicted through Notan), Line is the third primary design element. Line can be used to depict form, mass, or texture or a calligraphic entity itself that does not exist as a result of the effect of light and shadow or light and dark. The dynamics of this line, mass and form triad is very different from that of subtractive color. If you mix two of the subtractive color primaries (red, yellow, and blue) you will create the compliment of the third. In this design triad if you mix two primaries you can create the illusion of the third. And here in lies a key to one way in which you can approach creating design harmonies.
Above are a couple images that are designed (tonally) by Notan and Chiaroscuro. Sometimes people attach the term graphic to a Notan design but graphic can be too vague and general a term, referring to edges or type or spatial condition. Again a design matrix that is divided by Notan is one in which the greatest tonal contrast is between local values, and a design matrix that is divided by Chiaroscuro is one in which the division of light and black is the division of what is in light verses that in shadow.
I have added some images below that have distinctive drawing or painting styles. When the style has one dominant primary and another secondary or subordinate, the style is usually more clear and successful. That goes for any combination, but when your application or bias is unclear or too confusing there is a good chance your design will be unsuccessful. Just as when your Matrix is non-committed your composition will appear mushy.
The range of surface texture from more subtle in the young woman's face to the extremely abrasive marks around the child, skirt and background create the appearance of softness about her face and hair.
In the photo of Rodin and his sculpture below the sculpture is light with a strong light direction where Rodin appears as a silhouette. Silhouettes define the contour in a manner tangent to Notan.
Robert Fawcett clearly designs his drawings by creating designated areas of different design bias.
Here are some images that I hope will display enough clarity for you to see into the primaries of design and how you can work with them successfully.
In the image below, Serov rendered form contrast only in the face of the sitter. Compare the left and right images and you can see that most of the image is Notan dominant except the face and a few minimal shadows about the image. This made the face the dominant focal point of the painting.
Line and Form
Line and Mass
Primaries of Design
Select one or two of the images below and create 7 drawings from that one image. Each image needs to express a dominant mode of design, either Line, Mass, or Form. In each image choose a secondary subordinate mode and make clear and distinctive where modes change within each image. You can do it with pencil, pen, markers, digital, it doesn't matter. Most importantly be clear about your application. If you are doing form dominant add a light direction in the area you are focusing on. If there is form in the photo and you are doing line or mass dominant, diminish the contrast and form shapes entirely.
For Instance:
1 Line/Mass
2 Form/Mass
3 Mass/Form
4 Mass/Line
5 Form/Line
6 Line/Form
7 Deliberate change up within your design
Example
Even though there is line present it does not have the contrast or proportion of value dominance that form and mass (local value) has. Remember look for maintaining dominance of one primary in any given area. A dominant primary can occur over the whole image or part, keep in mind proportion (major key) and range of contrast (minor key) as methods of measure.
This image is totally line
And this image is totally mass or Notan dominant
This image is totally Form or chiaroscuro
You can also combine image which change dominance of the primary in specific areas. For instance it coule be mass dominant with greater contrast of form in the face. Or line/texture in one area and mass, or form in another.
This image below has strong lighting which may be good for form dominance but you will have to eliminate it in your mass and line versions.
Comments