Compositions from Observation

Students in Art 1 and Art Appreciation learned about the art of creating a good composition by looking closely at objects in front of them. 

First, we discussed some basic rules for making a strong composition.  To make a good composition, one should make sure the subject matter (positive space) engages at least 3 edges of the frame.  They should also make sure that there are interesting negative space shapes created by how the subject is cropped.

Next, students used a viewfinder to frame and zoom in on the objects they were seeing.  They specifically focused their eyes on the negative space shapes they were seeing.  They recorded those negative space shapes as they looked through the viewfinder, and in doing so found the edges of the objects themselves. 

Next, students used the technique of contour line drawing, which they have already learned, to focus back on the positive space shapes and draw them in detail using lines. 

Finally, the students and I went over what Value means as an element of art, and we discussed the ways in which artists go about adding value to a composition or object in order to make it look three-dimensional.

The students were required to add value to at least one composition.  The rest could remain as line drawings or negative/positive space compositions.  They did an amazing job and made some very beautiful work from banal objects.