Basic Drawing: Composition & Paper Orientation

• Basic Drawing is a supplement, © PENN FOSTER, INC. 2016

Composition

• A piece's composition involves placement of forms, division of space, tonal relationships, center of interest, and observer's eye direction.
• Good composition provides varied sizes, shapes, details, tonal variations, and a primary path for the observer's eyes to follow.
• There is no single formula for good compositions; artists decide form placement and detail inclusion.
• Exclusion of unimportant items enhances an image.

Paper Orientation

• Rectangular paper allows horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait) orientation choice.
• Drawing area orientation influences shape and space distribution.
• Paper orientation becomes more important with drawing experience.
• Select paper size for compositions; standard sizes include 3x5 in, 5x7 in, 8x10 in, 9x12 in, and 11x14 in.
• Nonstandard sizes require custom-made frames, which are more costly.
• Use different methods for placing forms.
• Look for variety in dividing space and positioning key forms.

Dividing the Drawing Area

• One method for determining key locations of forms in a rectangular drawing involves dividing the area into two overlapping squares.
• Verticle lines of the square divides the drawing area and allow off-center placement of key forms.
• Symmetrical division of drawing space makes composition static, with no prompt for eye movement.
• Illustration shown is in landscape orientation.
• Dividing drawing surface into two overlapping squares can be used for paper in portrait orientation

Triangular Division of Space

• Emphasize a subject's importance by placing it near the drawing area's center.
• Central figure placed near center is often positioned toward the top of the image area.
• One objective is to avoid equally-sized areas and spaced features.

Golden Section

• A complex method for dividing a drawing area and positioning forms is called the Golden Section, or the Golden Mean.
• In a line divided according to golden section, shorter segment (CB) to longer segment (AC) is the ratio as longer segment (AC) to the entire line (AB).
• This division has considered to be the most pleasing to the eye for centuries.
• The newly-formed rectangle EBCF is divided into the golden section by the line GH.
• Rectangle EFDA is divided into the golden section by the line IJ.

Using a Viewfinder

• Determine various compositions adjusting viewfinder to select subject areas.
• Edges of frame influence picture and line of vision.
• Each view creates a different impression.
  • Long-distance views emphasize space, making subjects small.
  • Medium view has eye-level line of vision, making subjects dominant.
  • Close-up provides intimate view, focusing on details.
• Locate subject in relation to space and frame edges, helping to look at subject from above and below eye level.
• Develop mood of artwork; ideas enhanced by subject position
• Locate composition that creates the mood your after

Horizontal/Vertical Arrangements

• Create mood by emphasizing horizontal or vertical direction via subjects or paper orientation.
• Horizontal forms suggest calmness, tranquility, and stability.
• Vertical forms appear more powerful and dynamic, seeming to gain extra energy with the vertical orientation adding to power and feeling.

Magnetism of Picture Plane Edges

• Borders act like magnets that attracts objects.
• Objects are less attracted to the edges the farther away they are.
• Sides of area exert force, pulling forms to its sides.
• Corners of frame pull objects near and seem to pull them right off the paper.

Object Balance in Composition

• The position of the most stable form is center of the frame where edges or corners do not attract the object.
• Large forms filling drawing area subject to all sides' magnetic pull.

Drawing Tools

• Includes erasers, rulers, paper, pencil sharpeners, sandpaper blocks, and mediums.
• Mediums are the tools an artist uses (charcoal, oils, pencils, pen and ink, and conte crayons.)

Mediums

• Divided into dry and wet categories.
• Dry mediums include pencils, charcoal, crayons, soft and oil pastels, and chalk, offering range of tones.
• Wet mediums include paints and inks applied with brushes/pens.
• Graphite pencils, charcoal and conte crayons are addressed in this supplement.

Drawing Pencils

• Have hard, medium, and soft leads.
  • Soft (B) range from 2B-9B, with 9B being softest.
  • Hard (H) range from 2H-9H, with 9H being hardest.
  • HB and B are medium.
• Softer pencils make darker and wider marks than harder ones.
• Graded pencils are excellent for creating a range of values.
• Tones can be made by moving gently with no individual marks visible.

Charcoal

• Generally comes as compressed or vine form.
• Compressed charcoal is shaped into sticks
• Available in many different softnesses.
• Dense and darker than vine charcoal.
• Vine charcoal shaped like a slender twig, lighter, more brittle.
• Affect line quality of charcoal by the way sharpened.
  • Pointed charcoal produces fine line.
  • Sanded to beveled edge creates a wider mark.

Conte Crayons

• Hard crayons made of graphite and clay.
• Come in square sticks.
• Traditional conte crayons colors are black, white, gray, red, and brown.
• Some colors in 8H (hard), B (medium), and 2B (soft).
• Marks similar to charcoal.
• Practice is important thing, discover limits.
• Become familiar with range of values one has, the marks.
  • Explore unique range of values and lines.
  • Medium own expressive qualtity

Explore composition in basic drawing, focusing on form placement, space division, and tonal relationships. Understand how paper orientation impacts shape and space. Learn about standard paper sizes and their influence on composition.