Caballero

THE COMPOSITION

Introduction
The first principle you need to learn in drawing or painting any picture is composition which means relating your shapes in the area which houses your picture so that the shapes are aesthetically pleasing to each other and to the whole, this is the basis of good composition.
Any composition is based on this principle of relating shapes to one another in apleasing way no matter if they are circles, triangles, verticals, rhomboids or any other shape.

The Composition
The term composition means 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing to photography, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought. In the visual arts, composition is often used interchangeably with various terms such as design, form, visualordering, or formal structure, depending on the context. In graphic design and desktop publishing, composition is commonly referred to as page layout
In the visual arts in particular painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art or a photograph, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also bethought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art.
The various visual elements, known as elements of design, formal elements, or elements of art, are the vocabulary with which the visual artist composes. These elements in the overall design usually relate to each other and to the whole art work.

Elements of design are:
* Line - the visual path thatenables the eye to move within the piece
* Shape - areas defined by edges within the piece, whether geometric or organic
* Color - hues with their various values and intensities
* Texture - surface qualities which translate into tactile illusions
* Form - 3-D length, width, or depth
* Value - Shading used to emphasize form
* Space - the space taken up by (positive) or inbetween (negative) objects.

Line and shape

Literal lines do not exist in nature, but are the optical phenomena created when objects curve away from the viewer. Nonetheless, line-like shapes are for all intents considered line elements by the artist; for example, telephone and power cables or rigging on boats. Any such elements can be of dramatic use in the composition of the image. Additionally,less obvious lines can be created, intentionally or not, which influence the direction of the viewer's gaze. These could be the borders of areas of differing color or contrast, or sequences of discrete elements, or the artist may exaggerate or create lines perhaps as part of his style, for this purpose. Many lines without a clear subject point suggest chaos in the image and may conflict with themood the artist is trying to evoke.
Movement is also a source of line, and blur can also create a reaction. Subject lines by means of illusion contribute to both mood and linear perspective, giving the illusion of depth. Oblique lines convey a sense of movement and angular lines generally convey a sense of dynamism and possibly tension. Lines can also direct attention towards the main subject ofpicture, or contribute to organization by dividing it into compartments.
The brain often unconsciously reads near continuous lines between different elements and subjects at varying distances.

Straight lines

Straight lines are called linear when used in a piece of art work. Straight lines add affection and can make it look more detailed and challenging. Horizontal, vertical, and angledlines often contribute to creating different moods of a picture. The angle and the relationship to the size of the frame both work to determine the influence the line has on the image. They are also strongly influenced by tone, color, and repetition in relation to the rest of the photograph. Horizontal lines, commonly found in landscape photography, can give the impression of calm, tranquility, and...