lines & shapes in visual composition
TRANSCRIPT
Composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art.
WHAT’S COMPOSITION
LINE AND SHAPE
Line — the visual path that enables the eye to move within the piece. Literal lines do not exist in nature, but are the optical phenomena created when objects curve away from the viewer.
Shape — the form of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, texture, or material composition.
Visionary landscape architect, planner, educator, and environmentalist. In his book Landscape Architecture, Simonds put together a diagram of 48 Mood Lines.
Through repeated use, certain patterns and lines have gained universally recognized meaning.
JOHN ORMSBEE SIMONDS
ACTIVE PASSIVESTRUCTURAL
SOLID, STRONGNONSTRUCTURAL
FLUID, SOFT
STABLE UNSTABLE STABLE UNSTABLE
POSITIVE BOLD, FORCEFUL
TENUOUS UNCERTAIN, WAVERING
THE VERTICAL, NOBLE, DRAMATIC,
INSPIRATIONAL, ASPIRING
THE HORIZONTAL EARTHLY, CALM,
MUNDANE, SATISFIED
PRIMITIVE SIMPLE, BOLD EFFUSIVE FLAMBOYANT REFINED
JAGGED, BRUTAL HARD, VIGOROUS
MASCULINE, PICTURESQUE
CURVILINEAR, TENDER SOFT, PLEASANT
FEMININE, BEAUTIFULROUGH, RASPING
GRATINGSMOOTH
SWELLING, SLIDING
DECREASING CONTRACTING
INCREASING EXPANDING DYNAMIC
STATIC FOCAL, FIXED
IN MOTION
MEANDERING, CASUALRELAXED, INTERESTING
HUMANERRATIC, BUMBLINGCHAOTIC, CONFUSED
LOGICALPLANNED, ORDERLY
FLOWING, ROLLINGFORMAL, PRIESTLY
IMPERIOUS, DOGMATICRISING, OPTIMISTIC
SUCCESSFUL, HAPPYFALLING, PESSIMISTICDEFEATED, DEPRESSED
INDECISIVE, WEAK PROGRESSIVE DEGRESSIVE
RISEATTAINMENT WITH EFFORT
IMPROVEMENT
FALLSINKING
WITHOUT EFFORT
INDIRECT, PLODDINGCONCENTRATING,
ASSEMBLING DISPERSING, FLEEINGBROKEN
INTERRUPTED, SEVERED
DIRECT, SURE FORCEFUL, WITH PURPOSE OPPOSING CONNECTING CROSSING
PARALLEL OPPOSING WITH HARMONY
EXCITED, NERVOUS JITTERY
OPPOSING WITH FRICTION DIVERGING DIVIDING GROWING DEVELOPING
Diagram of 48 Mood Lines documented in Landscape Architecture, by John Ormsbee Simonds
ANDREW LOOMISWas an American illustrator, author, and art instructor. His commercial work was featured prominently in advertising and magazines.
Best known as author of a series of instructional art books printed throughout the 20th century.
Describes compositions based on lines, geometric shapes, symbols and letters.