Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/www/erinsparler.com/wp-content/themes/erinsparler/single.php on line 3
Composition Types · Erin Sparler

Composition Types

In one of my famously “off topic, but circuitously related” discussions of art during Color Theory class  we began discussing and brainstorming the different types of compositions. This was spawned by the college class I’m taking with Elaine Brady Smith.com.  Elaine lists and provides example of the following types of composition in her class handouts:

  • Centered
  • Striated
  • Bridge
  • Cross or T
  • Grid
  • Portrait
  • Floral
  • Landscape
  • Allover Pattern
To these examples, we discussed and added:

  • Radiating
  • Circular
  • Square or rectangular
  • Triangular
  • X or diagonal
  • S or Z
And we removed:
Landscape and Floral
(As these are more specifically thematic ideas for collated rather then compositional layouts accessible to all of the visual arts.)

In my searching for examples, we also encounter the Rule of Thirds. Most frequently utilized in the photography field, I contend that this is more a general rule of object placement falling under the Cross or T shaped design rather than a specific compositional layout.

Elaine has a great idea in wanting to create a collection of examples of the types of compositions all in one place. This would be a invaluable resource for for any artist, regardless of medium. As a result of this, I will be integrating a more complete discussion of the various types of compositions, (but with examples from art history, photography and graphic design), in subsequent class discussions and projects.