There is usually a vertical visual connection between the main and lesser weights. The focal point should be on or near the fulcrum or main weight. A scale with two unequal sized masses, the fulcrum placed toward the larger one. The most popular form of compositional balance used. Here are his 15 archetypes, and abbreviated comments on them:
Even though these compositions are landscape focused, the principles still apply well to all types art. In this book, Payne expounds on a LOT of compositional theory, and surmises that most compositions can be categorized into one of 15 compositional archetypes. Unfortunately, because of it’s landscape-centric title, I never discovered what a gem this book is until much later in life. It is still regarded as one of the most important books on composition out there. Which brings us to the real point of this article…Ĩ0 years ago, and Artist named Edgar Payne wrote a book called ‘ Composition of Outdoor Painting‘. But part of being able to try new solutions is to know there are untried solutions out there in the first place! I ask myself, “What do I keep doing?”, “What have I NOT done?”, and then force myself to try alternate solutions, even if I think they are bad ideas.
I mention this because whenever I’m stumped on a composition (which is pretty much EVERY painting I ever do), and things just don’t seem to be working right, I stop and analyze things. But most importantly, by discovering those patterns we thereby can work to improve on, or diverge from, those typical patterns… and therein lies creative growth. We discover pictorial solutions, and methods of creation that repeatedly tend to reap better results than other solutions. By analyzing things, and trying to make sense of them, no matter how ethereal those ideas may be, we discover patterns. I believe there is something really valuable in the mere attempt to rationalize what is inherently an irrational craft. And it’s true, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ art is totally subjective, and you should simply do whatever works best for you! So then why even attempt to learn all the “art rules” and guidelines we all hear about in the first place? One of the first rules of art is “there are no rules”.
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