filed under composition The Root Rectangle Series If you plan to build a picture inside a rectangle, you have an important first decision to make: what proportions will your rectangle be? According to the theories of dynamic symmetry, the proportion of the rectangle will determine how to divide up the interior space of the picture, and establish some basic guidelines of how to arrange the contents for a balanced, pleasing composition.

Toolchain This site is built using the static site generator hugo . The underlying files (one per note) are written in org-mode in GNU Emacs , exported to hugo-compatible Markdown with the package ox-hugo . Links between files are handled with the fantastic package org-roam , and general file retrieval is made easier with deft . No Javascript. I had to add some Javascript for \(LaTeX\) support. This web site is powered by a folder full of text files I prefer to keep control over my files and keep them out of proprietary formats where possible.

filed under design Myron Barnstone (1933-2016) ran an influential art school in Pennsylvania. I stumbled upon some videos of his course in drawing, and found his emphasis on design to be a much-needed refreshment. I had spent years focusing on constructive drawing, neglecting the purely aesthetic skills of composition and picture-making. Barnstone’s approach is a real kick in the pants. Barnstone’s courses purport to reveal the esoteric design principles of the masters, including geometric systems like dynamic symmetry .

filed under Art Articles Drawing on Both Sides of the Brain, pt. 2: What is Design? See also composition Design and composition are related but not identical. Composition (as I use it in this notebook) refers to the arrangement of elements relative to the bounds of the picture frame. It’s the organization of the picture as a holistic piece. Composition is an element of design, but design is also employed in the drawing of individual elements.

filed under Art Overview The question of where to put things inside the picture bounds to make it a good picture. The content (subject matter) of a piece of art is usually incidental to the questions of composition. It doesn’t matter if you’re drawing/painting a barn, a fish, a skyline, a bowl of fruit, etc. The same abstract principles apply. Concepts notan dynamic symmetry See also design Composition is a subset of the design process, as it relates to the image as a unified whole, or as it concerns the content of the image relative to its frame.

filed under Art Concepts straight-ahead vs. pose-to-pose line of action Animated Films Animation Studios Animators Animation Software Articles Flip! Animation restoration disasters See also Portfolio: Animation External Links Rarebit Early Animation Wiki