Introduction

My research is devoted to one of the most difficult and fundamentally important academic subjects in preparation artists-teachers- compositions.

Composition promotes development imaginative thinking, carries a meaningful aspect and makes creativity more conscious and not accidental. That is why it is so important for us to study this academic discipline. In support of this, I will turn to a quote from Leonardo da Vinci: “A painter who sketches senselessly, guided by the practice and judgment of the eye, is like a mirror that reflects the objects opposed to it, without having knowledge of them.”

Composition as academic subject, appeared much later than such objects as drawing or painting. For a long time, composition could not become an independent academic subject, as it was considered individual look creativity, quite complex, accessible only to a narrow circle of students.

Therefore, later, composition was formed as an independent educational subject as a consequence of this and served as the complexity and versatility of this educational subject, which is more intuitive than logical, and also difficult to study independently.

In the 20-30s of Soviet times, the development of composition as a science was greatly hampered, it was underestimated, and sometimes even denied. The artist A.A. did not agree with this. Dainek “The statement that a composition is not subject to scientific and methodological justification is all the more strange since, as a rule, the composition of a work of any type of fine art is thought out in advance. The fundamentals of studying drawing and painting are closely related to the laws of composition."

That’s why it’s so important for me to pay attention to composition as the basis of any creative arts(drawing, painting, sculpture).

At the moment, the composition has been thoroughly studied, has a huge base and is constantly evolving (new methods and technologies are being written). But without such an intermediary as a teacher, it will be extremely difficult for a student to study these disciplines.

I believe that composition is the basis for creating a human creative product. We must feel and understand the plot concept, ideological content, and harmony. Empathize with the work. This is why composition is needed; without knowledge of this academic subject, our creativity will become empty.

The essence of the concept of “Volume-spatial composition”

“Volume-spatial composition” is a complex composite concept. In order to understand it essential characteristics it is necessary to disassemble its individual components.

composition volumetric spatial creative

The essence of the concept of “composition”

First, let's look at the very concept of composition. “Composition translated from Latin composition means composition, addition.”

However, any set of elements cannot be called a composition; it is “not a simple placement in the neighborhood, but their coordination and reconciliation.” A synonym for these concepts, which has absorbed all the semantic meanings, is harmony, therefore the composition can be called a harmonious combination of parts into a single whole. In this sense, the term “composition” is interpreted widely and is used in various fields. There are not only literary, musical, architectural composition, but also chess, flower, mathematical, etc. In a narrower sense, especially among artists, composition most often means a work of some type of art: painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative and applied art.

Composition is considered the basis of all types of art; it is “the most important organizing element artistic form“, giving the work unity and integrity, subordinating its components to each other and the whole.” However, the degree to which the problem of composition has been developed from a scientific point of view in various types art is not the same. According to Professor N.P. Beschastnov's theory of composition is most developed in poetry and music, in fine arts it is “in its infancy”. In the 20th century, many theoretical researchers and practicing artists addressed the problem of composition in the plastic arts, considering it from different aspects. A great contribution was made by V.A. Favorsky, E.A. Kibrik, K.F. Yuon, N.N. Volkov, E.V. Shorokhov, N.M. Sokolnikova, O.L. Golubeva and others.

Based on this, composition can be defined as a polysemantic concept implying harmonious integrity. IN in a general sense the concept of composition refers to different areas of human activity, in a narrower sense to specific works of art.

There is no exact scientific definition of composition that every artist would adhere to. Therefore, artists identify the essence of the composition subjectively, which in their opinion is the most important. Let's look at some of them.

E.A. Kibrik: “Composition is a naturally structured organism, all parts of which are inextricably linked and interdependent. The nature of this connection and interconnection. The nature of this connection and interdependence is determined ideological plan artist. The constructive idea inherent in the nature of the plan provides the practical basis for the composition.”

V.A. Favorsky: “One of the definitions of composition will be the following: the desire for compositionality in art is the desire to holistically perceive, see and depict multi-spatial and multi-temporal things. If we define the concept of composition in this way, it will become clear that it is not an appendage to the image, it is not a decoration, but is the main element of the image, penetrating into the image in different ways. various works, since integrity can be greater or lesser, integrity can be of a different nature.”

“K.F. Yuon sees in composition a design, that is, the distribution of parts on a plane, and a structure that is also formed by plane factors.”

It is difficult to completely agree with one and reject the theory of another. Perhaps each of them set different goals for their work, as a result of which a different basis for the composition arose.

From the point of view of structure and design, the composition was considered by E.A. Kibrik and K.F. Yuon. It is on their definitions of composition that we will rely in our work, since our goal in the practical part of the work will be to identify the design of a natural material, and subsequently add and relate the parts of the structure into a single harmonious unity.

In the composition by E.A. Kibrik creates a certain constructive principle, which is the basis of the future work, capable of uniting all its details into one whole, i.e., it resolves the issue of the indivisibility of the composition.” That is, the artist found the core-center of the composition and subordinated the secondary elements to it, thereby harmonizing the composition. The artist believed that, first of all, you need to find the idea, the motive of the composition, before starting the layout.

We will also use the concept of Soviet encyclopedic dictionary: “Composition - construction work of art, determined by its content, nature and purpose and largely determining its perception. Composition is the most important organizing element of an artistic form, giving the work unity and integrity, subordinating its components to each other and to the whole.”

In the plastic arts, composition is usually defined as the combination of private elements of an artistic form into a single component. This (unification) occurs using composition rules. Let's turn to them.

Lecture 1

The concept of composition. Visual perception of an image on a plane. Graphics tools. Means of expressing artistic image.

Aesthetic requirements for design can be formulated as a system of aesthetic standards that ensure the creation of products that are artistically expressive and have a positive impact on humans. The requirements are varied (technical, ergonomic, socio-economic, aesthetic). They include ensuring rational design and form, maximum functionality, figurative expressiveness of the object, and ease of use. During the design process, the designer implements these requirements, using composition tools achieving compliance of the form with the laws of the composition, subordination of all elements of the product to the general compositional solution.

Composition a scientific discipline that examines the patterns of shape formation, as well as specific techniques and means used in the process of working on an artistic image.

The science of composition studies the general internal patterns of the structure of forms in design, as well as specific means of achieving their integrity and unity with the content of the internal space.

Composition(from Latin - composition, binding) - the construction of a work of art, determined by its content, character and purpose and largely determining its perception. This is the most important organizing element of the artistic form, giving the work unity and integrity, subordinating its components to each other as a whole.

Composition- “composition” is a system for constructing a work of art. Techniques and means of composition have been known for a long time and are widely used in artistic practice; they are studied mainly based on materials from architecture, industrial design, and decorative and applied arts. In the process of working on a composition, the artist operates with the movements of images - elements. Compositional balance is associated with the establishment of certain spatial intervals between measured elements of form, for example points.

For a successful solution project tasks a specialist needs to master all the basic principles of composition and be able to use its means. Composition as an object of study can appear in three states:

as an independently existing reality;

visually identified and recorded by imagination harmony;

as a result of conscious aesthetically oriented activity. Hence its definitions:

there is a composition objective property a limited set of elements, organized on the basis of common features that distinguish it from other sets;

there is a composition subjective reflection in the mind of the observer a set of elements organized on the basis of real or imagined common features;

composition as action is bringing to harmonic unity elements of a limited set.

Thus, the formal requirements for composition come from the objective reality of the natural world and are determined by the psychophysical structure of man, his organs of perception, the brain and how objective reality is reflected in human consciousness. The dialectical development inherent in matter is reflected in the products of human spiritual activity, in particular in art. The laws of dialectics are directly manifested in the compositional structure of works of art. The very concept of “composition”, meaning connection, comparison, already implies the presence of opposite principles.

The denominator of the above formulations is their aesthetic orientation, i.e. assessment of a composition in any aspect is carried out from the point of view of its emotional and artistic impact per viewer . (Tkachev)

Formation of a composition is a process that involves a logical sequence of thinking and the order of input of compositional means. The emphasis on achieving artistic harmony and emotional tension brings to the forefront a generalized idea representing the genetic core, composition code, in which associative communications With functional and figurative analogue, hierarchy of means.

Modern concepts of progressive design schools argue that at different stages of training a student develops his professional experience with the help of graphic tools and techniques that are different in their expressiveness, which are not always used in practice, so simply equipping a student with only graphic skills of practical design is not enough. We must not forget that any image in project graphics serves not only to convey graphic information, but is an object of aesthetic perception.

Perhaps the artistic intuition of a successful designer is the basis of his monopoly image, but the components of the secret of the profession are quite simple, and they have long been discovered. Their common name - compositional thinking. As an obligatory sign of the worldview of a creative person, compositional thinking is based on educated (or even innate) attention to the harmonious connections of things and phenomena (a sense of form and color, subtle ear for music, taste), the practical implementation of which lies in the development of numerous components of mastery, “extracting” harmony and making it the property of people.

A prescription presentation of the foundations of the creative process related to the sphere of compositional thinking presupposes the need to initially identify the observable properties of objects and space, the study of those types and forms of their interaction that give rise to the impression of unity or disharmony. Please note that compositional thinking does not operate with the objective state of the environment and objects, but with their display in our consciousness, formed on the basis observations. When it comes to the practical implementation of the results of compositional thinking, the objective results of the work reflect the pattern of the predominance of the visual principle in the forms of regulation of the world created by man. (Tkachev)

Object And the result of compositional thinking in design are: composition, elements, its components, and organizational forms of their combinations.

Compositional thinking and the use of the laws of visual perception helps:

master the principles creating a composition, based on the psychology and physiology of visual perception;

consciously choose artistic and expressive means, anticipating in advance the viewer’s reaction and the ability to adjust the composition;

Any image is not an exact copy of an object borrowed from the surrounding reality. The image is constructed using image tools - dots, lines, tone and color. Exploring levels artistic language and means of transmitting the form:

Iconic, the perception of a line as a unit of artistic language on an emotional, subconscious level;

Symbolic, the meaning and meaning of lines, shapes, figures, fixed in traditions, is based on conscious use, subject to special knowledge of symbolism;

Figurative, attracting artistic images of human perception, activating the imagination in the process of visual perception.

When studying iconic level the artistic language of form examines the emotional qualities of points, lines, spots that determine the structure of the form. The emotional impact of certain images on a person is connected with the work of the person’s eye. For example, a horizontal line is perceived by the eye with minimal tension and therefore causes a feeling of satisfaction, a vertical line is perceived with great tension, incorrect and broken lines cause the greatest tension and pain in the eye. When the correct curved lines are perceived, the eyes prepare for the upcoming change and perceive it more calmly.

Artistic and compositional advantages of design graphics influence the efficiency of perception of transmitted information, the content of the emotional attitude towardsthe depicted object. From this I followIt is clear that in a design school it is necessary to teach not only drawing and drawing, but to purposefully instill in the student a culture of drawing and sketching. (Kudryashov) Studying composition on initial stage consists in studying the means, features and patterns of composition: theoretical parameters for constructing compositional modules of various cultural and historical eras.

Facilities Images The image is constructed using image tools - dots, lines, tones and colors.

The concept of image means in a design project is inextricably linked with its content, the basis of which is the model of the designed object. The very nature of this object is so specific and qualitatively unique that its properties actively influence the content and visual form of the graphic art, distinguishing it from other types of graphic art according to a number of characteristics. Why is it specific? architectural an object? It is distinguished by the following main properties:

Position in space

Size, scale,

Tectonics, style

Graphic image property:

Picture style

Laconism

convention

DOT plays a prominent role in industrial graphics. easel, book, illustrative graphics, etc. A point is most often an infinitesimal unit - part of a line; a series of points, joining, are perceived as a linear formation, making up a fragment of a dotted, linear pattern. Figurative elements commensurate with the dot are letters and numbers, and less often very small image details. It is for these reasons that three most important varieties often appear in the palette of PG products: - line, tone and color.

Dot. The concept of a point is the original concept in arithmetic and geometry. In a theoretical sense, a point has no dimension, it is dimensionless and indicates only the location of the object. In the formal concept - a point is a geometric shape that has zero dimensions (absurd) - a reference point, a location; in mechanics, a point is endowed with mass; in kinematics, a point is interpreted as a ball having visual “extension” (our earth, revolving around the sun - “scientific abstraction of a point").

Consider a point within the compositional space. We involuntarily reward it with well-known material characteristics: shape (ball), finitude (extension), boundary (a barrier is felt between the body of the point and the empty space immediately adjacent to it).

Dot the result of the first collision of an artistic instrument with a material plane, with paper. Having materialized, an invisible geometric point must acquire a size that occupies a certain part of the main plane (at the level of sensations). It acquires boundaries and contours to separate itself from its surroundings:

The relationship between a point and the main plane in magnitude and the relationship of its magnitude with other shapes on this plane.

It is necessary to be able to not only put an end to it, but to do it at such a level that it has the necessary quality. Quality refers to the ratio of the size of a point to its position on the plane, the contrast between the point and the plane (background). The task comes down to destroying the passive integrity of the space of the plane, revealing the active principle by applying a black object - a point - to the white plane. A point can undergo formal graphic transformations - they will change in size, density, saturation.

dot. This is also a form that in some cases simply cannot be avoided. The activity of point perception depends

from its “loneliness” or from a combination of several points and other elements.

Line. Spot

Lines the expression of the image is also characteristic. One line is one level of sensation, several repeated lines increase the impact. Lines of different nature enrich perception, complicate the image, but can bring it to the point of absurdity. The movement can be rapid, directed or slow, less purposeful, chaotic, thereby forming different images.

There is always more movement in a line than in spot, since its optical weight affects here.

Lines, built on rounded curves, closer to the images of a circle, ellipse and other similar shapes, angular broken lines resemble a triangle. The closed line delimiting the silhouette of a spot depends on the perception of the shape of this spot.

Let's look at four options for the simplest forms of spots. In fact, there are many more, but they can all be classified into these four main ones.

Square. Completed, stable form, ready to express

affirming images. Under certain conditions - a severe form, which is alien to movement, especially “flight”.

Triangle. An active form, developing on a plane and in space, carrying within itself the potential for movement. May express or evoke aggressive images. When positioned with the top up, it is stable, but with the top down, it is super unstable. In this form, the struggle of opposites is clearly expressed, which in turn is necessary to create very specific images.

Circle. In this form, more than in any other, the idea of ​​nature, the Earth, the universe is expressed. Therefore, such concepts as “good”, “life”, “happiness” are most associated in humans with the shape of a circle or its derivatives.

Amoeba shape. Its fluidity expresses images that are unstable in nature. Romanticism, melancholy, pessimism - this is their range.

Before creating planar compositions, you need to become familiar with the patterns of their perception. So, for example, if the task is to choose a plane in the most harmonious proportions, then in most cases this plane will correspond to the proportions of the “golden section” or close to them. This is most likely due to the fact that the same proportions underlie the construction of man, nature, the Earth, and space.

If it is necessary to mark the center of the plane with a point, then it will be

slightly above the geometric mean. All this is explained by the objective feeling of flatness. Perception The plane of the Europeans differs from its perception by the Japanese and other representatives of Eastern culture, who, when writing, arrange the lines vertically. We read the plane from left to right and from the top corner to the bottom. Therefore, the dot located in the upper left corner does not raise any additional questions, but is perceived naturally. However, moving it to any other place attracts more active attention of the viewer. When solving a composition on a plane, it is necessary to take into account and use optical illusions of perception the plane itself, as well as points, lines or spots on it.

1. The simplest forms nature always “looks for shortcuts and chooses economical solutions (as a result of the process of evolution, natural selection). This law is manifested in the structure of biological forms of the macrocosm and microcosm. The study of these forms showed an amazing relationship and repetition of the same simple forms in them, which are repeated in certain combinations in a huge variety of complex forms. These simple forms, the “bricks” from which complex forms are built, are few in number. The authors of the article “Does Life Need a Form” Ch. Schemaitis and V. Mironov11 count among them spiral, ball, polyhedron, pipe, tree and star. According to our observations, they are also the favorite forms of all spatial arts.

Spiral - one of the forms common in the organic world. It is highly capable of storing energy and storing information. It can be compressed, stretched - it is flexible and compact. It is known that the DNA molecule of life has a double helix shape. Many plants and animals have spiral shapes in their body structure - bindweed, beans, snail shells, etc. A spiral is a curve that is the shortest path between two points on a cylindrical surface (draw a diagonal on a rectangular sheet and roll it into a tube). Thanks to this feature, it is widespread in the biological world of balls and cylinders - vessels, nerves, fibers entwining spherical and cylindrical surfaces in search of the very shortcut inevitably turn into a spiral. (We often find the spiral and S-shape in compositional schemes. Hogarth considered the sinuous serpentine line to be “the line of beauty and grace”).

Ball- the most economical shape, the ball has the smallest surface with the largest volume, less material is required for its shell than

to any other. The ball easily adapts to environmental conditions, as it easily rolls and flattens, and therefore is widely distributed in the organic world (eggs, viruses, protozoan microorganisms). Ball, circle, oval are the most common forms in works of art, because they reflect real forms characteristic of nature. They are easily perceived visually, since the visual field itself has the shape of an oval and since these forms best reflect the idea of ​​integrity, completeness, as opposed to, for example, rectangular shapes, which, on the contrary, are associated with limitation, with something conditional.

Polyhedra- pentahedrons and hexahedrons are found in nature in the form of honeycombs, in a network of blood vessels. The economy of these forms is evident in their ability to fill space. (Because of this, they are used in design for surface coatings).

Pipe- among natural forms it is found as a transport channel - for transferring nutrients, blood and other products

vital activity of a living organism, plant. (In art, the pipe and its linear expression are used as a connecting means of communication, and as a transition from one form to another).

Tree- we observe the trunk and its branches in the structure of the crown and roots of the tree, in the structure of the circulatory system. (In works of art, and especially in the organization of information objects, a widespread form).

Star- a type of tree shape, when viewed from above - rays and petals diverge from the center, cover the surrounding space, deliver nutrition and solar energy to the center. Star-shaped plants and animal organisms move thanks to the rays of their legs (anemone, starfish, octopus). The shape of a star in art is associated with the spread of energy, force coming from the center, the source of energy. Legs - rays in ancient art were a symbol of perpetual motion).

If we reduce living organic forms to geometric ones, we get - ball, cone, cylinder, polyhedra. Interestingly, the idea that life is based on simple stereometric formations is found in Plato and among Renaissance scientists (Luca Pacioli). They

It was believed that the world's elements correspond to forms: fire - a pyramid (tetrahedron); on earth - a cube, i.e. a hexahedron; air - octahedron, water - icosahedron. Despite the fact that this hypothesis has no scientific basis, it is of some interest. It indicates a tendency to see the world constructively and holistically, bringing logic and reason into the elements.

It is believed that the first to use the word “composition” in relation to a work of art was an Italian scientist, the art theorist of the era Early Renaissance, painter and architect Leon Baggista Alberti (1404 - 1472), who believed that composition is such a reasonable basis for painting, thanks to which parts of visible things are put together into a picture. In subsequent centuries, and up to the present day, attempts to give a comprehensive definition of composition do not stop. Here are some of them.

Composition is a comparison of individual forms in which they are linked into a new whole of a higher order. F. Schmit

Composition... in literature and the fine arts - the construction of a work, the relationship of individual parts (components) of a work that form a single whole. Dictionary foreign words

All types of art... are characterized by the presence of such an important aspect of the artistic form as composition. V. Vanslov

Composition is the main form of a work of art. N. Volkov

People's Artist USSR E. A. Kibrik complained in 1961 that when composition programs were being developed at the Academy of Arts, it was not possible to find a formulation acceptable to everyone about what composition is.

The development of a scientific definition of the term “composition” is significantly hampered by the different uses of this word that have become established in the practice of artists. Composition is called an educational subject in art institute or school. A composition is a thematic painting, as opposed to a portrait, landscape and still life. The definition of composition was further complicated by the desire to combine in one word the concepts of unity of content and form of a work of art. In the composition program for art and graphic faculties of pedagogical institutes, you can read that currently the concept of “composition” is considered as a dialectical phenomenon in its essence, since it has absorbed structural organization artistic image, and a system of ideological, thematic and formal-plastic connections and dependencies, and the most important laws of the construction of a work of art, the process of its creation and perception. These main levels of the concept of “composition” are also the main directions for the formation of skills in compositional activity.

The difficulties of finding a final definition of the term “composition” are also evidenced by the attempts of E.V. Shorokhov to give this definition in the textbook “Composition”, intended for students of art and graphic faculties of pedagogical institutes. He writes: “...More full definition the concept of “composition” will sound like this: “The composition of a work of fine art is the main artistic form of a work of fine art, uniting all other forms, characterized as a whole with fixed, naturally interconnected parts (elements), in which nothing can be moved or change, from which nothing can be taken away and to which nothing can be added without damage artistic image, this is a whole that is in inextricable unity with the meaning (idea, content) of the work" 1 .

Every time we come to many definitions of a concept, not only in the fine arts, but also in other areas of culture, when there is no clear understanding content of the concept. In order not to get lost in the jungle of word creation, let’s dwell on the academic definition of the concept “composition”.

Composition is the structure of the form of a work of art, aimed at revealing the author's intention. Composition (from Latin compositio - composition, linking) is the construction of a work of art, determined by its content, character and purpose and largely determining its perception.

IN highest degree It is advisable to familiarize yourself with statements about the composition of famous Soviet artists and art theorists, in whom one can feel the pulse of time, insight and the desire for truth. K. F. Yuon notes that a thoughtful and complete composition is considered as a figurative formula in which all parts of the picture are brought to semantic and formal unity. V. Vanslov says that the patterns of composition differ significantly in architecture and painting, music and poetry. But composition as a plan and scheme for constructing a work, as the relationship and organization of its sections, parts, characters, and so on, as the subordination of the whole and its elements, is inherent in the artistic form of a work of any kind of art. Composition is a complete wholeness, determined by meaning works, says N. Volkov.

We give a number of examples on the definition of the concept of composition, expressed by artists and art theorists.

Artists know very well... that until a composition has been found... it is useless to paint faces. No matter how strongly they are written, they mysteriously lose their power until they find their place in the picture space, in the compositional series. V. Lenyashin

I remember how he (B.N. Zuev) taught me that in a composition there must necessarily be no even number figures. I remember this - there is something in this rule, at least that it is more natural to put together an “indivisible” composition from an odd number of figures, since an even number is easier to split into equal parts. E. Kibrik

There is a composition creative organization paintings. Under no circumstances should it be mixed with placing objects on the canvas. At first glance, it may seem that a landscape depicting an empty sea below and a cloudless sky above is a picture that does not have a composition... In fact, the ratio of the size of the sky in length and width to the sea is already a composition. The tone of the sky and sea, the size of the entire picture - all these are elements of the composition. N. Krymov

Composition is always a construction (color, linear, etc.) that reveals semantic connections. Composition is always an interpretation of the plot. N. Volkov

Over time, you become convinced that the basis of all creativity is composition, that everything begins and ends with it, that all the components of the craft are focused in it. It can be elementary, or it can be verified by mathematical logic, subordinated to the artist’s intuition. ...The composition satisfies me when both the figurative and semantic structure and the decorative and plastic tasks are in organic interaction. V. Sidorov

Our time is the age of composition. If earlier it essentially meant sketching, that is, working on the plot of a picture (it involved placing figures and interiors in the format of a picture), now the meaning and understanding of composition has changed. It can be in a still life and a drawing, in a sketch. This is not only the relationship of lines, silhouettes, colors - it is also mutual influences and internal connections of elements, characters, lines, forms based on stylistic unity, a sense of integrity. S. Grigoriev

It is important for me, when I start a new canvas, first of all to feel the whole course of further work. In this process of creating a thing, I consider composition to be the most important thing for me. Without it, the picture cannot exist, even when correctly found color relationships and the condition is expressed. To look for a composition - for me this means, first of all, to internally organize the canvas, to determine its structural backbone, its basis. E. Bragovsky

The question of composition is the most difficult, key question. B. Ioganson

...“Questions of composition” still remain just “questions.” ...Already scheduled Right way to a theoretical resolution of this complex issue; But there is still no single view on composition, and there is no established methodology for teaching composition. M. Etkind

The slowly improving teaching of composition, especially multi-figure composition, in our universities does not at all contribute to the flourishing of thematic painting. E. Kalinin

The number of examples of definitions of composition given by artists and art theorists can easily be continued. It still follows from them that composition is a structure, an interconnection of parts that ensures the integrity of the image, aimed at revealing the content and idea of ​​the work.

The content of a work of art appears in the artist’s head as a plan; sometimes it is dictated by the customer, competitive program and so on, and the composition is created by the artist, the form is built. When the unity of content and form arises, then a complete integrity arises - a painting, a sculpture, an etching. The content of the picture is composed, the composition is built. In the end, it is a single whole. Working on form means working on content, and vice versa. The artist's logic is an essay; his intuition is the geometry of the canvas, rhythms, proportions, relationships, because his eye and brain are unconscious geometry, measurement. All knowledge is a sensory dimension.

1 Shorokhov E. V. Composition. - M., 1986. - P. 10-11.

Types (frontal, volumetric, deep-spatial).

Types (static, dynamic, closed, open). Structure. Definition

The creation of a work of art in any field of art is impossible without compositional structure, without bringing to integrity and harmony all its parts, all its components. Composition is the most important means of constructing the whole. By composition we mean the purposeful construction of a whole, where the arrangement and interrelation of parts are determined by the meaning, content, purpose and harmony of the whole.

The word "composition" comes from the Latin "Compositio" which means composition, composition, connection, comparison. All these meanings are present in a certain way in the modern understanding of composition, since when we talk about composition, we always mean a certain integrity, the presence of a complex structure containing contradictions, brought to harmonious unity thanks to a system of connections between elements. There is no composition in the chaotic accumulation of objects. It is also absent where the content is homogeneous, unambiguous, elementary. Conversely, composition is necessary for any holistic structure that is quite complex, be it a work of art, a scientific work, an information message or an organism created by nature. Composition is necessary when creating forms of the objective world of everyday objects, machines, buildings and other objects of design and architecture; it is also a means of organizing information and a means of constructing an artistic form. Composition provides a logical and beautiful arrangement of the parts that make up the whole, giving clarity and harmony to the form and making the content intelligible. The logic of construction and beauty, harmony in the relationships of parts of the whole are inherent, as noted above, not only in human creations.

We also find signs of composition in natural forms, in the structure of plants, animal organisms, and in the structure of the universe. Therefore, the word “composition” is equally applicable to the description of a flower, to the construction of a book or oratory. Composition is a way of organizing the “material” of art. In this case, material means not only physical mass - clay, paints, words, etc., but also plot, idea, nature, everything that, being transformed by an act of creativity, creates a work of art in its final artistic form.

The arrangement of this material, according to the laws of artistic construction, should be called in the exact sense of the word - the form of this work. Composition is precisely that method, that law of artistic construction, without which it is impossible to create a form, that is, a finished work of art. Understanding compositional construction as a means of organizing material is necessary, since the task of compositional construction of a work is to distribute the material of the future work in such a way and in such a sequence, in such a relationship between the parts of the work and all elements of the artistic form, in order to best reveal the meaning and purpose of the work and create an expressive and harmonious art form. By harmonizing the form, the compositional structure thereby enriches the content and increases the value of the work as a whole. Composition is both a category of content (as it reveals meaning) and a category of form (as it harmonizes form). Thus, through composition there is an inextricable unity of content and form. But by separating these concepts and opposing them to each other, we have the opportunity to isolate the formal characteristics of an artistic form and identify the means by which the form is constructed. This includes material and compositional means. Isolating compositional means and studying them is necessary to master the basics of composition. Our task is to look at the composition from the point of view of the formal structural organization of the material, to analyze the connections and relationships that arise between the elements of form in the process of compositional construction. But, first of all, it is necessary to determine how the compositional structure is expressed, what are its distinctive features?

Signs of compositional construction of form.

The compositional construction of a form presupposes the presence of a plan (goal, idea). Even if the work is a decorative or abstract painting, it may contain an artistic concept, an idea realized by formal means - relationships of shapes, color spots, lines expressing struggle, interaction of forces, tension - they can influence emotions, give rise to associations - when brought to harmonious relationships, have aesthetic value. In this case, the harmony of forms, color relationships, the struggle of opposing principles itself becomes the “plot” and meaning of the picture.

A characteristic feature of compositional construction is that it always develops within certain boundaries. These boundaries are determined not only by spatial restrictions (shape, size and format of a sheet, wall space or time restrictions in dance and music). The meaning of boundaries and frames is to separate the real world from the depicted world. External boundaries, on the one hand, are connected with the surrounding space, on the other, with the internal structure of the work, with the organization of elements within the composition, which dictates a certain type of composition. The composition can be closed, fitting into a certain form and subordinate to it, or it can be open, suggesting mental continuation in space. In any case, the external boundaries and type of composition are determined by the internal connections between its elements. These compositional knots and threads hold it from the inside within space-time boundaries.

A characteristic feature of compositional construction is also the structure and complexity of the internal structure of the work. Compositional construction is distinguished by the presence of parts connected to each other by a system of relationships. This complex whole consists of parts that are unequal in meaning and significance. In it one can always distinguish the main and the secondary, the center and the periphery. Even in ornamental compositions in the absence of an organizational center of the composition, one can distinguish the main motive and the accompanying subordinate motives. Subordination of parts - this is how this feature can be defined.

Unity and integrity- the most important feature of the composition. In the finished composition, everything is interconnected and everything is subordinated to a single goal, idea, artistic concept. This connectedness is manifested in the harmonious ordering of the form. The harmony of the whole is a necessary condition for compositional construction, an important feature of it. Any work of art represents a struggle of opposing principles - this is manifested in the formal solution - in the relationships of objects and space, in color relationships, tonal relationships, in movement, in balance, etc. All contradictory moments in the composition are balanced and brought to harmonious order.

We examined the signs by which one can judge the compositionality of a work of art or other appropriateness of the structure. These signs are a visible manifestation of those most important principles of composition that underlie compositional structure. These are: the principle of expediency, the principle of unity of the complex (the integrity of the work), the principle of dominance (the presence of a main, leading principle), the principle of subordination of parts as a whole, the principle of dynamism, the principle of balance, the principle of harmony (harmonious unity of the elements of form among themselves and the unity of form and content in the composition based on the dialectical unity of opposites).

All these principles stem from natural, objectively existing factors, from the peculiarities of human perception of actually existing reality and from the socio-biological need for knowledge, in art as a way of mastering the world and as a form of social consciousness.

Depending on the location of the compositional axes, there are:

Static- axes intersect at right angles and strictly correspond to verticals and horizontals

Dynamic– axes intersect under acute angle, diagonals dominate.

Open– movement of elements from the center, the image opens up to the viewer. Centrifugal forces predominate

Closed– the image is drawn towards the center of the work, there is a clearly defined center. Centripetal forces predominate.

Structure(from lat. structure) mutual arrangement, connection of the components of something.

Compositional principles

Having become familiar with the natural foundations of compositional structure, let us return to the presentation of the compositional principles underlying the compositional structure of a work of art in order to consider them in more detail.

The principle of expediency. The principle of expediency lies in the fact that the author's plan and the entire structure of the work presuppose the presence of a goal, idea, meaning, artistic task, which ultimately determines the development of the content of the work and directs the creative process of processing the material into an artistic form.

The principle of unity. The basic principle that ensures the integrity of the work. Thanks to this principle, the complex does not look like a conglomerate of disparate parts, but like a coherent whole. Composition acts as a system of internal connections that combines all components of form and content into a single whole. (All other compositional principles consider various manifestations of connection, various aspects of the dependence between the parts and elements of the work).

The principle of dominance. The internal organizing principle in the composition is revealed at first glance due to the presence of a dominant - a semantic center where the main action begins and the main connections arise. The perception of the work begins with the dominant; it is, as it were, a starting point, an emotional, semantic and structural center. The semantic center often coincides with the visual center, that is, it is located in the central zone of the picture field. The characteristics of the dominant in a more subdued sound are repeated in separate parts forms, connecting them together.

Subordination of parts as a whole. Grouping. As has been said many times, in a work of art all parts are connected to each other and to the whole. The whole is a collection of interconnected parts, where the subordination of the parts to each other is quite obvious. In order for the whole to be perceived, a certain sequence in the perception of the parts is necessary; This consistency is achieved through the grouping of related or contrasting elements. The parts of the whole form groups related to each other by similarity or contrast. The same principle is repeated within each of the groups (similarity or contrast), a rhythm arises that permeates the entire work. All these groups echo each other with all their elements, so that the whole is repeated in its parts, and the part as a whole. Thanks to the grouping of elements and parts, sequential perception of the parts of the whole occurs, and at the same time the whole is perceived simultaneously and integrally.

The principle of dynamism. It is known that movement in a picture is not really present, but is perceived by consciousness, being a reaction of the visual apparatus, eye movement caused by certain visual impressions. Even if the picture depicts a static state, a symmetrical composition, stable and motionless, there is movement in it, because details, elements of artistic form always express movement: their color and tone relationships, the interaction of lines and shapes, contrasts, tensions cause strong visual impulses, and , therefore, a feeling of movement, life. Compositional techniques have the ability to direct and enhance this sense of movement in an image. The compositional structure of a work of fine art can be presented in the form of a diagram of lines showing the direction of movement in the picture - diagonally, in a circle, radial, S-shaped. The movement in the composition is organized and rhythmic. With its help, the harmony of the whole is achieved.

The principle of balance. The balance of parts in a picture - the primary requirement of compositional construction - means the arrangement of visual material around an imaginary axis of symmetry in such a way that the right and left side were in balance. This requirement for composition goes back, as mentioned before, to the universal law of gravity, which determines the psychological attitude in the perception of balance.

The principle of harmony. The introduction of a harmonic principle into the compositional structure and into the modeling of form means not only the observance of quantitative relationships that ensure proportionality, proportionality, and balance. Harmony creates a connection between all elements of a work, reconciles the contradictions between form and content, between material and form, between subject and space and other elements of form, bringing everything together into a single compositional whole.

So, to summarize: in a work of art, the content is revealed through an artistic and figurative solution to the theme and its compositional construction with the help of harmonization means. The method that underlies this process is dialectical opposition and unification of form elements related to each other in meaning and formal characteristics in order to achieve the unity of the whole. Therefore, means and techniques are used that are intended for this purpose, that is, capable of comparing, juxtaposing, bringing together, likening, uniting, separating, balancing and leading to integrity. Therefore, the compositional whole should be considered as a system of relationships where interconnected and interdependent elements, while in contradiction, are simultaneously in a harmoniously balanced state. The defining aspects of this system are balance and interconnectedness.

Equilibrium- balance between the right and left parts of the image. This equilibrium is dynamic in nature. In the picture, everything - both dynamic and static - expresses different moments of movement, directed movement and stop, the interaction of opposing forces, and the nature of the movement is expressed through rhythm. Balance in the plastic form is manifested through symmetry, proportions, and rhythm. The interconnectedness and subordination of parts is achieved using means of harmonization based on the comparison of elements based on the principle of similarity or difference. Thus, symmetry emphasizes similarity, contrast - difference, nuance - and similarity and difference. Proportions and rhythm exhibit patterns of successive changes. Thus, the holistic form is like gar

Composition is the basis of any work of art. It is she who gives it expressiveness, unity and integrity. The original compositional solution attracts attention and helps to understand the meaning intended by the author. While an unsuccessful selection of compositional elements, even if all objects are skillfully drawn, can ruin the impression of the picture.

It is customary to distinguish several types of composition:

Frontal or flat - stained glass, fresco or painting;
- volumetric - sculpture or architecture;
- deep-spatial - architectural ensembles.

Basic principles of composition

Composition has its own laws, among which the main ones can be identified:

• Integrity - all elements of the work are a single whole, there is nothing superfluous or chaotic;
• Definition of the semantic center - highlighting objects that play the main role, drawing attention to them;
• The use of contrasts - this could be a combination of colors, images of objects of different sizes, or contrasting negative and positive characters;
• Statics is a state of balance and peace, expressed in the symmetry of objects and their arrangement in a certain order;
• Dynamics is a state of movement; emphasized asymmetry in the arrangement of objects makes the composition dynamic.

In order for the work to look more expressive, it is necessary to be able to correctly arrange objects among themselves, focusing on knowledge of perspective, proportions and shapes, and color theory. It is important not to overload the work with an abundance of details.

Expressive means of composition

The perception of a work of art directly depends on its composition, so it is important to be able to build it using artistic means: line, shading, tonal and color spots, perspective and chiaroscuro. They help not only to distribute objects in space, to establish the relationships between volumes, light and shadow, but also to accurately convey the author’s idea.

In painting there are separate compositional techniques allow you to achieve the greatest expressiveness of the picture and reveal the versatility of the content. This can be a rhythmic structure, where all elements of the work are ordered, coordinated and subordinated to a clear rhythm set by the artist. Various elements are involved in building the composition of an image. visual arts, such as canvas format and image size, focal point, framing, temperature of color combinations, depth and angle, contrasts and rhythm.

By arranging the visual elements in the picture in a certain way, you can most fully convey the idea and attract the viewer’s attention. To do this, it is necessary to build the composition so that all objects are conveyed most expressively. Having discarded all unnecessary details, leave only the essentials. Emphasize the internal content with the entire figurative structure of the picture.

The focal point is the center of the entire work; it carries a powerful compositional load. The remaining elements are secondary and serve to frame it. It should fit organically and naturally into the picture. An important role is played by the balance of compositional elements, which allows you to achieve harmony between the depicted objects.

Strict adherence to the basic principles of composition is the key to creating a unique work of art.