ILLU5020 - Dynamic Composition - TheElliotWatson.GRILLUST.UK

ILLU5020 - Dynamic Composition

28/11/2020

Composition Principles

The way an image is constructed within a frame changes how it is perceived.
Humans have many in-built pre-conceptions about shapes, lines, colours, and their interactions relative to each other, for example straight parallel lines orientated in increments of 90° reinforce the idea of structure and stability, whereas lines that are almost 90° begin to create a sense of instability and tension. The way pieces of art are composed within a frame can reliably exploit these pre-conceptions to change the mood of the work.

As an example of dynamic composition, I will take a look at a page from The Witcher: House of Glass illustrated by Joe Querio.
This page goes through the beginning of an action sequence, to the conclusion of the action on the final panel.
Diagonally tilting horizon lines add to the tension, each image has an unbalanced feeling because the horizon line is tilting, adding a sense of anxiety to each image.
Close-cropping gives the audience a brief and incomplete view of the action, figures are bursting in and out of frame describing the frantic nature of the action.
Sharp diagonal lines convey movement, particularly the speed of the movements occurring, the jagged form of these lines inform areas of great displacement, as if the movement is tearing through the frame.
Upon the conclusion of the action, the horizon line is straight and horizontal, there are marks in the vertical at 90°, these devices bring order and stability into the image, juxtaposing the previous frames' diagonal marks.
The lines are smooth and rounded, encouraging a calm and relaxed mood, a respite after the prior action sequence.

Thumbnail Compositions

Thumbnails With Dynamic Composition, Washing Clothes, & Skiing

To explore composition, and thumbnail visuals, we were given six scenarios to create a series of thumbnails for, and then create a more developed thumbnail visual for the intended outcome piece.