Composition in Painting (Teacher)

Composition in Painting: Everything in its right place

Lesson One |  Lesson Two | Lesson Three |  Lesson Four

Lesson One - Shaping the View: Composition Basics

1. Compose a Visual Symphony: Three sides to many stories

Annibale Carracci’s 1590 painting, Two Children Teasing a Cat

• Carracci Line Drawing
• Carracci Diagram Figure 1
• Carracci Diagram Figure 2
• Carracci Diagram Figure 3

Emmanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware

• Leutze Line Drawing
• Leutze Diagram Figure 1

2.  Compose a Visual Symphony: Variety of Visions

George Catlin’s Ojibbeway Indians in Paris

• Catlin (Paris) Line Drawing
• Catlin (Paris) Diagram Figure 1 (oval)
• Catlin (Paris) Diagram Figure 2 (ellipse)

George Catlin’s Snow Shoe Dance- Ojibbeway

• Catlin (Dance) Line Drawing
• Catlin (Dance) Diagram 1 (Triangle)
• Catlin (Dance) Diagram 2 (ellipse)

Vittore Carpaccio’s The Flight into Egypt

• Carpaccio Line Drawing
• Carpaccio Diagram 1 (Figure 8)

3. Compose a Visual Symphony: Pulling towards the Center

Cima da Conegliano’s Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist

• Conegliano Line Drawing
• Conegliano Diagram 1 (triangle)

Sandro Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi

• Botticelli Line Drawing
• Botticelli Diagram 1 (double triangle)

Jacques-Louis David’s The Death of Socrates

• David Line Drawing
• David Diagram 1 (ellipse)
• David Diagram 2 (figure 8)

Lesson Two - Shaping the View: Symmetry and Balance

1. Mirror, Mirror: Symmetry in Painting

Bergognone’s The Assumption of the Virgin

Thomas Hart Benton’s Trail Riders

• Benton Line Drawing

Hendrick Avercamp’s Scene with a Tower to the Left

• Avercamp Line Drawing

2. Balancing Acts

Cima de Conegliano’s Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist

• Conegliano Line Drawing
• Conegliano Diagram 1 (triangle)

Hendrick Avercamp’s Scene with a Tower to the Left

• Avercamp Line Drawing

Lesson Three - Repeat After Me: Repetition in the Visual Arts

1. Practice Makes Perfect? Introducing Repetition in Composition

Claude Monet’s Palazzo del Mula Venice

• Line Drawing of Monet
• Diagram 1
• Diagram 2
• Diagram 3
• Diagram 4

Thomas Eakins’ The Champion Single Sculls

• Line Drawing of Eakins

2.  Repetition and the Use of Color

William H. Johnson’s Harlem Street

• Line drawing of Johnson
• Diagram 1
• Diagram 2
• Diagram 3

William S. Schwartz’s Mining in Illinois

• Line drawing of Schwartz
• Diagram 1
• Diagram 2

Alan Rohan Crite’s School’s Out

• Line Drawing
• Diagram 1

3.  Working together: Form and Color

George Bellows’ New York

• Line drawing for Bellows
• Diagram 1

John Biggers’ Shotgun, Third Ward #1

• Line drawing for Biggers
• Diagram 1
• Diagram 2

Lesson Four - Follow the Leader: Line in the Visual Arts

1. Lining Up

Grant Wood's Haying

• Line drawing of Woods’ painting
• Diagram 1

Saul Berman’s River Front

• Line drawing of Berman’s painting
• Diagram 1

2. In the Line of Sight

William Clarke Rice’s October

• Line drawing of Rice’s painting
• Diagram 1

Frederick J. Waugh’s The Knight of the Holy Grail

• Line drawing of Waugh’s painting

3. What Kind of Lines?

Jacques-Louis David’s The Emperor Napoleon in his Study at the Tuileries

• Line drawing of David’s painting
• Diagram 1

Hans Baldung Grien’s Man of Sorrows

• Line drawing of Grien’s painting
• Diagram 1

Henry Fuseli’s Oedipus Cursing his Son, Polynices

• Line drawing of Fuseli’s painting
• Diagram 1