Learn to Paint: Composition and Henri Matisse
- Autumn Studios
- Jan 22, 2015
- 3 min read
Composition is what separates amateurs from true artistic geniuses. Just as a master chef would carefully choose his ingredients, and in specific measurements, blend the flavours into a crisp gourmet dish. A seasoned painter follows the same process, using their brush to add colour and life to their canvas.
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was a French artist who is responsible for massive developments in painting and sculpture within the early 20th century. Matisse is often compared to Pablo Picasso (another 20th century genius) and their influence on each other's works is quite amazing. The two of them had a gentlemen’s rivalry in which the notion, "Anything he can do, I can do better” was probably shared by both artists. Matisse's understanding of colour, patterns and his willingness to experiment and revolutionize art, has cemented his name amongst the greatest artists ever to step on the earth's surface. Matisse’s inclusion in this article was purely because of the great understanding of artistic composition he has conveyed, time and time again. His works are a strong learning ground for anyone interested in improving their skills.
"Composition is the art of arranging in a decorative manner the diverse elements at the painter's command to express his feelings." – Henri Matisse
Without further to do, here are a few elements to look out for in your art, when you’re painting a masterpiece:
Unity: All the elements in your composition need to make sense and correlate with the other elements in the composition. Think soccer fans, they’re all supporting the same team, they make look, dress and sound different, but their purpose is the same. Unity is intimately related with the purpose of the image.
Proportion: Proportion has to do with the size and shape relationships of all the elements in the composition. Is it rational to have a normal sized human in the background that happens to appear larger than the building you placed in the foreground?
Balance: Balance is closely related to proportion. This applies to any elements that have a symmetrical or asymmetrical nature to them. Balance would also relate to the amount of negative and positive space in an image.
Variety: Variety is the difference in colour, shape, lighting, size, texture, etc. This is one of the most powerful tools in composition, simply because variety can make certain elements pop-out and leave others where they belong (in a dark abyss, never to be seen). Be careful with variety because too many differences can ruin a solid piece.
Contrast: Juxtaposition. Contrast is close to, but not to be mistaken with variety. Contrast is a direct opposition within the different elements of the painting, usually to create emphasis and focus (think bold font). Cold and warm colours. Light and heavy strokes. The works.
Movement: Naturally, the first time a viewer’s eye gazes upon an image, there’s a main focal point, which draws their attention. If the elements are well arranged, a dynamic (or even stagnant) feeling can be achieved by guiding the viewer’s eye.
Repetition: You know what’s better than one bar of gold? Two bars of gold. Three bars of gold are a bit more appealing... Repetition is a technique in which we repeat an element many times, with slight variations each time (It’s rather self-explanatory). This is to emphasize that element’s importance to the viewer.
Rhythm: Rhythm does actually apply to visual art. Rhythm stems from repetition, however rhythm entails of elements which have constant intervals between them. In visual art, rhythm is more difficult to implement than repetition, but usually more powerful.
Unfortunately, one article isn’t enough to cover the nitty-gritty parts of the composition elements and their depth. We do plan to explain the whole concept over a series of future articles. But for now, you should arm yourself with your newly found comprehension of composition and you’ll be the next Matisse in no time!
Images:
Woman with a Hat by Henri Matisse
Green Stripe by Henri Matisse
https://thepaintinglab.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/art-bird-bird-painting-birds-branch-distortion-favim-com-40410.jpg
Golconde by René Magritte
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