Composition question

[tom beard]

I took a great Humanities course in JC (many years ago) which was taught by a brilliant teacher. Talking about art in general, he said that it must have certain elements to stand.

Unity and Harmony
Balance and proportion
Variety and contrast
Rhythm

I'm sure that I have forgotten two elements. I think one of them may have been texture, the other one I am drawing a total blank on.

Does anybody remember this rule? I've looked all over the place, and can't find anything near it. This teacher was so good he could have just made it up himself. If you think of it, please let me know. Hope this is in the right forum.

Thanks as always, Tom Beard

 

[c.cloudwalker]

My design classes were also a long time ago and I can't really help you with remembering but I can relay what my professor said: "Someday you will have forgotten everything you learned in my classes but it will still be in your mind and your eye will know."

From the reactions to my images, I would say he was quite right.

Cheers.

 

[tom beard]

You're absolutely right. I've tried to apply these rules to everything I've ever shot or made. It's just bugging me that my stuff might have a couple of holes in it.

Thanks, TB

 

[Derrel]

What you are recalling are some of the elements and principles of design. A simple Google search on "elements and principles of design" will turn up some good URLs for you to read up on.

Your recollection is a bit melded I think; a composition does not have to have unity and harmony; dissonance and variety can be substituted. You've forgot some elements like line,shape,mass,texture,hue,and value.

 

[FreeStyLe]

your mixing up the elements with principles, the ones you've mentioned are the principles or "elemental relationships" of design. the elements are line shape direction color texture value size. anyways heres a wiki for you

Design elements and principles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[::trainwreck::]

dammit, I'd tell you, but I didn't pay enough attention in 2-D design shame on me. meh, who cares, there are plenty of compositional guidelines to follow, all of which could probably be learned through a few good google searches.