Pictorial Compositions, Continued
Figures, props,
The inclusion and placement of figures, props, and borders are also left to
and borders
the discretion of the artist in pictorial compositions.
Figures
For figures to appear realistic, they must have emotions or feelings. In
pictures, you communicate an emotion or feelings you want the figure to
portray by expression, gesture, posture, and positioning. To simplify the
descision process in determining the gesture, posture, or position of figures,
imagine the figure in silhouette. Experiment with different positions until
you find one that is successful. The meaning of a picture changes as attitudes
or gestures of the figures change. Two or more figures in the same picture
may change the attitude of the picture depending on how the figures relate to
each other. Since the human figure is a dynamic form, viewers are naturally
drawn to it. Figures reenforce the main message in pictures in a way no
inanimate object can.
Figure 1-21 shows how reducing figures to silhouettes helps to simplify the
selection of gestures, posture, and positioning.
Figure 1-21.—Reduce figures to silhouettes
to simplify effective positioning in the
picture plane.
Continued on next page
1-26
