How to Learn Composition – Draftsmen S2E15
Composition is technical, creative, and incredibly subjective. Marshall teaches us how to learn composition and suggests artists and resources that will help you learn more about it. Marshall talks about breaking apart master paintings to learn how to compose, focal points, contrasts, metaphors, harmonic armatures like the golden ratio, among many other things. Marshall has years of experience teaching this subject so there’s a lot to absorb and be inspired by when it comes to composition.
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References and books
(some contain affiliate links)
Steelyard Composition blogpost
Edgar Payne: Composition of Outdoor Painting
The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry by Jay Hambidge
Pattern and Design with Dynamic Symmetry by Edward B. Edwards
Drawing Lessons From the Great Masters by Robert Beverly Hale
Picture This by Molly Bang
Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Mestre
Referenced Artists:
Erik Gist
Golden Ratio Mean
Myron Barnstone
Rembrandt
John Constable
Norman Rockwell
Hogarth’s hand proportions guideline
Alphonse Mucha
Frank Frazetta
Francisco Goya
Howard Pyle
Rachel Morales’ tonal studies (2 tone and 3 tone)
Jessica Nguyen’s tonal studies of Harvey Dunn and Howard Pyle
John Singer Sargent
Winslow Homer
Käthe Kollwitz
Frank Brangwyn
Harvey Dunn
Gustave Doré
Edgar Degas
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Steve Shriver
NC Wyeth
Wayne Thiebaud
H.R. Giger
Joe Madureira
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The golden mean is timeless because it is pervasive in nature. It’s not some random ratio that people think it looks good. C’mon.
Hi Stan
While I really enjoyed some of the comments in this video, if you and your guest feel that “harmonic armatures” are overrated, you really aren’t teaching composition. I would suggest reading the book Classical Painting Atelier by Juliette Aristides to give a bit more insight into this topic.
Jim