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"The whole arrangement of my picture is expressive. The place occupied by the figure or objects, the empty spaces around them, the proportions–everything plays a part." – Henri Matisse
Principles of Composition
- Content takes precedence over form
- Break up the picture plane
- Be aware of the figure's placement in relation to the center, margins and other elements in the picture
- Overlapping forms = energy and movement
- Segregated forms = drift, isolation, stasis
Wayne Thiebaud, Senior model
This is a basic stripped down composition. There isn't much in the scene except for the harsh shadow. The figure is placed in the center with comfortable space around all sides.
Henri Matisse: Grande Odalisque
The space around the figure is much tighter than in the Thiebaud drawing. An odalisque is concubine or woman slave in a harem.
The picture expresses eroticism, exoticism and familiarity.
Elmer Bischoff: Model resting
The model
in this drawing is treated with the same feeling as the surrounding room. She is locked into the background solidly like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle. The composition is dominated by the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines.
Richard Diebenkorn: Seated woman
The model is more the focus of this drawing. She has a personality and expresses a mood which is echoed in the shapes of the upper right hand corner. Intimacy is reinforced when the figure is cropped by the edge of the paper.
Philip Pearlstein: Female model seated
This figure's head has been cropped completely. Intimacy without personality. The space between her legs is echoed in the diamond shapes of the quilt.
Regina G. Table and nude with chess
Space has been tilted radically with the figure placed at the far end. Our eyes are channeled straight towards the model thanks to the tilted perspective and cropped and receding rectangular shapes.
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