1-5b: (Part II) Viewfinders, Framing & Composition

For a good introduction to the elements & principles of visual art (and how they relate to composition), check out:

A Comprehensive Guide To Composition For Artists (by Dan Scott): https://drawpaintacademy.com/understanding-composition-for-artists/

VIEWFINDERS

Sighting with a Viewfinder and Sighting Sticks has a step-by-step guide for making a viewfinder from drawing paper or cardstock, and tutorials that show you how to use a viewfinder and/or sighting sticks for accurate observational drawings.

https://donnayoung.org/art/sighting.htm

A viewfinder is a useful device for framing a composition.

It allows you to isolate or “crop” a scene within a rectangular area. You can adjust the viewfinder back and forth, left and right, and up and down, looking for the most dramatic and engaging composition. Use it to find big, simple shapes against small ones and light ones against dark ones. As you locate these shapes and value masses, you start the process of translating the three-dimensional world into two dimensions.

Some viewfinders use grids, which are helpful when using the rule of thirds or the golden ratio to plan your composition.

RULE OF THIRDS

The Rule of Thirds is a general guideline for how to create an interesting composition which states that any image—painting, photograph, graphic design—should be broken into a grid with two vertical and two horizontal lines, creating nine equally proportioned boxes. Important compositional elements should then be placed either on the lines or at their intersections. This results in dynamic, interesting compositions that draw the viewer's eye across the scene.

THE GOLDEN RATIO

The Golden Ratio is an irrational number, approximately 1.618, which is prevalent in nature, art, architecture, and design. It has been used by artists to locate aethetically pleasing areas to place our subjects and distribute weight in our paintings. The golden ratio is a more complex version of the rule of thirds, but their application is basically the same.