Lesson 2: Compositional Structure

Objective: To have children create a representational, abstract, or non-objective drawing with a compositional structure.

Vocabulary:

abstract - Art that does not look realistic in which the details of the real objects are simplified, distorted, or rearranged.

composition - The way the parts of an artwork are put together or arranged.

compositional movement - The way a viewer's eyes travel from one element to another in an artwork.

compositional structure - Common arrangements of art elements that acts a strong foundation or armature and makes the artwork interesting for the viewer.

distortion - A technique used to change the way a subject looks, by bending, stretching, or twisting its shape.

expressive qualities - Characteristics of art elements that make the elements affect the viewer's feelings. Lines, shapes, colors, and forms all have expressive qualities.

non-objective - Relating to a kind of abstract artwork that does not show recognizable objects.

representational - A kind of artwork in which subjects look realistic.

Arrangement II by Gil Mayers
1998, mixed media
Private Collection

Composition

When artists arrange, or put together, objects in an artwork, they create a composition. Some artists rearrange the parts of objects to create unusual compositions.

Abstract Compostitions

Look at Arrangement II by Gil Mayers. How would you describe it? Arrangement II is an example of abstract art. Abstract artists distort or simplify parts of real objects and rearrange them in unusual ways. Describe how the artist of Arrangement II simplified the parts of the musicians' bodies. What kind of shapes did he use for the musical instruments?
Describe the appearance, or characteristics. of the lines in Arrangement II. Lines can have expressive qualities that create a mood or a feeling. What feeling do you get from the lines in Arrangement II? What kind of music do you imagine the musicians are playing?

Monopoly by Diana Ong
2001, computer graphics
Collection of Diana Ong

In Monopoly by Diana Ong the artist used a computer to create an abstract artwork of a city. Compare and contrast the buildings in Monopoly with the buildings in a real city. How are they alike and different?
Describe the characteristics of the lines in Monopoly. What are the expressive qualities of those lines? What mood or feeling do they create?

Tel Aviv, Israel by Unknown Artist
photograph

Photographic Compositions

Photographers look through the lenses of their cameras to find interesting compositions in the world around them. Look at Tele Aviv, Isreal by Unknown Artist. The photographer looked at part of a building and found an interesting arrangement of lines and shapes. What kinds of lines do you see in this photograph? Identify the geometric shapes you see.

Untitled by Maria, 5th grade

Non-objective Compositions

Some abstract artworks are not meant to show any real people, places, or things. These artworks are called non-objective because they don't show objects. Look at Untitled by Maria. How would you describe it? How did the artist of Untitled use lines and shapes in interesting ways? What feeling do you think the artist was trying to express when she created this artwork?

Think Critically - Tell what you have learned.

Studio Time: Compositional Structure

Materials:

geometric objects (used to trace outlines), white paper, pencils, colored markers

Plan

Choose a compositional structure. Think of ways you can arrange objects in a compositional structure. Decide how to disguise the structure with objects to make an interesting artwork. Choose if your artwork will be realistic, abstract, or nonobjective.

Compositional Structures

2. Check list:
- Choose a compositional structure.
- Decide if your artwork will be realistic, abstract, or nonobjective.
- Disguise the structure with objects.

Create

Lightly draw your compositional structure onto the white paper.
Create your own objects or trace objects onto the white paper to disguise the compositional structure. Draw enough to fill the page.

3. Use compositional movement and expressive qualities in your artwork to add interest.

4. Use markers to color your artwork.

Reflect - Tell about your artwork.

Photograph and Submit your artwork on Google Classroom.

Photograph sketches as well as completed artwork.
"Add" (attach) to Google Classroom assignment.
"Mark as done" to submit your work for a grade.

Challenge: Geometric Cut-Out Composition

Create an abstract picture with paper using geometric shape cut-outs.

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