Image composition

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image design is the arrangement and connection of formal elements in a work of art . They also become important when viewing or analyzing images .

Psychological basics

attention

The attention is the focus of a sense (here the vision ) to a certain sensation. The part of the image on which the viewer's attention is drawn is perceived far more sharply and brilliantly than the rest of the field of vision. This is due both to the processing by the cognitive processes in the brain and to the structure of the eye . So the attention needs to be given. People initially concentrate their attention on potentially interesting elements in the picture.

Representations with properties that are rare or do not occur in the real world attract the viewer's attention (such as bright, unnatural colors). Another aspect is paying attention to parts of the picture that are clearly different from most others. This difference can be expressed in different ways. Attention devoted to emotional reasons differs considerably from these aspects. Here the viewer turns to representations to which he has an emotional relationship. This is most common for depictions of people or faces.

Design elements

Various design elements can be used in the image design. These can have a considerable influence on the effect of the overall picture. General stylistic devices are described below.

colour

A color is made up of three components: hue , saturation and lightness (depending on the color space ). Colors and the resulting contrasts usually have a very emotional and direct effect on the viewer. When analyzing stylistic devices in relation to colors , one can distinguish between two aspects: The individual color and the effect of different colors on each other.

Color in itself

Even a single color has a certain effect on the viewer. This is based on associations with experiences and cultural color symbols. For the purely emotional effect, the associations from experience are decisive. For example, yellow and red are associated with warmth (fire, reddening of the skin), while blue is associated with distance and cold (water, sky, ice). A warm color is usually associated more emotionally and therefore attracts more attention.

The cultural meaning of colors, on the other hand, varies greatly. While yellow is also used as the color of envy and falsehood in the western culture, this color has a very high and positive position in the Buddhist culture.

Contrasts

Harmonious color contrast

Different colors create contrasts. As mentioned, colors can differ in brightness, hue and saturation. The more a color differs from the other in one or more of these properties, the greater the contrast. Particularly strong contrasts can "flicker" and cause an uncomfortable feeling. This happens especially with high brightness and saturation of both colors, but very different color tones. The contrast between color tones is also perceived particularly clearly by humans, which is why color and hue are often equated.

Harmonies

Color combinations form color harmonies. Whether the viewer perceives the interplay of colors as harmonious is partly subjective and depends on fashion trends and viewing habits. A frequently used harmony consists of several similar colors contrasted with an accent or contrast color. (See complementary contrast )

shape

Suggested significance through random formal order

The shape of a picture element in a picture results from the (real) outline of the element and from the imaginary three-dimensional shape that results from the light-shadow relationships. Like colors, shapes are subconsciously associated with certain abstract properties. These result from our visual experiences. Examples are the frequent associations of the basic shape of the circle with "female", "soft" and "emotional" and those with the shape of the square as "male", "certain", "hard" and "rational".

The shape of an object is decisive for recognizing and classifying a represented object. For simple objects, the simple outline is often sufficient. In the case of more complex shapes, the three-dimensionality must also be interpreted in order to be able to recognize the object as a certain object. Spatiality or three-dimensionality is “only” a visual simulation of space in the two-dimensional representation of the image.

Lines

Lines also as hatching or to create an independent shape ("outline")

If they do not appear as an independent element, lines are formed at the edges of objects through color contrast or through the intellectual connection of picture elements. The latter are therefore subjective, but perceived similarly by different people due to the fundamental laws of visual perception. For example, the focus of the image or similar objects are usually associated with one another.

Lines as an independent element derive their effect from the lines (straight, curved) and their position in the image space (vertical / unstable, horizontal / calm, oblique / dynamic). Also because lines direct the viewer's gaze or arise only through the visual process, they are an important means in image design. By following lines, independent shapes are created, mostly subconsciously. The guidance through lines also makes it possible to organize information in terms of content. (e.g. in a grid)

The boundaries of the line as an independent element are blurred when it is used over a large area in hatching and the creation of independent forms from lines ("outline").

room

Schematic representation of the central perspective

Because composition takes place on a two-dimensional medium, space in the composition is an optical illusion . There are various techniques for simulating space. The clearest is the use of perspective . Here, three-dimensional objects are mapped on a two-dimensional surface in such a way that a spatial impression is created. The central perspective, which comes closest to our visual impression , is often used in the image composition . Colors can also influence the perception of space. Brilliant colors appear closer, pale, cold and light tones further away. This is probably due to our visual experience, as the haze in the air fades the colors in the distance.

Feel

Although the perception of the haptics is assigned to the sense of touch, the haptics of a surface can often also be assessed through visual impressions. Typical surface haptics also show typical visual behavior. Matt surfaces are only slightly rough, reflective surfaces are identified as smooth, and very rough surfaces can be recognized by their fine light-dark pattern.

composition

Daffodil means (almost) golden section shown

The composition is the actual composition of the picture. Here the formal elements are put together to create a work of art.

Weighting of the picture elements

The "weight" of a picture element is to be equated with the attention it attracts. The weight of a picture element is just as subjective as the attention. The distribution of the differently weighted picture elements determines the overall effect of the picture in terms of rest or tension. A composition that is designed very evenly usually creates a calm impression.

Composition of the formal elements

The type of image composition depends on the artist's intentions. This includes subjective sensations and the creation of a desired image statement. There are several principles to aid composition, most of which produce harmonious relationships between picture elements. These include the golden ratio , the triangular composition and the design grid . They are often used in graphic design and layouts. The distribution of picture elements is based on an (invisible) grid. However, the use of these means is more to be seen as a composition aid and not as a guarantee of a good picture. The elementary expression of calm or tension must also be observed in the overall composition: a composition that is very evenly designed usually creates a calm impression. Correspondingly, tension arises from a less even and high-contrast composition.

Image composition means

Portrait shot with blurred areas

The image design concept must be designed in a technique. The most common distinction is between photography and painting. The painting itself is divided into different techniques and styles .

When drawing and painting

These two art forms allow a freer composition than photography . The choice of color quality ( watercolor , tempera , oil paint or plastic ) or the (slight) three-dimensionality of collages offers a wide range of composition options.

In photography

In general, the design of the picture and the order of the picture elements is the decisive activity in photography , which is partly determined by special applications of technology. In the case of a portrait, for example, the foreground and / or the background in front of the object to be depicted in focus can be kept out of focus by means of the camera setting ( camera perspective ). In architectural photography , for example, the bellows camera is used to create images that cannot be displayed with cameras without the possibility of shifting the film and lens plane. When taking photos, knowledge of the technology is often used for design. This applies in particular to the depth of the object / motif to be recorded in the direction of the objective axis, i.e. when converting the three-dimensional motif into a two-dimensional image ( depth of field ).

Construction of the image with the camera

In the field of camera technology, knowledge of the nature of the light-sensitive medium (film / sensor), the functioning of the camera and exposure measurement are of particular importance for image design. Exact knowledge of the mechanics (such as the camera shutter) is not absolutely necessary, but it does make it easier to understand.

Knowledge of light is required for lighting in the photo studio or for assessing the effects of various light sources on the light-sensitive medium. This includes the different color temperatures of different light sources as well as color theory .

Design in the darkroom

Photography also includes basic knowledge of film development and the darkroom or photo laboratory . For many photographers - especially in the artistic field - the preparation of the print (from the slide or negative) or, today, digital printing is just as important as the actual photography.

By using different types of photo paper from “soft” to “hard” gradation , the contrasts of the image are controlled. This applies to the development of black-and-white images, since with color images there is only the choice between different surfaces, but not between different gradations. In color photography, in addition to the classic enlargements with the most color-neutral representation possible, “cross processes” are also used. This means that the film type and developing bath are swapped, for example a slide is developed in a negative process, which leads to special color shifts.

literature