Composition Workshop Module 2.2 Wabi-Sabi 侘寂 and the Diagonal
Added 2024-05-17 08:36:33 +0000 UTCHi everyone!
Welcome back to my Composition Workshop,
If you want to recap the previous modules, you can find everything here.
Today we look at Wabi-Sabi 侘寂 and the diagonal line as a tool to produce expressive outcomes (no matter the style or medium).
Attached to this post is the workbook with some supporting text and examples.
I'm also available to reply to your questions here or on the Patreon chatroom (on the Patreon App). No question is too small.
Thanks for making our work possible,
Luiza
Comments
Hi Yoel, I'm planning more workshops (Colour & Symbolism) and adding extra episodes to this one as well. I'm glad you enjoyed :) ~Luiza
The Cinema Cartography
2025-05-25 08:13:54 +0000 UTCHi Luiza! I loved this composition workshop; it opened my eyes to several concepts I wasn't familiar with. I wanted to ask if you had plans to offer more similar workshops in the future.
Yoel W
2025-05-24 18:09:17 +0000 UTCHi Rebecca, you should be able to see multiple diagonals. So that's good! Composition in art is also the arrangement of intervals. Those intervals can include the distance between figures and objects, contours, variations of contrast and colour interactions too. Any compositional line you feel arrests you at first is a good way to start dissecting the composition, with practice you will find the primary diagonal or the dynamic diagonals shapes that come from that. In the case of Degas' ballerinas, he is working with dynamic composition, by cutting the painting in half in the meeting of the ballerina's gaze... and using that line to construct the diamond you're mentioning. The ballerina in the forefront is also the one dictating the first secondary line, which follows the inclination of her body. He then uses that as guidance to place all the other figures. I hope that helps :) - Luiza
The Cinema Cartography
2024-06-04 07:46:24 +0000 UTCHey Luiza, thanks for the module. I'd love to know more on your process of identifying diagonals in the more complex and dynamic pieces. For example, in Degas' ballerinas (pg 7 in the workbook), when I look at this painting I identify different diagonals to the ones here. My initial instinct would be to go to the bold lines i.e. the edges of the skirts, the ballet bar. What are the points of note for you? Are you looking at the ballerinas gaze? the symmetry? the light? I can see that this central 'diamond' shape is quite interesting for the arrangement of the figures but I'm not sure why.
Rebecca Orton
2024-05-22 13:34:08 +0000 UTC
