Composition - examples of note

[Chris Saper]

Red

Mary O

[Mike McCarty]

Shakespeare's
Twelfth Night

Clown - Let her hang me: he that is well hanged
in this world needs to fear no colours.

[Cynthia Daniel]

I'm no Golden Ratio expert, but it would be interesting to see how El Jaleo holds up to that.

[Mike McCarty]

Good idea. I should have brought this up long before now.

I don't have time at the moment to illustrate the golden mean, but my rough estimate for "El Jaleo" puts it at approximately the highlight of the guitar being played on the right in the left half of the painting.

If you apply the golden mean to the two photographs I posted above the second one's golden mean is the inside corner of her left eye, the first is in the area of her temple.

Golden Mean = horizontal divided by 2.62, vertical divided by 2.62. With lines drawn representing these numbers, their intersection would be the golden mean.

I'll have time to confirm these measurements a little later, unless someone beats me to it.

[Mike McCarty]

I've used the above calculations to come up with the golden ratio point of interest for "El Jaleo." My calculation puts it at the point I've indicated with the red dot just above the guitar players head.

I would say that the more grand the composition, the more elements involved, the less use this measurement may be. If I apply it to the Valazquez below it comes up quite random in the upper left of center as indicated, yet, if applied to Vermeer's Pearl Ear Ring it hits the mark quite well.

And there is always the possibility that I have not applied the calculation correctly. I hope someone with more knowledge of this principle will come forward and tell what they know.

[Mike McCarty]

It has been brought to my attention that the above mentioned painting - Diego Velazquez's Las Hilanderas (The Spinners) c. 1657, is a reversed image. Thanks to Carlos Ygoa for bringing this to my attention. The image is reversed on the Art Renewal Center web site. It is indicated that the painting resides at the Museo del Prado, Madrid, so I trust that Carlos would know best. Makes you wonder how many other images are reversed, cropped or misrepresented in some way.

I've reworked the calculation mentioned above and noted the location with the red mark. It does make a difference. Diego now gives a sigh of relief.

Also, another not too shabby painting by Velazques: Juan de Pareja.

[Mike McCarty]

And once again with Diego Velazquez ...

Below is Las Meninas (Ladies in Waiting), 10'5" x 9'5".

For an interesting discussion regarding Velazquez and his paintings, and why this is the "Greatest painting in the world" you can click below:

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/V/v...uez_atlee.html

And following I've listed three paintings by Thomas Wilmer Dewing. I think The Piano painting is really an interesting composition.

Lady with Lute
The Piano 1891
Woman in Purple and Green 1905 (I guess we'll have to imagine the colors)

Notice in this last painting how the back of the chair coincides with the line of her dress. This is a bit distracting to me and one of those little things that can be easily fixed.