Creativity, Composition - An Introduction

Good Design Lives A Long Time

Design, Composition, call it what you will, while we all like to think that great art comes from Inspiration Muses, the truth is that simple technique can go a long way to making good pictures great.

Composition and creativity don't come naturally to me, so I did a bit of research on the topic to see if I could nail down some basic principles. What I found was quite interesting, that simple "tricks" of composition are quite key in our perception of pictures.

Simply placing my subject to one side of a picture frame can enliven the picture. Re-inforcing patterns in my pictures builds strength into them. Altering the spacing between the picture and the frame goes from boring to aggressive!

The thing is, although these tricks are purely mechanical, they do not interfere with my creativity at all. Simple decisions at the start (or end) of my creative processes just help me make a better image.

If you are interested in pursuing this theme yourself, I found that photography books were more useful than art books. Maybe it is that photography which has to capture only what is there, also has to focus on how best to compose it.

So, our simple course on composition, colour and creativity goes like this:

• Contrasts - the basic principles of composition.
• Space and Frames - How to use them: The Golden Square and other useful ratios, pre-planning for screen or print.
• Design and Position - How to create dynamic or peaceful images, make your viewer focus on the key items, avoiding confusion.
• Colour Theory - from good to bad, the symbols of colour versus the practice, how to use colour in expression.
• Creativity - bringing on the muse - building your creative talent - even if you think you haven't got one.