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The Principles of Art
Line & Movement
Prior to 967 AD
Master of Gero-Codex: Gero-Kodex, Szene: Initiale S
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Principles of Art
Variety, Line, Movement, Rhythm & Balance
Vignette for Le Jardin des Plantes "The Elster"
Charles-François Daubigny
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Note:
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property of the Art Apprentice Online, LLC.
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We believe ...
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"In art, and in the higher ranges of science,
there is a feeling of harmony which underlies all endeavor. There is
no true greatness in art or science without that sense of harmony."
Albert Einstein
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What is proportion?
In 1492, Leonardo da Vinci created the 'Vitruvian Man'. A drawing that is now very famous for its blend of Science and Art. It is through this we learn about proportion and how one area of the human body relates to another relative to the laws of proportion. Da Vinci was fascinated with proportion and sought to make connections between man and the earth. |
 1492, Leonardo da Vinci, 'Vitruvian Man'. |
| When we think of proportion it is usually thought of as the relative size of an object compared to another. In the human body, the length of the arms defines the height of a person and they are said to be 'in proportion'. In da Vinci's Vetruvian man, he points out that the navel is situated exactly in the middle of the human body and is also the center of the circle. Look closely at the drawing to find the circle. The length of the arms, legs, hands, the length of the head, the palms, the feet, the distance from the elbow to the armpit are all based on laws of proportion. |
In the same manner, when we create compositions, artists strive to create proportional relationships between the elements of the painting. How items are placed next to others, helps create unity, harmony and balance. How the elements are placed might also provide counter-balance for a pleasing composition. Floral, still life, and landscape artists place certain elements next to others to either balance the size or to add a proportional contrast for emphasis.
Proportion is one of the principles of design. This principle works in tandem with the others, creating overall balance and harmony. Some artists and designers have an instinctive ability to combine different proportions which create harmony in their art work. |
How did the artists of old use proportions?
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Before the concept of perspective was understood or realized, artists used proportion as a method for establishing a hierarchy between the characters in a composition. They often painted certain figures much larger than would be expected with regards to proportion. Compare the figures in the foreground to those seated at the table. Can you detect that the proportions are out of sinc? Who do you think were the VIP's at this calibration? |
| Duccio of Buoninsegna,1308-1311, Sieneser Cathedral, Wedding at Cana, Tempera on wood, 43.5 × 46.5 cm, Siena, Museo Dell Opera del Duomo, Italy, Gothic period. |
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In this composition, the artist uses the larger proportions in the foreground. By placing them there, he is able to create a more realistic perspective. The golden arches in the foreground are also painted in larger proportion to the other elements in the painting, all in an effort to establish depth of field and perspective from the viewers point of view. |
| Hans Memling, Cologne, Rhine party from the Bayenturm to St.Martin (in the foreground martyrdom of Ursula) 1489, oil on wood, 42 × 25.5 cm, Brugge, Germany. |
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Proportions were also used to place importance on certain symbolic meanings. The lobster with its hard renewable shell, represents the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is one of the largest items on the table and also the most intense color proportionate to the rest of the composition. It is placed front and center to attract the most attention. |
| Jan Davidsz de Heem, Still life Viertel 17. Jh., 79 × 102 cm, London, Wallace Collection, Holland, Baroque Period. |
How does an artist use proportion in a painting? Scale and proportion can be used to define mood and help with the storyline.
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The artist creates an excellent sense of proportion in this composition. The vastness of the dusty field is established between the peasants and the hay stacks in the distance. The proportions help to define the drudgery of the hard work. The long distance also helps to establish the incredible height of the distant stacks. |
| Jean-Francois Millet, The Gleaners, 1857, 84 × 111 cm, Paris, Musee d'Orsay, |
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The proportions of the figures walking in the streets as they relate to the height of the buildings helps the artist establish the hustle and bustle of the city. Four story buildings were large scale buildings at the time. Relative to our modern-day sky scrapers they appear small, but in that era these were large buildings for the time. The artist wants us to understand that the 'City' was bigger than life. |
| Carl Theodor Reiffenstein, Frankfurt am Main, 1852, 14,7 × 15,6 cm, Frankfurt Historical Museum |
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The stacked books help to establish the scale and the proportion of the fishing creels. We can assume the approximate size of the books in relation to the fishing rod. Everything within this composition helps to establish the scale and the approximate size of all the objects. |
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The small yellow pot sitting next to the old jugs suggest that the jugs are very large or that the pot is very small. On closer observation, one can see the hand tools in the foreground, these suggest the relationship of size to the human hand, from this visual information we can guess the approximate (large) size of the jugs. |
ocorrectly in a composition, can he
Create harmony by using correct proportion and scale...
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In all of these images, the viewer has a greater appreciation for the large scale of the trees. The placement of the human figures at the foot of the trees gives the viewer a point of reference to suggest their size. |
| Francois Boucher, 1751, France |
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Can you now appreciate the size of the towering trees in the composition? This was a common aspect of older paintings. Perhaps because trees were not destroyed by urban sprawl and were allowed to flourish and grow freely. Another thought is that many artists chose to convey a symbolic meaning in their paintings? |
| Adrian Ludwig Judge, Evening worship in the forest, 1842, linen, 69 × 104 cm, Leipzig, Museum of the Forming Arts, Germany. |
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Some artists suggesting that Mother Nature and the Earth were more powerful than human kind. Symbology was very often implied or alluded to, so the latter reference is more likely the reason for these apparent disproportional proportions. |
| John Constable: The cornfield, 1826, 143 × 122 cm, London, National Gallery, Great Britian. |
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