Composition and Circle, Square & Triangle - Week 2

Composition and Circle, Square & Triangle.

Game Concept Art - Week 2

Sep 4, 2018

Discuss the importance of composition using aspect ratio, vanishing points, the Rule of Thirds and directional elements.

Artists participate in a :30 minute Life Drawing exercise using a fellow artist as model in various :03 minute poses and finishing the session with multiple 30 second gestures/action poses. Artists use their preferred medium (pencil, pen & ink, marker) to draw what they see, accurately. Focus is given to the shoulders, hips, curve of spine, placement of legs and arms and positive/negative shapes. Artists are encouraged to sketch as rough as possible.

Study of Composition showing a "car in a field" from The Godfather. Discuss film frame, choice of aspect ratio, off center framing, Rule of Thirds, tonal studio, directional elements, flat v. deep space.

The Godfather (1972):

The Rule of Thirds:

Divide the composition equally into thirds from top to bottom and left to right. Place objects of importance at the intersection of the lines to guide the eye of the viewer and add interest. This rule helps designers compose images that are asymmetrical and not center weighted.


Breakdown the script for War Horse. Identify the three act structure and the sequences. Call out the backgrounds, characters, props and special effects. Pay attention to specifics such as time of day, weather, culture, period and scale.

See the attached example of a script breakdown from the film, Tom & Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes:

Here is a Script Breakdown Template for you to use, or you can design your own:

Select your favorite sequence from the script and call out the assets. The characters depicted in the sequence you choose will be used for the design exercise.

Some characters depicted in War Horse (2011):

Design a character lineup/size comparison using the basic shapes of a circle, square and triangle to represent the different types of characters in the story.

Examples of characters designed using these 3 basic shapes...

The importance of the shape language of a film cannot be overstated. In some films, it can be as effective and meaningful as the color script or soundtrack. These pages from the style guide for The Book of Life, illustrate the importance of the circle, square and triangle in the three worlds the characters of the film inhabit. The shape defines their character and subtly lays the foundation (with color) for the emotion and history of the story.

The main character in the film, War Horse, is a thoroughbred named Joey. Design Joey using the shape language of a circle, square or triangle. Explain why you chose that particular shape and what the shape says about his personality.

Horse designs from other productions (example):

 

 

For next week, design a character line up/size comparison using the basic shape theory of circles, squares and triangles. Focus on contrast of shape and size and use a strong silhouette. If the design is strong, the personality of the character will read in silhouette. 

See the example from Inside Out: