Customer Reviews

Pictorial Composition (Composition in Art) (Dover Art Instruction)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of the most thorough books in the teaching and analysis of composition I've ever had the fortune to read. All my other art books mention the neccessity of sound composition and eye movement but none give the detailed breakdown of how that's accomplished or why it fails. This book does. You aren't just told - it's broken down for you explicitly with dozens of examples from famous paintings. All kinds of compositions are examined.

Here is a list of the chapter titles and some (would be tiresome to include it all) of what they teach
1. Balance - rules, scale of attraction, vertical/horizontal balance, natural balance, apparant/formal balance, balance by opposition of line, balance by opposition of spots, transition of line...etc, etc, etc.
2. Entrance and Exit - getting into the picture, getting out of the picture
3. Circular Observation - circular composition, reconstruction for circular observation
4. Angular Composition - the triangle, the vertical line in angular composition, angular composition based on the horizontal, line of beauty, structural line
5. Composition with One or More Units - 2 units, 3 units, groups, the figure in landscape
6. Light and Shade - pricipality, gradation
Color Plates.....

If you really want to learn composition and get it down cold - get this book. It's a priceless gem.

I've heard art instructors thrash around at length in conversations on composition and not come anywhere near getting their point across like this potent book. Don't let the slim page count fool you--the author simply doesn't need three hundred pages to illuminate his readers--this is clearly the effort of someone who has looked and thought deep and long about what makes some images so engaging and he isn't content just poking around the edges of the topic.

Poore writes in a grounded, succinct manner and supports his text with well chosen black and white reproductions (a few pages in the center are in color). This book presents and clarifies some crucial points for creating an image with a pulse. So many art books cost a small fortune and deliver marginal goods--this book asks for a very modest investment and delivers gold. My work is better for having read and studied it.

This book tells the classic rules of composition "that no one wants to tell you" and that others say "everybody knows" when in fact they don't. It covers the subject from the old school of classic composition. It is a masterpiece of information that I wish I had read years ago. Very highly recommended.

There is a lot of really great information in here, especially for someone who has not had much education regarding composition; but it reads like an archaic, academic classic from a bygone era - when education was more of a sink-or-swim, weed'em-out affair than the more approachable style of current times. My copy shows copyright 1967 (not 1976 as Amazon reports), and the writing style is rather difficult. The author sometimes uses key terms (e.g., "axial plane") for several pages before doing us the favor of explaining just what that term means. Other passages were written so formally and distantly, I had to read them several times over and struggle with them before I had the "aha!" moments. The concepts then felt really valuable, almost like a secret code I had just broken. I just don't think it has to be that challenging. As I said though, there is a lot of good information in here,and I am excited about how this information will improve my painting and give me more confidence, as well as the ability to speak about compositional concepts with some expertise.

As a beginning drawing student, when you hear your instructor rambling about composition and eye movement all the time and points out to the composition in the slides you have to sit through... and keeps referring to Cezzane, well if you want to make sense of all that then pick up this book.

Don't be fooled by the size of the book. This is one amazing book that disects the composition with clarity and examples. It uses actual drawing/paintings and then demonstrate the concepts by literally disecting the illustrations.

I think all art students can learn from this book.

I appreciate this concise book which explains theories of composition using famous paintings. I found the section on "entering" and "leaving" a composition very helpful. Essentially, give the viewer a place to "leave" the composition rather than "backing out" of it. I wanted a tight handbook to improve my skills. I am glad I got this!

This is the best book I've read so far on composition. Poore doesn't deliver anything that you wouldn't find in any book on painting, but to have it all in one book is superb. Most "how to...." books on painting provide a chapter on the subject, typically a brief introduction. In the 95 pages Poore is able to delve much further covering virtually every aspect of what makes a painting look good. Topics include:
a) The importance of balance and the various things that can affect it.
b) Entrance & Exit - getting in to and out of a picture
c) Circular observation and composition
d) Angular composition
e) composition with one or more units
f) how to use light and shade to balance the painting
The examples are well chosen, although there were one or two that, to me, didn't get a particular concept across. The writing style is a bit dry but certainly rewards perseverence. I've given it 4 stars in the hope that the bible of composition is out there somewhere. Well worth the money and if nothing else it provides an excellent checklist for you to follow in your art.

Through elaborate use of master works, this author was able to communicate to me important compositional points that have eluded me for a long time. Or...maybe I am just dense. I would appreciate suggestions from others on compositional books of this type....thanks

This is a nice book for artist's. Even though most pages are in black and white, it is usefull and has a lot of info for readers. Im happy with it.

Or at least a lot less confusing. I have studied Poore's book for a considerable time, now, and find his suggestions on how to improve composition very helpful. His discussions of "hot points," the pyramid in composition, and the rectangle have been very helpful in particular.