compositionserie0000dowa

LINE
IV. —COMPOSITION IN SQUARES AND CIRCLES
A FTER working with the principles
long enough to understand their
-^nature, and to see what can be
done with them, the student is ready for
problems in composition. Practice in
line arrangement is a preparation for all
kinds of art work, be it design, painting,
sculpture or architecture.
Choose an enclosed area of definite and
regular shape, and break it up into a
harmonious group of smaller areas by
drawing lines. For these elementary ex¬
ercises in composition the square and
circle are best because their boundaries
are unchangeable, and attention must
be fixed upon interior lines. Take first the
square, using straight lines of equal thick¬
ness drawn with the brush as suggested
in chapter II. The result should be a.*
harmony of well-cut space, a little musi¬
cal theme in straight lines and grouped
areas. • Make many trial arrangements,
sketching lightly with charcoal on “bo¬
gus” or lining paper. Select the best,
correct them, and draw with brush and
ink over the charcoal lines. From these
choose the most satisfactory, place thin
Japanese paper over them and trace in
firm black lines, freehand, with the Jap¬
anese brush. Avoid hard wiry lines and
all that savors of rule and compass or
laborious pains-taking. Use no measure
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