Composing Within A Circular Format

Like many artists, I've always been fascinated by circles: the neatness; the closure; a universal symbol. I teach my students how to construct a perfect circle by beginning with a perfect square. A square painting format intrigues me, it feels natural to me.

Circle Within A Square

Composing within a rectangular format, particularly a vertical orientation, is not easy for me: I favor and mostly use a horizontal one. Within this format, I use The Rule of Thirds to keep me on track to "a good composition" - all the while fighting the urge to centralize my elements around a circle - and thereby ending up with a square composition.

Rule of Thirds

The premise for the Rule of Thirds is to divide the image area into thirds using two equidistant vertical and two equidistant horizontal lines.  The points at which they cross are good choices for placing key elements, and particularly the focal point (center of interest) of the painting.  The Rule can be equally applied to a square image area.

The caveat in either case has always been to avoid placing a focal point dead center in a composition as it creates a bull's-eye effect, drawing the viewer's attention immediately to it.

[I'm rethinking the notion of a focal points...and bull's eyes...I promise more on that another day]

My favorite questions are 'What if?' and 'What else?' I thrive on exploring new ideas.
I took the summer off from teaching to devote time to the ones that keep replaying in my mind (you know how they do!).

Composing within a circular format is the first of these.  I own several pieces of (gorgeous) TwinRocker handmade watercolor paper with heavily feathered edges, each ~ 18" round. (Please see the artwork images at the end of this blog)

To compose my round painting, I abandoned the Rule of Thirds and instead divided the circle into 6 segments to see what the diagonals might suggest as compositional devices. I remained cognizant of what portion of my plant would occur at the point where all 6 diagonals intersect - at dead center.

Circle Divided into 6 Segments

At the end of the day, I used what "felt" right: loosely placing some elements along the diagonals but always mindful of edges; spacial relationships; implied movement; and not so much on placement of a focal point.

Seen below are 2 artworks of the series of 6 pieces planned. When I analyzed why I like the compositions, I discovered the structure relies heavily on a simple Old Master device of overlapping triangles. The tension created by the angles along with the implied directional movement pushing against the closed circle feels right to me within the context of my subject matter.

Plants in nature bursting out with energy in all directions.

Skunk Cabbage
Watercolor

Pink Lady's-slipper Orchids
Watercolor