Pictorial Composition and the Art of Drawing

150 Pages·1949·10.223 MB·English

by  Frederic Taubes

' Zaubes
PICTORIAL
ANLH
COMPOSITION
THE ART
OF DRAWING
Points outthe essentials of draftsmanship and explainsthe principles
of pictorial arrangements. Text is accompanied by exomples from
some of the greatest works of art from the past. Many master
drawings are reproduced and compositions of great paintings are
discussed, graphically as well as theoretically.
%t THl AUTHOR Of "THf ffCHN/QUf OF Oil PAINTING"
• 54.00
Wt^^
PICTORIAL COMPOSITION
AND THE ART OF
DRAWING
By Frederic Taubes
AUTHOROF The Technique ofOilPainting,
TheAmateurPainter'sHandbook,etc.
ILLUSTRATED
Frederic Taubes in his latest book
discusses the problem of composition
—"the ordered position of objects in
space," a problem which has been
faced by every artist throughout the
ages. He analyzes, both visually and
verbally, a number of works of art—
"somegreat,some indifferent—forfail-
ure as well as success in painting can
domuchtotelluswhichcourseshould
be taken and which should be
avoided."
Theartofdrawingisdiscussedfrom
a practicalaswellasfroma theoretical
angle. Techniques, methodsandmate-
rials are thoroughly investigated and
various applications explained.
Generously illustrated with nearly
a hundred paintings and drawings,
I'ICTORIAL COMPOSITION should do
much to make the readeraware of the
basic artistic problem and should
heighten his appreciation of its varied
solution by artists of all times.

PICTORIAL COMPOSITION
AND THE ART OF DRAWING
BOOKS BY FREDERIC TAUBES
THE TECHNIQUE OF OIL PAINTING (1941)
YOU don't know what you like (1942)
STUDIOSECRETS (1943)
OIL painting for the BEGINNER (1945)
THE AMATEUR PAINTER'S HANDBOOK (1947)
THE ART & TECHNIQUE OF OIL PAINTING (LONDON 1948)
THE PAINTERS QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK (1948)
ANATOMY OF GENIUS (1948)
iJ^
S^ie/e^em
COMPOSITION
Copyright 1949, by Frederic Taiibes
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher
Designed by Stefan Salter
Set in Times Roman by The Comet Press, Inc., New York
Lithographed by Offset Reproductions, Inc., New York
Bound by Chas. H. Bohn & Co., Inc., New York
31
CONTENTS
Page
An Appreciation by George Grosz 1
Foreword
1
PART PICTORIAL COMPOSITION
I
Introduction 17
Chapter I Balance and Symmetry 19
Chapter II The Nature of Composition 24
Chapter III AnalysesofPictureCompositions 30
Chapter IV The Practice of Composition 54
Arrangement of Composition/Conditioning of
Composition/PositiveandNegative Shapes
Chapter V Pictorial Perspective in Composition 66
Chapter VI Color in Composition 76
PART THE ART OF DRAWING
II
Introduction 81
Chapter I Academic and Non-Academic Methods 82
Chapter II Drawing Materials 88
The Paper/Texture of Paper/Framing/Repairs
Drawing Instruments
Chapter III The Art and Technique ofDrawing 109
Various Esthetic Considerations/Spontaneity/
Study from Nature/The Use of Distortions
Chapter IV Technology and Esthetic of Line
and Tone Rendition 124
Chapter V Basic Devices and Aids in Drawing from Life 132
Finding Proportions/Finding the Slant of Lines/
PlumbingofLines/PracticalStart in Drawingfrom Life
Conclusion 141