Examining Lighting & Composition in Masters' Paintings

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Examining Lighting & Composition in Masters Paintings Examining In Masters’ Paintings Brenda HoddinottZ03 ADVANCED: DRAWING ON THE MASTERSThe primary goal of this brief research paper is to investigate Renaissance portrait lighting, andapply any knowledge gained to reference photographs and a quick sketch of a contemporarycomposition of a model dressed in medieval garb.This article is divided into the following three parts: Researching Lighting and Composition: Lighting and composition are so closely linked that it’s almost impossible to talk about one without the other. Examples of Renaissance and early post-Renaissance portraits explore a few of the diverse roles of lighting and composition in the visual communication of ambiance, form, and spatial depth. Applying Renaissance Composition to Photos: Research has given me numerous ideas that are translated into reference photos of my model. Capturing Light in a Composition: I render a rough sketch with help from various reference photos to demonstrate my proposed composition. This lesson is recommended for anyone with an interest in Renaissance art, as well as home schooling, academic and recreational fine art educators of advanced students. 7 PAGES – 17 ILLUSTRATIONS Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada - 2007 2Researching Lighting and CompositionLighting and composition are so closely linked that it’s almost impossible to talk about onewithout the other. This section of the paper uses examples of Renaissance and early post-Renaissance portraits to explore a few of the diverse roles of lighting and composition in thevisual communication of ambiance, form, and spatial depth. A less tangible but significant aspectof composition for portraitists, employs the use of clothing, body language, and facial expressionto create an ambiance appropriate to the artist’s emotional vision for his or her work.Creating the illusion of a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface was a majorinnovation of the masters of the Renaissance. Artists discovered how to transform shapes intoforms by identifying highlights and shadows, and translating them into light and dark values.Hence, lighting became an integral aspect of composition.Johannes (Jan) Vermeer used various techniques,including perspective, chiaroscuro and overlapping,to create numerous levels of depth in his works.In Figure 01, a beautifully balanced paintingillustrates lustrous natural daylight contrasted withdeep rich shadows. A female figure in a blue dressis turned toward what appears to be a window, withher face tilted in the direction of the artist. The artistis seated in an ideal position to paint the highlightsand shadows on the young lady’s face and dress.Figure 01: Jan Vermeer, The Art of Painting, 1666, oilon canvas.What is probably the most famous of Jan Vermeer’sworks is a powerful example of how a similarlighting set-up also works beautifully for a head andshoulders portrait of a young girl.A broad range of graduated values from very lightto black accentuates the various forms of her faceand clothing. The lower section of her headpieceoverlaps her back, thereby enhancing the illusion ofdepth. The dark simplicity of the background servesto pull the figure into the foreground, and focusattention on her face.Figure 02: Jan Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring,1660 – 1665, Oil on Canvas.Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Brenda Hoddinott. E-mail bhoddinott@hoddinott.com Web sites http://www.finearteducation.com and http://www.drawspace.com 3The white fabric of the man’s sleeve inFigure 03 is depicted in shadow, an effectthat draws attention toward the bright uppersection of his shirt and onto his face.Beyond rendering correct facial proportions,being able to portray an accurate perceptionof light and shadows is integral to achievinga likeness to an individual. FigureThe highly detailed painting of the light and 03: Andrea Del Sarto,shadows in the facial sections of Figure 04, Portrait of ademonstrates a delicate approach to lighting Young Man,which seems to soften the facial features of 1517, Oilthe elderly man. By examining the locations on canvas.of the highlights and shadows on his face, itbecomes apparent that the dominant lightsource is from the left.The dark values of the hat and clothingoutline the upper and lower facial sections,thereby bringing the focus to the face. Thehard shiny metal contrasts sharply with thesoft fabric and feather of his hat, creating aparadoxical insight into his persona; his ageimplies frailty but his stiff posture depictsstrength. Figure 04: Rembrandt, An Officer,The paintings in Figures 05 and 06 have 1629-1630,similar lighting and composition. Oil on Wood. ...