THE TEN BASIC
PRINCIPLES OF PICTURE IN PICTURE BOOKS
Adapted from: Picture This:
Perception is Composition by Molly Bang
1 1. "Smooth,
flat, horizontal shapes give us a sense of stability and calm... Humans are
most stable when we are horizontal, because we can't fall down." Other
examples: horizon line, triangle base.
2. "Vertical shapes are more exciting and more active...." Objects like trees, churches and skyscrapers "require a great deal of energy to build... release a great energy when they fall." Example: a person going from sitting to standing. Note: a horizontal plane atop verticals, e.g., table, house, temple, convey both stability and pride.
3. "Diagonal shapes are dynamic because they imply motion and tension." Examples: branches, mountain slopes. They also can supply perspective, e.g., a road leading us into or away from picture; and add support and connection, e.g., buttress or strut. Note: "A triangle placed on a flat base gives a feeling of stability." A tipped triangle can convey motion, instability, direction.
4. "The upper half of a picture is a place of freedom, happiness, and triumph.... The bottom half of a picture feels more threatened, heavier, sadder, or more constrained; objects placed in the bottom half also feel more grounded. '... An object placed higher up on the page has greater pictorial weight.'"
5. "The center of the page is the most effective 'center of attention.' It is the point of greatest attraction." Note: Much delight can be found outside the center in images that are ironic, undermining, humorous, threatening, etc.
6. "White or light backgrounds feel safer to us than dark backgrounds because we can see well during the day and only poorly at night." Exceptions might include finding safety in the dark; feeling exposed and vulnerable in the spotlight or alone on an ice mass.
2. "Vertical shapes are more exciting and more active...." Objects like trees, churches and skyscrapers "require a great deal of energy to build... release a great energy when they fall." Example: a person going from sitting to standing. Note: a horizontal plane atop verticals, e.g., table, house, temple, convey both stability and pride.
3. "Diagonal shapes are dynamic because they imply motion and tension." Examples: branches, mountain slopes. They also can supply perspective, e.g., a road leading us into or away from picture; and add support and connection, e.g., buttress or strut. Note: "A triangle placed on a flat base gives a feeling of stability." A tipped triangle can convey motion, instability, direction.
4. "The upper half of a picture is a place of freedom, happiness, and triumph.... The bottom half of a picture feels more threatened, heavier, sadder, or more constrained; objects placed in the bottom half also feel more grounded. '... An object placed higher up on the page has greater pictorial weight.'"
5. "The center of the page is the most effective 'center of attention.' It is the point of greatest attraction." Note: Much delight can be found outside the center in images that are ironic, undermining, humorous, threatening, etc.
6. "White or light backgrounds feel safer to us than dark backgrounds because we can see well during the day and only poorly at night." Exceptions might include finding safety in the dark; feeling exposed and vulnerable in the spotlight or alone on an ice mass.
7. "We feel more scared looking at pointed shapes; we feel
more secure or comforted looking at round shapes or
curves."
8. "The larger an object is in a picture, the stronger it
feels.... We associate size with strength -- strength of any sort." E.g.,
mental, spiritual, etc.
9. "We associate the same or similar colors much more
strongly than we associate the same or similar
shapes."
10. We notice contrasts, ... contrast enables us to see.
Shea, Pegi D. (2010). Eliciting picture book responses up and down
the grade level ladder, and back and forth across the curriculum. New
England Reading Association Journal.
December Issue.
No comments:
Post a Comment