After 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 exercises 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
thickness drawn with the brush as suggested in chapter II. The result
should be a harmony of well‐cut space, a little musical theme in straight
lines and grouped areas. Make many trial arrangements, sketching lightly
with charcoal on “bogus” 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 Japanese brush. Avoid hard wiry lines and
all that savors of rule and compass or laborious pains‐taking. Use no
measure of any kind; sizes, shapes and directions must be decided upon
without mechanical aids.
[No. 24. Composition in Squares and Circles.]
[No. 25. Compositions in Squares and Circles]
Never try to erase an ink line,—if a mistake occurs begin again. Tracing,
for the art‐purpose of improving proportions and acquiring an expressive
brush‐touch, is a most valuable help to the production of good work.
Architects use tracing‐paper for changes in plans. Japanese artists trace
again and again until satisfied with the quality of touch and strength of
drawing. Straight line is chosen for elementary practice because of its
simplicity, and because it prepares for work with curves. The finest curve
is measured by a series of straight lines in harmonic relations of rhythm
and proportion (p. 42). After some experience with straight line, cut
areas with curved,—geometric, flower, fruit, landscape or figure.
Equal thickness of line is advisable now, to fix attention upon direction,
touch and spacing. Variation in width will come later in notan of line
(page 54) and in representative drawing (page 51) where texture and
modelling are to be indicated. The main purpose of this and all exercises
in this book is the creation of harmony, hence if the result has but a
slight degree of line‐beauty it can be considered a first step in Art.
The examples are chosen from students’ work, from Japanese books, from
design, craft and architecture. They illustrate various ways of treating
squares and circles according to principles of composition.
1. Copy these enlarged, with brush.
2. Select one, as a theme, and make many variations.
3. Originate new line‐schemes in squares and circles.
[No. 26. Compositions in Squares and Circles.]
[No. 27. Units for wood‐block printing, stencilling and hand‐coloring.]