Compositional Geometry in Pictures

Abstract

The aesthetic effect of pictures has been suggested to depend in part upon the existence of an implicit or explicit geometrical basis to their composition. In Experiment 1, subjects identified the significant points which might form the basis for such a geometry. In Experiment 2, a different group of subjects expressed preferences either for intact or cut versions of the pictures used in Experiment 1, and for sets of dots based upon the significant points within those cut and uncut pictures. Although subjects showed an overall preference for uncut rather than cut stimuli (in which it was presumed that cutting would have destroyed much of the compositional geometry), both for pictures and for dot stimuli, there was no correlation between the judgments of pictures and dot patterns, either between picture or between subjects, suggesting that compositional geometry was not of aesthetic significance in preference judgments. That conclusion was reinforced by Experiment 3, in which subjects showed no evidence of a preference for synthetic stimuli which were produced so that they had significant geometrical structure.To the eye there is displayed a confused and inarticulate juxtaposition of things; and to put this into order is the task of the human spirit [Friedlander,1, p. 91] The harmonious placing of the multifarious elements of a painting upon canvas (what Gombrich [2], calledframing and filling) is perhaps the central process that distinguishes great art from indifferent art, and which possibly confers some of the timeless quality which allows a painting to transcend any purely local limitation of its interest to a particular time, place, or culture. In addition such purely aesthetic properties achieve additional emphasis in abstract rather than representational 73

Arnheim's Gestalt Theory of Visual Balance: Examining the Compositional Structure of Art Photographs and Abstract Images

“…The psychological literature on balance has implicitly, and often explicitly, adopted physicalist ideas of balance [eg, in earlier work of one of us (McManus et al 1985; McManus and Kitson 1995), as well as that of Locher et al (1996)]. Sometimes this involves simple synthetic images, often only consisting of black and white, rather than the multiple grey levels of photographs, as, for instance, in Locher et al (2001), Locher et al (1998), and Wilson and Chatterjee (2005), or in images drawn from Japanese calligraphy (Gershoni and Hochstein 2011), in all of which studies a balance score is calculated.…”

What’s Wrong with an Art Fake? Cognitive and Emotional Variables Influenced by Authenticity Status of Artworks

“…, the role of visual rightness [6], or the role of compositional geometry [7]) or person-centered attributes (e.g. interest in art [8] or personality factors such as rigidity and the appreciation of aesthetic innovation [9]).…”

Accounting for taste: Individual differences in preference for harmony

“…The well-known adage, "There's no accounting for taste," suggests that individual differences (IDs) in aesthetic preference are either completely arbitrary or otherwise inexplicable (e.g., Chandler 1928;Woodworth, 1938). However, modern behavioral research on empirical aesthetics has shown that scientifically meaningful statements can be made about average preferences among colors (see, e.g., Ling & Hurlbert, 2009;Ou, Luo, Woodcock, & Wright, 2004;Palmer & Schloss, 2010), shapes (e.g., Amir, Biederman, & Hayworth, 2011;Bar & Neta, 2006;Silvia & Barona, 2009), spatial compositions (e.g., McManus & Kitson, 1995;Palmer, Gardner, & Wickens, 2008), and music (e.g., Smith & Melara, 1990;Trainor & Heinmiller, 1998). It therefore seems reasonable that similar techniques could be used to characterize (and thereby "account for") IDs in aesthetic preference.…”