Composition question
- Thread starter Parkadge
- Start date
Help Support planetFigure:
Sambaman
A Fixture
Pat, interesting layout you have going! First point would be that odd numbers are ALWAYS better than even numbers. So if you can bring yourself to leave in the seated guy I would. My sugestion would be to move him onto the tank above the other figures. This would not only leave him in the scene, as he has an interesting pose (his wave seams to address the "viewer" or somthing/someone off the scene as it were to draw the scene beyond just the plane of the figures), it also moves your composition into/onto the tank. Tying in the tank would help this out allot as it only serves as a backdrop the way you show it here (assuming this is how the figures will land). I would then pair the guy with his arm up and legs crossed with the guy that has his hand on his holster (the top photo). I would then pair up the Rosengrant figure to the "inside" of the guy with the wine bottle. Be sure to position them in such a way that you don't get them too evenly spaced. You know, "boom boom boom" straight across at an even stagger. Pair them up or one on the left, the guy up on the tank, then maybe the remaining three. Play around with it and see what you come up with. It actually wouldnt hurt to maybe to get one of the standing figures up on the tank looking down (the guy holding the bottle would be perfect as his glance is somewhat downward), the seated guy on the side of the tanks sponson, and then the last three on the ground (maybe one to the left, and the other two on the right with the seated guys legs as the visual break between them). This would give you three levels of interest, and even more visual break-up of the plane the figures ocupy! Let us know what you decide!
Jay H.
OKC
Jay H.
OKC
John Long
A Fixture
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2003
- Messages
- 1,500
What are the guys supposed to be doing? Are they posing for a photograph? I think if you will experiment with taking your grouping in a more vertical direction you can incorporate all five figures. Five is a Sherman's compliment, right? Going a bit further with the idea Jay brings up of bringing the tank in to play. It is afterall a character in your dio. I would put one figure on the turret, perhaps the sitting figure sitting on the turret or in the hatch. Another on the front or rear deck and the others on the ground. At any rate, I agree with Jay, five is more interesting than four (as long as it all makes sense). Good luck.
Pete_H
A Fixture
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2003
- Messages
- 1,157
The Sherman did, in fact, have a crew of five: commander, gunner, radio operator, loader, and driver. To leave the seating guy out wouldn't make much sense. I agree with John Long - incorporate the tank in your dio better by having the seated guy sitting on the turret.
Tarok
A Fixture
I dunno which one "works" better, I just know which one is more pleasing to my eye.... and I'd have to say the first pic - with the 5 figures....
My 0.02 ZAR....
Rudi
My 0.02 ZAR....
Rudi
Bluesking
A Fixture
My vote would be to leave him in but to place k him above the other figures on the hull or turret.
Einion
A Fixture
That's the first thing I was going to say too, generally a good principle. If you do want to stick with four men group them as a three and a single figure off to one side.
Einion
btavis
A Fixture
Regardless of whether it is one or fifty figures it would help to know what the "story" is. Right now it is just a bunch of disparate figures placed in front of a tank.
Blind Pew
PlanetFigure Supporter
How does it work with him sitting on the tank?
Lots of great advice there thanks everyone. They are supposed to be posing for a photo something like this one.
But after reading the advice here I have been playing around and come up with this. I have replaced the sitting figure as he wouldn't fit on the tank. Nothing is settled as yet but it does look more interesting and ties the figures in with the tank.
Thanks again
But after reading the advice here I have been playing around and come up with this. I have replaced the sitting figure as he wouldn't fit on the tank. Nothing is settled as yet but it does look more interesting and ties the figures in with the tank.
Thanks again
btavis
A Fixture
The compostion is improved but there is still no story. Why is their picture being taken, who are these guys, what have they accomplished, etc? To make a compelling vignette there needs to be a reason for it I think other than just a still life of miniatures well composed or not. Maybe they are the first across Remagen, or some other historic event.
alexwencho
A Fixture
works for me mate, you cant go wrong with a bunch of tankers hanging around a sherman.
awd
awd
Sambaman
A Fixture
Pat, MUCH improved layout. I love the staggered positions and placing them at the 45 on the tank ties it in perfectly! I agree with Bob, any scene with multiple figures should tell a story, and John has a good point about the photographer. BUT....first of all I think the positioning of the figs gives us the impression they are posing, and adding a photographer might be a bit over-kill. I REALLY like the idea of the viewer looking at this from the perspective of the photographer, just as if we were the ones taking the photo. I think it becomes an understood at that point. As far as telling the story, I think a clever title for the piece will do it justice! Something like "The Spoils of War" (bottles and sucsseful pose) or "The Conquerers" to exagerate the fact that they came this far would go a long way in explainign the "pose". Good luck, and good work. Keep us posted! Alex is right, tankers around a Sherman.....you can't go wrong! :lol:
Jay H.
OKC
Jay H.
OKC
Grant
Member
Pat,
I agree that the new layout is much more captivating. I like the visual interest of the eye being drawn to a point by the triangular position of the figures and relation to the height of the tank. I also agree that I think the reason behind the vignette - tankers posing for a photograph - is adequately implied. However, the suggestion about adding a photographer could work. Perhaps try a kneeling figure in front holding a camera. A kneeling figure shouldn't diminish the overall visual effect, adds to the building height of the composition, and tells the story a bit more clearly. One issue with adding a photographer would be that you don't want to detract from the overall impact of the vignette by having another figure floating too far away from the heart of the scene.
I agree that the new layout is much more captivating. I like the visual interest of the eye being drawn to a point by the triangular position of the figures and relation to the height of the tank. I also agree that I think the reason behind the vignette - tankers posing for a photograph - is adequately implied. However, the suggestion about adding a photographer could work. Perhaps try a kneeling figure in front holding a camera. A kneeling figure shouldn't diminish the overall visual effect, adds to the building height of the composition, and tells the story a bit more clearly. One issue with adding a photographer would be that you don't want to detract from the overall impact of the vignette by having another figure floating too far away from the heart of the scene.
Grant
Member
Pat,
I agree that the new layout is much more captivating. I like the visual interest of the eye being drawn to a point by the triangular position of the figures and relation to the height of the tank. I also agree that I think the reason behind the vignette - tankers posing for a photograph - is adequately implied. However, the suggestion about adding a photographer could work. Perhaps try a kneeling figure in front holding a camera. A kneeling figure shouldn't diminish the overall visual effect, adds to the building height of the composition, and tells the story a bit more clearly. One issue with adding a photographer would be that you don't want to detract from the overall impact of the vignette by having another figure floating too far away from the heart of the scene.
I agree that the new layout is much more captivating. I like the visual interest of the eye being drawn to a point by the triangular position of the figures and relation to the height of the tank. I also agree that I think the reason behind the vignette - tankers posing for a photograph - is adequately implied. However, the suggestion about adding a photographer could work. Perhaps try a kneeling figure in front holding a camera. A kneeling figure shouldn't diminish the overall visual effect, adds to the building height of the composition, and tells the story a bit more clearly. One issue with adding a photographer would be that you don't want to detract from the overall impact of the vignette by having another figure floating too far away from the heart of the scene.
jjgurk
A Fixture
Pat, I don't know if this will help you along or not, but this is a dio I did some years ago. I got the idea from a documentary and just happened to like the idea of the soldiers taking a break from the action so to speak and casting their votes in the Presidential election. The title of the piece was simply "Roosevelt Defeats Dewey". I think it's pretty self explanatory. And I agree with Jay in that a clever title can go a long way in telling the story and draw in the viewer's eye.
Attachments
jjgurk
A Fixture
Figure Mad
A Fixture
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,789
Hi Pat
Just a thought, the two figures on the left, standing perhaps swop them two around and bring a little closer, makes it look a little like an interupted conversation, by an unusual noise from that building thats just out of the dio... see what you think
Dave
Just a thought, the two figures on the left, standing perhaps swop them two around and bring a little closer, makes it look a little like an interupted conversation, by an unusual noise from that building thats just out of the dio... see what you think
Dave
