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#Post#: 3--------------------------------------------------
Composition in thirds
DIR By: Pam
Date: May 20, 2021, 3:18 am
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HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vAZFJ5i9aKA/WQSSZokI8WI/AAAAAAAABDw/MUyolwovook6mroyKRGSLudYjrsaqslUwCEw/s400/4%2BBeneath%2Ba%2BSteel%2BSky.png
A common practice in both photography and art is to mentally
divide the composition into both vertical and horizontal thirds
when arranging elements, and using these thirds to loosely
inform the placement of certain elements. It's common to see
objects of interest placed around the intersection of two of the
lines, for example, or to set one's horizon line along one of
the lateral lines. This scene from Beneath a Steel Sky shows an
interesting composition in which the vertical divisions in the
composition run roughly down the first and second thirds lines,
dividing the picture up evenly, and the placement of the walkway
is along the second horizontal third.
HTML https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFGTgJbS9R8/WQSYrU24p4I/AAAAAAAABEw/srGtrBfi86wTP0zZH3TfU6yiRcPCphgpwCEw/s400/asdf.png
The junction of two thirds is an excellent placement for the
cockpit of this craft in Space Quest 4 - it's clearly the most
interesting object in the scene. We can also see that the
landscape is nicely divided into thirds vertically - the top
third is sky and distant rock formations, the middle third is
the flat path we walk on, which basically doesn't push beyond
these lines, and the bottom shows the supporting rock structure
and other stony features.
HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NEY51hmnZ_A/WQSYr4oHdkI/AAAAAAAABEw/i7iVMKN67IUb3v7VXqGr48gvyVk6RTdewCEw/s400/qwpdokqwe.png
In this scene from Full Throttle we have two focal points - a
door that we have to get through and a fuel tower in the
distance that we're trying to reach. Here both are placed on
opposing thirds - the tower on the intersection of the first
thirds, and the door on the second thirds. This balances them
both nicely - putting both on one side of the image, or both at
the top or bottom would make the scene's weight feel shifted
away from this even placement.
HTML https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjfLw59xIaA/WQSYrBo7LYI/AAAAAAAABEw/jAH8E2wfiOo0d_wv9LwZxHbICnYXtwEGgCEw/s400/Untitled-1as.png
This shot from Quest for Glory 3 shows a similar idea but in an
opposite configuration - the placement of our hero is around the
bottom left third, and the placement of the throne and its
occupant is centred around the top right third - even wrapping
around it in an L shape that leaves most of the top middle third
free to show the throne. Notice also that the pillar runs along
the left third - in fact, the whole image feels like it's rather
neatly divisible into thirds.
HTML https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lIHre4zlwjU/WQSYrbdw5EI/AAAAAAAABEw/ofIjgYAXR4wTyKSrKG9Y60Vu0YviDVnsgCEw/s400/Untill.png
In this shot from Space Quest 5 we can see something similar -
not only is Roger's face placed right on the top left third, but
the surrounding landscape appears to have been composed into
neat thirds. The right third has an organic pillar running down
most of the way, ending two thirds of the way down, the bottom
left third is take up almost entirely by another organic
pillar's descent, and the middle third is reserved for the
distance (and another figure, in a different colour).
HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m826WVOObrQ/WQSYr83OPwI/AAAAAAAABEw/RMJIUSP9YR4eBYNR4roTkc7foxCM70aZQCEw/s400/sdf.png
This backdrop from The Dig also has stone features dividing the
scene - the left and right thirds taken up by tall stone
structures - as well as a sky that takes up the top third, but
also here the centre third has been lit up warmly compared to
the structure around it. This entire scene may have been
actually drawn with a grid of thirds, so neat is the
composition.
HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M70Imj11IEw/WQSYq4lsTXI/AAAAAAAABEw/AwPTr9edZ0sFWwXZhQSYiSQpfW_A96V5QCEw/s400/Untitled-10.png
I get the same feeling from this scene in Kyrandia 2 - not only
is the haystack placed around the bottom left third, but the top
of the stack fills the middle third, the bottom (and its shadow)
the bottom third. The top left third seems to be all cliff and
trees, with the top left third trees and sky, and the top middle
third a mix of all three in an interesting way. The path exists
in the bottom third, with a fence running right along the third
line, and the forest on either side of the middle third changing
right around the third lines. It's not possible to know for
certain if this was drawn with a grid, but the image certainly
benefits from the clean, balanced composition.
HTML https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LE2VBvbLSc8/WQSYr3ufy1I/AAAAAAAABEw/aOmwRhN0R90kT0CAwP5cd3brVH4fnL7ewCEw/s400/lala.png
This shot from Simon the Sorcerer feels the same - the owl on
the top left third, and the land, trees and sky around it
divided neatly into thirds. Each third here, too, feels like
it's own little micro-composition, making this composition
somewhat reminiscent of the layouts of traditional landscape
painters, even if the actual execution is more whimsical here.
HTML https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RiCPRfeFO6k/WQSYrsh1utI/AAAAAAAABEw/UoE1WXG8TR4GDzFWrVJGe6GpgWj5OOoNQCEw/s400/km.png
The same is true here in King's Quest 6 - each third of this
scene seems to contain a very specific element - the sky in the
top left, then a small plateau in the top middle and a more
distant forested hill in the top right. The middle left has a
wrecked ship and stones, then a short cliff and path, then the
curving edge of the path and a shrub. The bottom left is sea and
wreckage, then the main stretch of winding beach, and then
finally a grassy mound in the bottom right. It's fairly neatly
divided among these thirds, despite the shapes still feeling
organic and varied.
HTML https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SmbmMMBK0qQ/WQSYrrjFGjI/AAAAAAAABEw/aCH0LBFxmTU9IdHmOgrrIkQB6EOch8fVgCEw/s400/kn.png
Something I particularly like in this scene from Willy Beamish
is how lighting helps divide the composition. Notice how the
tree on the right side of the image is in shadow in the top and
bottom thirds, and lit in the middle, how the fence is shadowed
in the right and left thirds, how the shadow of the centre
tree's canopy sits right along the third line. Probably my
favourite feature is how dynamic features cut off the bottom
third - fence and bushes in the bottom left, shadow in the
bottom middle, and flowers and wheelbarrow in the bottom right.
The bottom third feels like it's been divided extremely neatly
along this line, but the varied nature of the shapes and
features doing this dividing means it feels much more natural.
HTML https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HS1R2qeDNEc/WQSYqvzl9tI/AAAAAAAABEw/nwKg3ZRjJPkb8x-uIjoaIVe0s4p0zDDgwCEw/s400/Untitled-1.png
This scene from Full Throttle uses lighting nicely too - the
bottom third is dark, with the division along the third line
being highlighted in the warm yellow coming from a light source
that stops around the left third division. It's a simple trick,
but helps to define this section of the composition nicely, and
does so in an unobtrusive way.
HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5DXnklreoqQ/WQSYr8K8ypI/AAAAAAAABEw/iSMq-u7Rws4pPV9aWVw3OZV9tNgNxFdZQCEw/s400/mn.png
It's interesting how very organic forms can be grouped into neat
compositions, too. The rounded hills of this section of King's
Quest 6 seem very loose and rounded, but when viewed against a
grid of thirds, it's clear that they have a clear, fairly even
cutoff point along the first third line - almost as straight as
the stone pathway that ends right along the second third line.
Notice here, too, how the knight pieces group with the sections
of fence to block in the left and right centre thirds nicely.
HTML https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNE6ncndYOA/WQSYrXccUfI/AAAAAAAABEw/hLFPdDZpNCoEBylC6u1GB5wqMURkgggVACEw/s400/asdasdasd.png
One last point of interest to me is the idea of how we view a
composition. In the standard gameplay view of Dune, it's clear
where the scenery is and where the interface is - and here the
composition can be considered to be divided up into thirds
extremely neatly. The bottoms of the banners, the floor, the
pillars - it's all divided up quite squarely, with the interface
not part of the scene.
HTML https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aHxVbZMNRMc/WQSYrJlTIOI/AAAAAAAABEw/Y5DeD_18W5k4gwfhCKJT8am6nWnSeSh8wCEw/s400/asdasd.png
When talking to a character, however, the scenery is obscured.
This seems to bring the interface into the composition, with the
actual scenery just being a framing device. This being in mind,
I like to think that we can measure the composition of a scene
across the whole interface, not excluding the bottom section,
and of course we can see that the most important part of any
character - the eyes - is right on the top left third here. An
interesting consideration, if nothing else.
Thirds in composition aren't a perfect way to get a strong
layout, nor are they a necessary tool, or even usable in every
composition. They are, however, visible in many, many scenes,
and a great way to help balance a composition out evenly. Rather
than adhering to the 'rule of thirds' for every composition, I
think it's mostly important to be aware of them, and know that
many artists do use them, and that their use has helped artists
with their compositions for centuries, yet still remains
effective today.
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