Liberated!
 

Thanks, Mike. The source of my misunderstanding began in a posting from Karin Wells (6.17.02) saved in my treasured notebook of Forum wisdom. Karin states that "The intersection of the two lines described above is the exact point of the kiss in my painting below." It's a beautiful painting of a mother and child. That information in addition to input from a landscape painter that I studied with, who divided up his canvas into 6 quadrants telling students that the "star performer" should go on one of the intersections, I falsely assumed that the center of interest had to be on that line intersection. It's interesting how a "little information" can lead to false conclusions. Your post has been very liberating as it sure opens up a lot more space in a composition for the focal point. I guess it's not just children who take things literally!!! :D

These compositions by Winslow Homer, American artist 1836-1910, are among the most interesting that I have come across.

1- Girl Seated, watercolor 1879
2- Portrait of Helena de Kay 12x18
3- A Summer Night
4- Autumn 1877

Nice composition of the seated girl!

I think it may have something to do with the viewers perspective. We view her at a slightly up angle, as if we are in the audience in front, and she is on a stage just above us. It gives her a nice airy, elevated sense. Not to mention that it's just so well done. He was quit the watercolorist.

I don't know what to make of the second one. It has some of the look of "Whistler's Mother." It's an odd way of sitting on that odd chair. The subject is also pulled a little more foreward, giving her slightly more room behind in the composition than we might expect to see. And with that down turned head - it all makes me wonder ...

I love the last one's shock of color, but I'm a bit puzzled by the sharply rendered leaves just beneath her right hand. Aha, maybe it's a basket of leaves that she's carrying?

Here are a couple more by Homer:

1- Charles Savage Homer Jr., watercolor 7x5"
2- The Butterfly Girl, 37x24"

From the recent ARC competition -

Aron Wiesenfeld's "Princess" Charcoal 50x38
Second place in the drawing competition.

This just crushes me.

Here are a couple of interesting compositions by Louis Weldon Hawkins, British, 1849-1910. I like the face in the mirror.

I'm guessing that the splotches in the lower left are not part of the composition. It looks like a gold leaf construction.

1- no particulars
2- Girls singing music by Gabriel Fabri, 21x18 - 1903

This is an interesting example, I think, of how color and contrast are used as compositional tools.

Alexandre Georges Henri Regnault, 18x13 - 1870

Wow, nice one...it certainly looked like one of those funky Jimi Hendrix art pieces at a quick glance! In fact the guy in the pic certainly looks quite like the man himself!

Marcus,

I have never been able to imagine this type of bold color concept in my own work. I fully appreciate it when I see it, but I guess some are just not genetically capable of producing this kind of statement.

I think the title was - Head of a Moor.

Jimi met his demise right at 100 years after this painting was produced. I think he would have approved.

All Along the Watchtower - 1968

There must be some kind of way out of here
Said the joker to the thief
Theres too much confusion
I cant get no relief

Talk about being poetic Mike...if the Jim-ster's still around he would have approved and become best mates to a poetic soul like you too...
<guitar strumming behind>