[StylesDavis]

Hi all!

analyzing some of mucha's stuff i suddenly became struggle with those two words and couldn't get clear in mind what each word really means.

to me, "composition" always meant the arrangement of pictorial elements(abstract or figurative) as shapes in a certain way.

and "design" means...well, yes, what is design?? isn't it the the arrangement of the pictures' shapes to each other, too?

what did spooge mean, when he said, bouguereous' design "was even better than his drawing skill", when he posted those close-ups? b.'s way of perceiving reality and putting it down on canvas? um, isn't that drawing, too...?

*confused*

anybody?
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known as "ChrisNix" elsewhere.

[Impaler]

Composition is an element of design. Other elements include line, shape, mass, space, color and motion.

But then, I have no idea if this is what Mr. Demon was talking about.
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QED, sort of.

[eyewoo]

My sense is that design has to do with overall concept and composition has to do with overall layout. Overall meaning, line, shape, color, etc...
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[Chruser]

Not sure if dictionary.com may be of some help:

design
v.tr.

To create or contrive for a particular purpose or effect.
To conceive or fashion in the mind; invent.


compose
v.tr.

To make or create by putting together parts or elements.
To arrange aesthetically or artistically.


composition
n.

The combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole.
Arrangement of artistic parts so as to form a unified whole.
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[glody]

http://www.mkgraphic.com/paulrand.html

Paul Rand: Design is the manipulation of form and content. With that kind of a definition you know you are going somewhere, you are doing something, so I sit down and I manipulate. What does that mean, to manipulate? What do you do? The process you go through is that aspect of manipulation. What you are doing?

Content is the idea, or subject matter. Form is what you do with this idea. How do I deal with it. Do I use color? Do I use black and white? Do I make it big? Do I make it small? Do I make it three dimensional or two dimensional? Do I use trendy stuff, or do I use more serious stuff? Do I use Bodoni or do I use Baskerville?

These are all questions you ask, this is part of the manipulative aspect of design. So, in order to have a discussion about a subject it is necessary that you define what we are talking about. Most of the time people talk about design and nobody understands what the subject is. Nobody ever thinks about it. Somebody thinks about design as something he saw in a tie design, or a bathroom wallpaper, or a design in a carpet. That is the general understanding of what design means. That does not mean design, that is just decoration.

It is part of the design process but that happens to be talking about decoration. This is how most people define design, how laymen defines design. I think it is an unfortunate word but nevertheless it is the word we are stuck with. It goes back to the pre-Renaissance when Vasari said that design is the fundamental, the basis for all art, painting, dance, sculpture, writing, it is the fundamental of all the arts. It is the manipulation of form and content in all the arts.

So design, and graphic design, is no different from design in painting. If you carry this idea to its natural conclusion, you will decide that there is no difference between design and painting, or design and sculpture, it is all the same. If we have any painters in here, I am sure they violently disagree but it does not matter. Bring up a painter. You know somebody who is a painter, bring him in.

[Ranath]

http://www.ryanchurch.com/06Q&A.htm

check out question number 13, bottom of the page

[StylesDavis]

Thanks @all for your efforts!

I think it is quite interesting that everybody who posted here has quite an own understanding of what design means.
Honestly, i only had the feeling of clarity when i read what Ryan Church said about it. I think that was my basic understandig of what design and composition means, too, but it became somewhat confused as time passed and many of us used the word "design" in different contexts.

what do you think about ryan churchs' thoughts? i FEEL he nailed down a pretty good definition.
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known as "ChrisNix" elsewhere.

[Ranath]

I think Ryan Church nailed it down the way designers (and probably illustrators) see it, something they probably would teach in Art Center College of Design.

Fine art painters might think something else, but personally I agree with Church 100% (wouldn't have posted the link otherwise lol)

[eyewoo]