Paranoid Android WIP - composition woes

#1

Been playing with this this afternoon, but I can’t figure out where I want to go compositionally. I’m currently wanting it to have a banal feel, in keeping with the character (marvin obv) but something about the current framing is bothering me.

Could use some suggestions, as I’m more or less happy with the figure but feel like the layout needs SOMETHING

Maybe it’s just a matter of moving it farther to the right or something equally simple but figured I’d cast it out there to see if anyone had some thoughts :thumbsup:

#2

Is loneliness the main emotion you want to express? If so, I suggest you use more negative space to increase the visual weight of the surrounding, thus making Marvin appear smaller and more lonely. Also, seeing more of his cast shadow on the ground will create a more interesting composition, as well as accentuate the feeling of loneliness (just Marvin and his own shadow keeping him company). So basically, extend the canvas so Marvin is small in the composition and we can see his complete cast shadow, and place Marvin at an optimal spot as the main focal point (maybe at the right/bottom crossing point of Rule-of-Thirds.

#3

Thanks! That’s the general direction I was thinking of going in. I kept moving him around putting his head at different “rule of thirds focal points” but I think I was being too worried about him being too small, or being too particular about which bit of him was bang on a focal point.

I’ll give your suggestion a bash next time I’m able to jump back onto it.