Abstract
Viewing artworks may be subject to the same processes as everyday scene selection in respect of gaze behaviour. However, artists may employ carefully constructed composition in their paintings to lead the eyes of viewers along a predetermined path. This paper investigates whether composition is successful through comparison of expected scanpaths (constructed using the known intention of the artist) and actual scanpaths (as captured using an eye-tracker) based on a loci and sequence similarity index. The findings suggest that composition is successful in leading the eye, although the order of fixations can vary. It could thus be concluded that composition is largely successful in terms of salient elements, but less so for guiding elements. Furthermore, using Cognitive Linguistics theories and applying it to the paintings with reference to the statistical results, the Art Creation Continuum that captures the role of composition on a spectrum is proposed.
Highlights
Composition is the “science of combination” and can be defined as the arrangement of elements to create a painting (Poore, 2008) and create a focal point of compositional order (Topper, 2001)
A number of studies have focused on this and found that the compositional design had an influence on the gaze patterns of the trained viewers – suggesting in the words of the authors that “beauty is less in the eye and more in the mind of the beholder” (Nodine and Locher, 1993)
Eye movements of viewers differ based on preference and balance, that is, gaze patterns of viewers who preferred a balanced composition in paintings differed from those who preferred an altered or unbalanced composition
Summary
Composition is the “science of combination” and can be defined as the arrangement of elements to create a painting (Poore, 2008) and create a focal point of compositional order (Topper, 2001). As far back as 1935, Buswell (1935) discovered that gaze patterns between trained and untrained viewers of art did not differ significantly but that individuals tended to fixate on the same spatial locations but not necessarily in the same temporal order. A number of studies have focused on this and found that the compositional design had an influence on the gaze patterns of the trained viewers – suggesting in the words of the authors that “beauty is less in the eye and more in the mind of the beholder” (Nodine and Locher, 1993). Eye movements of viewers differ based on preference and balance, that is, gaze patterns of viewers who preferred a balanced composition in paintings differed from those who preferred an altered or unbalanced composition. Experts and naïve art viewers can tend to focus on different elements in the painting (Pihko, 2011)
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