Creative progress

I decided to evolve on from abstract shapes to figures. More my thing. I started by just sketching random isolated poses, trying to arrange and size them in ways that balanced out. I wasn't very happy with this first one. Seems a bit random. To start with, I don't think it's very balanced anyway. There's a strong diagonal going on on the left hand side for which I've not provided sufficient counterweight anywhere. But also, even though it might be possible from a purely compositional point of view create a balance in this sketch, but the disjointed poses makes it difficult for my eye to see the 5 separate figures as part of a single image, so any compositional balance would be irrelevant.

So I concluded that the separate figures must at least suggest a shared narrative; they must be part of the same world. So I tried again. I think this next one is more successful. Firstly the 3 distant figures on the left do - I think - provide sufficient counter-weights to the single stooping figure on the right. Also, my mind does see all 4 figures as part of the same moment and place, so the compositional balance is reinforced.

None of this is particularly surprising or revelatory, but it has usefully reinforced things in my own mind. And, has encouraged me to be more adventurous in my compositions. The idea that three small figures can balance a single large one is not something I'd considered before.