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Composition: A Series of Exercises in Art Structure for the Use of Students and Teachers

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Explore art through structure, not imitation, and unlock your power to create. This classic guide presents a progressive method that blends line, mass, and color to build harmony in drawing, design, and painting. It emphasizes active looking, thoughtful composition, and the disciplined practice needed to express beauty across the fine arts.

Drawing on decades of teaching and practice, the book shows how to train judgment and develop creative skill—from simple line studies to complex passages of color and pattern. It also introduces techniques like notan (two-tone design) and wood block printing, connecting traditional craft with modern art-making. The approach centers on seeing and shaping relationships between lines, spaces, and tones before worrying about exact imitation of nature.




Learn a clear, repeatable method for planning compositions that feel whole and balanced.
Explore three core elements—Line, Notan, and Color—and how they interact in architecture, painting, and design.
Practice with practical exercises that blend drawing, design, and applied crafts like block printing and textiles.
Develop the ability to critique your work and refine arrangements for greater harmony.


Ideal for students, teachers, and anyone pursuing art for culture and craft, this edition invites readers to apply its structure-driven approach to a wide range of media and projects.


NOTAN LINE COLOR WOOD BLOCK PRINTING

Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2018

About the author

Arthur Wesley Dow

30 books3 followers

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