The Wizardry of Odds
The visual preference for odd number of stimuli in a photograph was convincingly presented by the photographer Ted Forbes in his didactic video.
When transferred to another visual medium such as collage, the creative process is quite different than photography of existing subject.
In the feature image, reprised below, I show my first attempt at creating a three parts collage, to be followed with similar ones varying in geometric pattern and colour combination, but all based on Forbes’ “Rule of odds.”
Basic try keyed on the red triangle
First try using similar vertical shapes of differing colours on black background
Emphasis on colour difference and shape similarity
First attempt at embedding one element in another
Bringing the background as a shadow separating element
First attempt a shape differentiation on narrowing in black background
Exploring colour and shape variety on tighter black background
Exploring the drawing power of centrality
Playing on size, shape and positioning of elements around the center
Testing the “rule of odds” by introducing a shadow background as fourth element
Playing on the visual back and forth between three distinct elements and shadow fourth one
End image
Here is a reprise of first try with an attempt to bring in the background as a shadow version of the central element
Playing with bringing background as shadow inversion of an element
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