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.”
![pattern showing the visual dynamic of three visual elements](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211025_0001-copy-e1635824645969.jpg?x61595)
First try using similar vertical shapes of differing colours on black background
![Emphasis on colour difference and shape similarity](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211020_0004-e1635824675887.jpg?x61595)
First attempt at embedding one element in another
![Illustrating the embedding of one element in another larger one](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211020_0004-copy-e1635825200360.jpg?x61595)
First attempt a shape differentiation on narrowing in black background
![exploration of shape, size and colour difference](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211023_0001-copy-e1635825234779.jpg?x61595)
Exploring the drawing power of centrality
![Illustrating the drawing power of centrality](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211023_0001-e1635825291349.jpg?x61595)
Testing the “rule of odds” by introducing a shadow background as fourth element
![testing the theory of odds with a counterpoint fourth one](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211025_0001-e1635825321976.jpg?x61595)
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](https://www.culturaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211028_0001-copy-e1635825357698.jpg?x61595)