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Digital Photography

The page supports the delivery of Digital Photography as a graduate course taught at the University of West Georgia.

Proportion

Defining Proportion  

Proportion refers to the relative size and scale of various elements within a composition (Shikhrakar, 2021).  It is about how different elements within a composition relate to each other and the whole (Proportion in Art, n.d.). Proportion creates a sense of harmony and balance by considering how various components relate to each other and the overall composition. It encompasses physical size, visual importance, and how the space interacts (Shikhrakar, 2021).

Types of Proportion

Exaggerated Proportion results from intentionally distorting or enlarging elements to create emphasis or evoke emotion (S, 2021). This technique is common in caricatures, surrealist art, and graphic design styles.

Characteristics

  1. Deliberate distortion of size relationships
  2. Used to draw attention or create visual impact
  3. Can convey humor, emotion, or conceptual ideas

Application: Exaggerated proportion is often used in:

  1. Editorial illustrations
  2. Political cartoons
  3. Surrealist artwork
  4. Advertising campaigns

Naturalistic proportion, or standard proportion, refers to elements depicted in their expected real-world sizes relative to each other (Proportion in Art, n.d.) This type of proportion aims to create a realistic representation of objects and figures as they appear in nature.

Characteristics

  1. Accurate representation of real-world size relationships
  2. Commonly used in realistic art and design
  3. It helps create a sense of familiarity and believability

Miniature Scale depicts objects much smaller than their real-life counterparts (Shikhrakar, 2021). This technique is used to create a sense of intimacy or to fit large scenes into small spaces.

Characteristics

  1. Objects are represented at a significantly reduced scale.
  2. It can create a sense of delicacy or preciousness.
  3. Allows for the representation of complex scenes in limited space

Monumental scale involves portraying elements much more significant than life-size, typically to convey importance and power or to create a sense of awe (Waller, 2017).

Characteristics

  1. Objects or figures are represented at a significantly increased scale
  2. Used to create impact and emphasize significance
  3. Can evoke feelings of smallness or insignificance in the viewer

Cultural Significance

Western Painting and Proportion

Since the era of ancient Greece and Rome, Western painters have studied human skeletons and muscles to enhance the realism of their artwork. This understanding of human anatomy enabled artists to achieve accurate proportions and lifelike representations, particularly figure painting. This focus on the human form became especially prominent during the Renaissance and influenced Western art in subsequent periods (DrawingAcademy, 2021). Antonio Pollaiuolo (ca. 1432–1498) was reportedly the "first master to skin many human bodies" to understand musculature (Bambach, n.d.) better. Later masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo performed extensive dissections, setting new standards for anatomical accuracy in art (Bambach, n.d.)

Chinese Painting and Proportion

Chinese painting, especially ink-wash art, diverges from Western anatomical precision and proportional accuracy. Instead, it employs stylized proportions that may seem unusual to Western eyes. Chinese artists often deliberately emphasize certain physical attributes to convey specific qualities. For instance, they might accentuate a man's musculature to represent strength or depict women with slender frames to suggest delicacy. These intentional alterations highlight Chinese art's symbolic nature, where proportions express inner characteristics rather than achieve realistic representation. This tradition focuses on capturing the subject's essence, whether strength, gentleness, or other intangible qualities (DrawingAcademy, 2021).

References

Bambach, C. (2002, October 1). Anatomy in the renaissance. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/anat/hd_anat.htm

Fine Art Tutorials. (2025). Proportion in art. https://finearttutorials.com/guide/proportion-in-art/

Kousemo, A. (2021, April 21). Chinese vs Western painting. Drawing Academy.

https://drawingacademy.com/chinese-vs-western-painting

S. S. (2021, April 28). Proportions and composition in design. Graphically. Unlimited Graphic Design.

https://graphically.io/proportions-and-composition-in-design/

Shikhrakar, S. (2021, December 3). Proportion principle of design. ux360.design.

https://ux360.design/proportion-design/

Waller, L. (2017, August 2). Proportion: What does it mean for art and design? Inkling Creative.

https://inklingcreative.ink/proportion/