PARALLELA WORLD OF YOUR OWN
PARALLEL ORIGINALS / Practice project

Five objects, three colors

Shift attention from finding perfect subjects to arranging relationships between shapes.

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Five objects, three colors
A composition diagram for this exercise, not a photograph.

Choose familiar objects

Choose five small objects you may use. Look at silhouettes—round, rectangular, slender, irregular—and arrange them as shapes before describing their details. They do not have to look like traditional still-life subjects.

Let one shape lead

Choose one prominent shape and arrange the others around it. Test two layouts, comparing overlaps and spaces between objects. Small drafts let you make those decisions before revising a full-size picture.

Let color serve the arrangement

Keep three main colors without requiring each object to retain its real color. Use them for the focal shape, connecting areas, and background. At the end, ask whether removing an object would clarify the arrangement or merely leave a gap.

Make it a small practice

  1. Begin with five silhouettes.
  2. Make two drafts with different overlaps.
  3. Use three colors to organize the hierarchy.

Return to this space and sign in to publish the writing, photos, or work you make from this exercise.

Free practice pack

Take the resources and make something of your own

The ZIP includes editable templates, instructions, and bilingual practice text. No login or payment is required.

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