The Art of Tangents: Mastering Intentional Alignment in Composition
How thoughtfully using tangents can strengthen artistic vision
A few weeks ago, my friend was launching a new startup aimed at helping people achieve financial independence and stability. He had a clear vision of creating a calming, soothing brand to amplify that message. So he brought this idea to a designer and asked for a logo and visual identity with soft, flowing lines. But when he got the designs back, something felt off. The curving lines didn't evoke that sense of calm he wanted.
I took one look at the wavy, undulating shapes and blurted out, "Those lines have way too much energy!"
My friend looked at me like I was performing a seance, claiming the designs were speaking to me from beyond the page.
I explained that the feel of lines isn't just about their shape. It's about their spacing, frequency, and relationship to the overall composition. Tightly spaced patterns create visual tenstion because the near tangents can radiate frenetic energy. More open, spaced-out lines evoke calm. I suggested looking to Japanese rock gardens with their organic, tranquil shapes.
Many emerging creatives struggle with understanding tangents in their artwork. They often sense something is off in a composition, thinking "this just doesn't look right to me," but can't pinpoint the reason. The issue frequently comes down to tangents - alignments between elements that flatten and deaden an image. Today let's explore this concept more deeply. We'll learn to identify tangents that diminish a work's visual impact and techniques to avoid them.
Tangents in Artistic Composition
Tangents refer to two or more lines intersect at a point. In visual art, tangents can be used thoughtfully to create compelling compositions or accidentally in ways that distract the viewer. Even if the lines don’t fully touch, there can be additional energy added to the image based on that anticipated contact. Mastering tangents is an essential skill for any artist to develop, especially artists working in 3D space.
Unintentional Tangents
When tangents are created unintentionally, they can detract from an artwork's compositional strength. For instance, if a figure's arm lines up precisely with a tree branch in the background, it may look like the branch is growing out of the arm. This creates an awkward visual relationship that distracts the eye. The branch appears to fuse with the arm rather than existing as a separate background element.
Photographers must be particularly aware of unintentional tangents created by the alignment of foreground and background elements. A telephone pole or tree branch sticking out from a subject's head is a common occurrence. This merger of elements generally diminishes the visual impact of a photograph. Photographers should scan for distracting tangents and reframe the shot to avoid them.
Here is some more tangents to be aware of:
Avoid placing important elements directly on the edges/frame of the composition - this creates a tangent that flatten the image. Keep some space between subjects and edges.
Avoid tangent lines between two or more elements in a composition - this also flattens the image. Tangent lines merge separate elements together visually.
Avoid overlapping shapes/figures that align perfectly and create tangents. Overlapping subjects is fine, but be aware of alignments that create visual tangents.
Avoid a horizon line or other strong linear element that creates tangents with multiple points in the composition. This leads the eye out of the frame.
Be aware of compositional lines like tree branches or architecture that may create unintended tangents with subjects. Adjust positioning to break up these accidental tangents.
Don't align subjects/elements so their edges are perfectly parallel in a composition. This can create uninteresting tangents and repeating lines. Break it up.
In portraits, avoid profile positions that align the subject's face/body directly with the edge of the frame. Pull the angle off the edge to avoid a tangent.
from EmptyEasel.com
Intentional Tangents
Some artists intentionally use tangents to direct the viewer's eye or create dynamic focal points. Skillful use of tangents can make a painting, drawing or photograph more visually engaging. For example, the French painter Édouard Manet aligned a railing perfectly with the horizon line in his painting View of the Paris Exposition, establishing an eye-catching tangent.
Henri Matisse often positioned subjects and objects directly against the edges of his compositions to create interesting tangents. For example, in his painting "Interior with Violin" the edge of the window aligns perfectly with the window behind it. This and other tangents around the image creates tension and energy.
In film, Cinematographer Gregg Toland used tangents brilliantly in Citizen Kane. He famously used oblique and diagonal lines that created dynamic tangents in the film Citizen Kane. I also love in this shot how he positioned the hand so it was almost poking his own eye in the portrait.
One of the most iconic uses of a near tangent in art history is in Michelangelo's famous fresco painting The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In this image, God reaches out towards Adam with their fingertips nearly touching, creating an eye-catching tangent that emphasizes the not-quite-touching hands as the focal point. The precise alignment of God's and Adam's hands draws the viewer's attention to the symbolic gesture of God imparting life into Adam. Michelangelo leveraged the power of the tangent compositionally to highlight this crucial moment of biblical creation. The skillful use of tangents throughout Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes demonstrates the artist's mastery of intentional alignment to craft captivating pictorial narratives.
You can see this near touching causing visual tension in countless images, including this moment in How to Train Your Dragon. This moment is the first time Hiccup is coming in contact with Toothless and this slight hesitation before they touch builds the anticipation for that momentous contact.
Conclusion
In summary, artists can thoughtfully wield tangents to craft captivating compositions. However, accidental tangents usually undermine the aesthetic strength of an artwork. Mastering the intentional use of tangents while avoiding unintentional ones is a hallmark of strong artistic vision.
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Michael Tanzillo is the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, Michael is the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
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