This article is the second part of Pulling it all Together: Expressive Lines, Shapes, and Forms blog.
Circles are considered either man-made or organic. According to artist Wassily Kandinsky, the circle is the only shape that falls into both categories.
So how can you tell which type of circle is organic or man-made? Paying attention to how the work is created is essential.
Look at the two pieces below and consider about how each piece was created.
Seven Circles, 1926 by Wassily Kandinsky
Image by James Thomas, courtesy of Unsplash
The top image, by Wassily Kandinsky, was created with paint. You can see the hand of man in its creation through the brush marks. Areas of the paint application are inconsistent in some areas.
The bottom image by James Thomas, appears to have been created digitally. The edges of each ring are crisp and clean.
Keeping this knowledge in mind, the top piece is an example of circles that are organic, while the lower image are man-made circles.