Arrangement of visual elements Composition Arrangement of visual elements

What is composition? Composition emphasizes the subject, mood, and action of an image and makes it both easily understood and aesthetically pleasing.

Rule of thirds

What’s the difference between the two? Rule of thirds What’s the difference between the two?

Divide your paper into thirds Rule of thirds Divide your paper into thirds Using the rule of thirds, draw a flower

Very attention grabbing Central Composition Very attention grabbing Look at the eyes, what do you notice about them?

Positioning Vary the heights and sizes of your images to create a more dynamic composition… Unless you want to show that those elements are EQUAL

Practicing positioning Drawing three different flowers: Place a horizon Vary their sizes Placing one higher and lower on the visual plane Still keep in mind the rule of thirds

Balance The heavier the “weights” of the image element, the nearer it should be placed to the middle of your image This helps equal out uneven visual weights

Lines Vertical lines imply energy and growth Horizontal lines are calming and stable.

Lines Diagonal lines are very dynamic on a picture plane

Cropping helps the viewer see the important information Cropping out unnecessary objects or backgrounds can help bring focus to your subject. Simplify! Cropping helps the viewer see the important information

Cropping

This time crop it in an interesting way Cropping Draw another flower This time crop it in an interesting way Show the viewer EXACTLY what you want them to see Is it the root system? The leaf? A particular petal? Don’t forget the rule of thirds!

Cropping Pelvis II, Georgia O’Keeffe, 1943 Music, Pink and blue no. 2, 1918

Viewpoint The viewpoint you choose influences the viewer’s understanding of your illustration Viewing from below makes the image feel dominant or intimidating Viewing the image from above makes the viewer feel the complete OPPOSITE

Rhythm and Repetition Repeating of the same shape or type of shape that creates a pleasing rhythmic flow You can Break the rhythm by strategically placing a different shape Which creates a focal point!

Composition Complete On a new page: Draw a scene where a flower is the focal point What compositional rules are you going to use? On the back of your drawing answer: How do those rules make your final sketch better than your first?