1. Composition
Composition is the arrangement of elements such as form, colour etc in an orderly way

2. Vincent Van Gogh
A good composition will often be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Which is this?...
Is it balanced?....
Sunflowers, Fourth Version, 1880s

3. Pieter Claesz, ‘Breakfast Still Life with Roemer, Meat Pie, Lemon and Bread oil’
The foreground of a composition is the visual plane that appears closest to the viewer
The background is the plane in a composition perceived furthest from the viewer
The middle ground is the visual plane located between both the foreground and background.
Line, shape, space, composition, direction, scale

4. Juan Sánchez Cotán, ‘Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber’, 1602,

5. Francisco de Zurbarán, ‘Mugs and Glasses’, 1633.

6. Giorgio Morandi, ‘Natura Morta’, oil on canvas, 1956.

7. Wayne Thiebaud

8. SCALE
Scale is the proportion or ratio that defines the size relationship between two things.
Scale creates the illusion of correct size relationships between objects and figures.
It is used to make images look realistic and correct.

9. Still Life with Palette, 1972
Roy Lichtenstein
Still Life with Palette, 1972

10. A good composition should draw in the viewer and pull their eyes across the whole piece so that everything is noticed and then finally resting on the main point of the piece

11. Balance
Balance is the way in which the elements such as shape, form, colour etc are arranged equally to create a feeling of stability in the work.
No one part of the work overpowers or seems heavier than any other part.

12. Frida Kahlo, ‘Viva La Vida’, 1954

13. Why Create a Cropped Composition
Emphasise area to give more importance
Gets rid of distracting parts of image
Adds to interest if parts are half cut out

14. Darren Maurer, ‘Plain m&m's’, 2011

15. ‘Small Town Cafe’
Consider Perspective……..