Artists make numerous decisions when creating a composition, each choice helps to shape the viewer’s experience and convey the intended message or emotion. What is composition? Composition is the way an artist arranges visual elements within an artwork. A great composition is like magic… the stars align to capture the audience and give an overall sense of effectiveness! On the other hand, a poor composition can look *meh* with an awkward feel. As artists create more and more artwork, these compositional choices often become intuitive.
*Hey educators! Scroll below for a ready-for-the-classroom lesson with a slideshow and guided note sheet!*
This blog post will review a few of the basic compositional choices artists make when creating a 2d artwork, and provide some helpful tips on how to make a more effective arrangement. Follow along with this post with a downloadable .pdf of a FREE guided notes worksheet found here!
Choice #1: Orientation
Orientation is the direction of the picture plane. Two common types of orientation include portrait and landscape.
Oftentimes, the best choice on which orientation to use is guided by the subject matter. A portrait orientation has vertical height, and is a great choice to use for subjects that are tall. A landscape has horizontal width and works well to compose wide objects.
Additionally, artists may choose to place the artwork within a square, circular or other picture plane.
Choice #2: Balance
Another compositional choice artists make is the overall balance of the visual elements. Two common types of artistic balance include symmetrical and asymmetrical, as pictured in this example of the tree. While both depict the same subject, the arrangement of the tree is quite different.
In a symmetrical composition, the tree is place in the middle creating a mostly mirrored balance from the mid line. In an asymmetrical composition, the tree is place on one side leaving more negative space on the opposite side.
Choice #3: Cropping
Cropping is a compositional technique that allows artists to zoom in on visual elements. By zooming in on a subject in an artwork, the artists can direct the viewers attention to a specific part by removing extraneous details. As seen in the example of the apple, the close up view provides more detail and limits the amount of negative, empty space to fill the picture plane.
One great art history example of artists who used cropping is the artist Georgia O’Keefe. Her close up paintings of flowers created a new perception of the subject and forced the viewers to really interact with nature.
Choice #4: Focal Point
When composing an artwork with more than 1 subject, artists must choose which object will be the focal point. A focal point is the object in an artwork that stands out the MOST.
Consider 3 eggs placed in a composition (as pictured). If all are placed next to each other, they all hold equal focus and there is a strange fight for attention. However, using overlapping and placement a focal point can be easily placed on the egg in the foreground. Thus creating a more engaging composition.
Additional strategies can be used to create a focal point such as contrast, isolation, leading lines and more!
Choice #5: Rule of thirds:
Artists may also choose to use the rule of thirds to help achieve a successful composition. The rule of thirds is a fundamental principle in visual composition that divides an image into nine equal parts using two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. This grid can help to guide artists in making choices of where to place focal points, horizon lines and more.
The 4 points where the lines intersect are known as the power points. Placing key elements in the power points are particularly effective at drawing attention. Additionally, placing horizon lines (or table lines in a still life, for example) along either of the horizontal lines tend to be the most effective in composing a visually pleasing composition.
In conclusion, the choices artists make when creating a composition contributes to the overall effect of the artwork, guiding the viewer’s experience and interpreting the artist’s vision. Through careful consideration of these elements, artists can create compelling and meaningful works that resonate with their audience. I hope you found this blog post to be helpful! Thanks for reading!
Hey teachers!* Click here for my TpT shop if you’re interested in this lesson, which features a full slideshow presentation, guided note sheet with answer key, and more!
-Stephanie, art teacher and creator of Make a Mark Studios