Overview

Composition is how you arrange the furniture in the room of your image. It guides the viewer’s eye and tells them what is important.

Core Idea

The core idea is Control. You are directing the viewer’s gaze. You want them to look here, then there, then stay.

Formal Definition

The placement or arrangement of visual elements in a work of art.

Intuition

  • Rule of Thirds: Divide the image into a tic-tac-toe grid. Place interesting things on the intersections. It creates dynamic balance.
  • Leading Lines: Lines that point to the subject (e.g., a road, a fence, a gaze).
  • Hierarchy: Make the most important thing the biggest, brightest, or sharpest.

Examples

  • The Last Supper (Da Vinci): All lines point to Jesus’ head (Linear Perspective as composition).
  • Film: Directors use composition to show power dynamics (low angle = powerful, high angle = weak).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Center the subject.
    • Correction: Centering is static and boring (unless you want symmetry). Off-center is dynamic.
  • Misconception: Fill every space.
    • Correction: Negative Space (empty space) is just as important as the subject. It gives the eye a place to rest.

Applications

  • Photography: Framing the shot.
  • UI/UX Design: Guiding the user to the “Buy” button.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Rule Breaking: Sometimes a chaotic, unbalanced composition is exactly what you need (to show anxiety or war).

Further Reading

  • Picture This by Molly Bang