1. Composition
RULES TO LIVE BY

2. Composition
• The organization of the
elements of art using the
principles of design

3. #1. Don’t Center
Everything
• Object placed in the
center of the page
is boring.
• A straight line in the
middle of the page
is boring.

4. #1. Don’t Center Everything
• Off center changes
the feeling of the
picture and adds
interest
• Move the horizon
line up or down to
change the picture

5. #2. Create Variety
• Objects the same
size and placed
along the same line
are monotonous.
• Varying the
placement and size
can break
monotony.

6. #3 Use The Rule of
Thirds
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use the rule of thirds

7. #4 Don’t line up things on
the bottom edge of the
paper• This is what small
children do.
• Put space between the
bottom of the objects
and the bottom edge
of the paper
• Use a horizon line.
• Use perspective

8. #5 Don’t Put the Sun
in the Corner of your
Drawing

9. What’s wrong
with this?
everything is lined up at the
top of the page
the drawing doesn’t use the
entire paper- too much
negative space
the images don’t really relate
to each other realistically
just as bad as putting it at
the bottom of the paper

10. What’s wrong
with this?
in the corners
the objects don’t relate to
each other again
too much negative space?
no idea of ground and sky

11. What’s wrong
with this?
objects relate to each other,
but they are placed right in the
middle with too much negative
space
the negative space shouldn’t
just surround the objects
no horizon line

12. What’s wrong
with this?
too crowded?
not enough negative space?
the best of the examples