The way the elements are arranged on the page—or the composition—is important, because it allows you to lead the viewer’s eye around the page, ultimately directing it toward the focal point. You should keep these composition basics in mind when taking your photos—but there will still be many situations where you’ll want to alter the composition of a photo reference or combine more than one reference, meaning you’ll often be composing on the page instead of through the lens.
Oval The eye travels around the picture in an oval path. Each time the eye begins to move toward the side of the picture, an element located there (such as a tree branch) redirects it back inside.
S-shape The eye zigzags throughout the picture, as if following a winding road. The path should not begin or end in the corner of the picture, so that the viewer’s eye is not drawn out of the picture.
L-shape Here, a large vertical shape along the side and a horizontal shape along the bottom take up the better part of the composition. For example, there could be a large expanse of sky framed by a tree to the left and ground at the base.
Steelyard In this example, a small shape in the background balances out a larger one in the foreground—such as a barn directing the eye toward a country house. The two elements can’t be too like in size, lest they fight for attention.
In a drawing, there should always be a focal point, or center of interest. The Rule of Thirds is one very simple guide for the placement of that focal point. To follow the rule of thirds, divide your drawing into three equal parts horizontally and then vertically. The lines cross at four points—use any one as a guide for placement of your focal point.
The Rule of Thirds is not the only guide for placing the focal point, but it’s frequently used by artists, and very reliable.