Composition in Art

Learn how to create great compositions in your drawings and paintings. In this lesson, we discuss several composition strategies including creating focal points, the principles of design, positive and negative space, the rule of thirds, planning, using diagonals, using odd numbers and more.

[jamesmcmullen]

Finally, someone actually talks about one of the most necessary yet underappreciated subjects of art.

[ekoi]

2:04 contrast
2:47 isolation
3:32 placement
4:14 convergence
4:54 the unsual

5:38 Principles of Design
∟6:26 balance
∟8:18 movement
∟10:15 rhythm
∟11:26 harmony and unity
∟13:30 emphasis
∟14:28 Variety

15:51 positive and negative space
18:02 planning
19:53 rule of thirds
21:30 diagonals
22:02 odd numbers

[luluhe]

The way this guy is seated in the video and the video background is an homage to the importance of composition.

[anandhua.b]

these tips are priceless even if you are not into painting it applies to almost all kinds of imagery such as photography

[luvnael]

This single video made me feel like I am a genius now. Great job.

[joyannesloan]

What a truly excellent video! I earned a bachelor of fine arts degree and never had such clear or comprehensive instruction on these subjects at any point during college. Thank you very much.

[stevesidare]

Variety: something commercial radio stations should learn.

[IsabellaARtstudio]

I was drawing a portrait, but soon realized that I struggled with the basics of composition and I came back to look for a detail tutorial. This one is the best!

[martynsnan]

Informative, in-depth explanation of composition. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[revbyrd]

I spent four years at art collage and did not get half the information you just shared. THANK YOU !

[towakun]

Such a good video! I do know some principles of composition but I often find myself being a little overwhelmed when it comes to composing the actual image. That's why I usually start with a rough painting and play around with it until I find something that "works". Whenever I try to do thumbnails I notice it's quite difficult for me to come up with different composition and I think I just found out why thanks to this video! I don't actually think about those individual principles enough and since I've always just "pushed the paint around until it looks okay" I never even let myself play around with things like variety, contrast, unity etc they're always an afterthought... the next time I start an image I will deliberatly create thumbnails based on these principles! I might even make a list and try to combine and emphasize different things based on the everything mentioned in this video!

[BayanSarmini]

This is so informative!, Thank you for this amazing video!

[crowofcainhurst]

Your video gives me the most valuable lesson in art ever! Thank you so much!!!

[lindifleeman]

Thank you Matt. I'm a retired Correctional officer and was forced into retirement by age 32. The max prison is a focal point in society with what bad means. The way you describe composition, I'm trying to tell my story with how I feel about prisons. What they do to both. The correctional officer and the prisoner have similar roles. I want to.story tell without involving the cell. A cell.would be a focal point. Daily I'm painting and trying to become a beginner artist about what prisons do to the mind and body. I love a salvador dali approach.

[gilianngonzalez]

I've watched this video four times, and every time I've learned something new.

[fixedcamera]

i think my art suffers from zero planning and me just wanting to draw and hope it works after

[inspireintrigue]

I learned all of this in very expensive art school. But I forgot most of it and this video brought it all right back !

[benjaminfelis]

Create focal points through:

1. Contrast
2. Isolation
3. Placement (Rule of thirds)
4. Convergence
5. Unsual Elements

Principles of design:
1. Balance
2. Movement (Guide/engage the viewer)
3. Rhythm (Repetition/Motive)
4. Harmony & Unity
5. Emphasis
6. Variety (combine with harmony)

Apart from that:
1. Positive & negative space
2. Planning (Thumbnails)
3. Rule of thirds (The „golden“ rule
4. Static & dynamic composition
5. Odd numbers (3, 5, 7….objects)

Thank you so much for this great tutorial!!🙏🏻

[ijyoyo]

Thank you for giving me more vocabulary to look up and to use in my work ! You’re awesome !

[Off_pudding]

You are an amazing instructor, this is the best video I've found on this subject. I appreciate the level of detail, explanations and examples used. Thank you.