Know your Basics - Composition (the

manip way)
J O U R N A L E N T R Y : M O N S E P 26, 2011, 11: 07 AM
♦ M Y DD G U I D E L I N E S ♦
♦ P H OT O M A N I P S F O R B E G I N N E R S ♦

The Rule of Thirds is another one of those expressions that you have probably heard before
somewhere but aren't quite sure what it means. This article strives to shed some light on this rule as
well as on how to use lines and shapes in your compositions to lead the viewer's eye to the important
bits. There are some compositional rules and pointers that no artist should go without knowing!

The Technical Part

Rule of Thirds

Thankfully this time, there are no hours upon hours of dry reading to be done because the Rule of
Thirds itself can be explained rather easily:
"The Rule of Thirds states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two
equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional
elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections." (from the wikipedia article)

Or - summed up in one image:

Revelation 6:8 by kuschelirmel

 The rider is set on the right vertical line while the horizon is on the bottom horizontal one.

Lines & Shapes

When talking about lines that lead the viewers eye within a composition, what is meant is best shown
with an image:

Revelation 6:8 by kuschelirmel

The arrows signify the lines that you could draw over the image using things that are already there:
the most prominent is surely the line the clouds form and that will draw the viewer's eye right across
the canvas and straight to the focal point.

Something similar can be done with geometric shapes:

 Peacock Postcard by kuschelirmel

Just that the shapes can do a number of things: circles and elliptical shapes can form a "comfort zone"
and thus give a point of interest encased in one a balance that may otherwise be hard to achieve.
They can make something the center of attention without creating a fuss, just by having them in their
actual center. On the other hand a circle can bring you to a stop because no line leaves it and all sides
are equal... Other shapes, especially triangles and rectangles that stand on one point can be very
dynamic. Triangles can point at something like the lines can, just with more "force" behind them. To
see what I mean, take a look at the following signs and the association they cause in your brain just
for being the shape they are:
The circle brings you to a stop, the triangles grab your attention and the stop sign is unique in its form so you're basically forced to look at it. On a side

note: if you've read read Know your Basics - Colour Theory (the manip way) you should also notice something else, namely how the red colour

gives the attention seekers another kick

Beware of Absolutes
The Rule of Thirds is sometimes interpreted too strictly for my taste (as are the roles of the individual
shapes you can find in an image). In my opinion, the more dynamic you want your image to be, the
more you use one intersection to place your subject and the more different shapes you place around
your image to keep the viewer's eye moving across the canvas. But if you're going for calmness, loss,
despair or any other "not-so-dynamic" feeling, you need a different approach: less clutter and more
centered compositions work better for that. It's as always: Think about what you want to convey
and then think about how to achieve that - don't just use the Rule of Thirds like it was an actual
Rule instead of a guideline. And sometimes your image may even benefit from breaking the rule
completely...

Example Time!
Ex. 1 - The Shuttle by neverdying
 The Shuttle by neverdying

Imagine the grid first: do you see how the astronaut and the axe are on opposite intersecting points?
In the next step, notice the lines that are formed: the first, most prominent one is made up by the
astronaut himself and the axe. Others can be seen in the architecture around the person, pointing
directly at him (debris, blood, lamp, etc) and the gaping hole in his chest. That in turn is a circle and
lets our eyes rest for a short time before we take in more of the surroundings, realizing that the safety
hatch is (a circle) right next to the floating body and the curves of the shuttle suggest the cold
calmness of being out there. This is the stuff horror movies are made of indeed!

Ex. 2 - Lost by CassiopeiaArt

 Lost by CassiopeiaArt

Here is an example of how not placing the main subject on an intersection, but "just" on one of the
lines can make your whole image seem more peaceful. This feeling is enhanced by the stark,
repetitive patterns of the architecture. Do you notice how every pillar can be seen as a line pointing
back down to the girl? Even though your eyes will wander around the image, the whole composition
(including the triangle of birds) always points back at her, unmoving and lost in the center.

Practice, Practice, Practice

While theoretic stuff such as the Rule of Thirds or the leading lines and shapes may sound abstract, if
you try to see these patterns more consciously and apply them to your artwork, it can make your
image pop that much more. But how do you learn how to do that? It's simple and complicated at the
same time: you need to practice. Try to look at the following images and first ask yourself: What
kind of mood/atmosphere/feeling do I get from this without thinking or reading the title?
Then, go through the grid, the lines and the shapes and just pick out where they are before
you finally try to put it together