Mastering the Art of Composition

Mastering composition is one of the key skills an artist needs. No matter if they are just starting out or professional artists looking to expand their portfolio, incorporating composition will allow their works to speak more directly to viewers with greater impact and resonance.

Composition is the backbone of all visual arts – photography, painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture alike. Composing great work requires both careful planning and intuitive judgement – but composition should never be taken for granted!

In this course, you’ll explore how the Old Masters constructed their compositions through hands-on demonstrations and discovery of design principles. You’ll see how to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity within your paintings by employing these principles of design. Furthermore, you will master mapping out your composition prior to applying paintbrush to canvas – an invaluable skill every painter must hone.

Lines and shapes are powerful compositional elements, drawing the eye from one element to the next and creating visual interest. You will gain experience using leading lines (leading lines) and diagonals for dynamic energy in your images, as well as how frames (real or implied) direct viewers’ attention to your focal point.

By the end of this course, you’ll also gain knowledge on how to apply the Rule of Odds and Law of Proportion to create compositions with greater visual impact. By employing these fundamental design principles more easily in your paintings.