Fixing Weak Composition

Examples of poor compositional choices and

suggested fixes

Horizon Half-way up the Paper

• FIX: If foreground is of interest, move horizon up. If sky is of interest, move horizon down

Dominant feature halfway across paper

• FIX: Move to side and restore balance

Large area divided into two equal strips

• FIX: alter shapes and sizes

Important feature resting on boundary

• FIX: Plan ahead

Strong values predominant on one side

• FIX: restore balance with added emphasis on other side

Dominant features lead eye out of picture

• FIX: Make sure object(s) of interest carry eye into heart of painting

More than one center of interest

• FIX: Create a single point of interest with a single pathway leading to it. Block excursions off the boundary.

Roadway edge originates at corner of format

• FIX: move edges to sides, reduce roadway dominance, break up long roadway with, for example, shadows

Objects strung out in a disconnected line

• FIX: Overlap structures to create an interesting shape

Unnecessary detail; e.g. long line of regular fencing

• FIX: Simplify (alter reality for artistic purposes)

Similar/Identical items

• FIX: Alter size, shape, position, color etc to add interest and focus

Objects viewed face-on

• FIX: Adopt a viewpoint with perspective and some overlap

Two issues: Regular fencing and intersection at a corner

• FIXES: Move stream and simplify fence

Two Competing Centers of Interest

• FIX: Concentrate on one, sacrifice the other

Viewer’s eye is drawn away from center of interest

• FIX: Alter reality by rearranging elements to draw eye toward center of interest ( including background mountains)

Object leads eye away from scene

• FIX: create movement into the picture

Unrelated lines coincide

• FIX: Move tangent items to intersect each other ( e.g., sky-roof, and two silos)

Multiple Flaws

• Compare Flawed (upper) with Fixed (lower):

Flawed vs. Fixed

• Flawed (fixed):

– Houses strung out (grouped)

– Head on view of houses (side views; shadowed sides for contrast)

– Strong vertical church tower in dead center (moved to left; balanced by tree on right)

– Church tower exactly behind timbered gable (stands alone)

– Strong white road of uniform width cuts through entire picture (non-uniform, broken by shadow)

– Red truck driving out of picture (moving into picture)