'General'

Introduction :

There are 10 main composition rules to bear in mind when it comes to creating an image. Following these rules can help to make your image more successful and visually appealing. Please note that the works shown in this article are not mine, but have all been used with permission of the artists that created them.

1. Contrast :

How you can attract the viewer to your picture? You need to have contrast in your scene. The light object should be on dark background and vice versa (Fig.01).

Fig.01 - © ms_Dessi

2. Layout :

The key objects should not be placed chaotically. It is better that they form the shape of a simple geometric figure (Fig.02).

Fig.02 - © Morro

3. Balance :

The objects located in opposite sides of frame should correspond to each other in terms of volume, size and color parameters.

4. The Golden Ratio :

The golden ratio was known even in ancient Egypt. Its properties were studied by Leonardo and Euclid. The simple definition is that the best point to place the object is one third from the horizontal or vertical border of frame. The location of key objects at these points seems natural and attracts the eye (Fig.03).

Fig.03

5. Diagonals :

One of the most effective compositions is the diagonal composition. The essence is simple –locate the key objects on a diagonal within the frame. For example, from the upper left corner to the lower right. This ruse is good because it guides the viewer’s eyes through the picture (Fig.04 – 05).

Fig.04 - © Feodor Ivaneev

Fig.05 - © Feodor Ivaneev

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