10 Pencil Drawing Tips to Improve Your Compositions

Composition refers to an ordered relationship among the parts or elements of your drawing. Note that the position of shapes is not the only element of composition. Other elements include: value, intensity, and color.

1. Basic Unit - When composing a drawing it is always helpful to choose a “basic unit”. A basic unit is a line segment of medium size with respect to the composition you are trying to realize.

2. Focal Point - Rule of Thirds. Your drawing should always have a focal point, i.e., a point that attracts the viewer’s attention. The rest of your composition should serve to lead the viewer’s eye back to the focal point.

The rule requires you to divide the width and height of your paper in three equal parts. The four intersection points of the resulting lines are called the “hotspots”. Each of these hotspots can be used as focal points for your composition.

3. Balance - When creating a drawing you should always balance every compositional element relative to the focal point. It is important to develop your intuition for balance and then trust it and apply it.

4. Shapes - Shapes are one important element in a composition. There are two types: positive shapes (actual objects) and negative shapes (empty spaces in between objects). The idea is to strive for a balance in both types relative to the focal point and within the boundaries of your paper.

5. Value - Value is yet another element to keep in mind when putting together your composition. Value refers to the darks and the lights. Here again, balance is the keyword. Make sure that large areas of darks and/or lights are balanced within the boundaries of your paper.

6. Intensity - Intensity (particularly of color) refers to the degree of brilliance. Color but also plain pencil graphite can be dull or brilliant or anything in between. Your drawing should also be balanced in terms of relative intensity.

7. Color - Color is the fourth element of composition. Observe how colored objects interact with each other to create a subtle harmony or a flashing contrast.

8. Vision - When establishing the basic structure of your composition, ask yourself whether or not it conveys the meaning or vision you have in mind. A good composition can help communicate your vision to the viewer.

9. Temperature - Color artists often talk in terms of warm and cool colors. A good color drawing will have a certain overall temperature (warm or cool), but within that overall feel there must still be balance in the relative temperature of the object colors.

10. Emotion - Understand that all the rules of composition are just aids in trying to create a good work of art. Therefore, the application of these rules should not be too obvious so that the viewer is not immediately drawn into an analysis of your work instead first responding to it emotionally.

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Posted in: Drawing Tips | | November 2008