Not Your Grandma's Composition Lesson

Composition is often a topic that makes art students cringe, calling to mind rulers and dusty art history tomes. But while it's critical to understand how to create strong compositions, learning how to go about it doesn't have to be hard or boring.

We've all seen abstract, cubist, and surrealist works that, at first glance, don't appear to have any relationship to formal composition. What many artists don't realize about the most famous works in these genres is that the artists who created them knew the rules before they broke them. Picasso, for instance, was a master realist before he and Brach invented cubism with their contemporaries. The good news is that understanding how to put strong compositions together does not have to be hard. I'm going to walk you through examples of masters while explaining the structure underneath each piece.

This is a short and effective (and I hope interesting) ticket to being in the know on composition. Once you see how it's been done, you're going to start noticing these frameworks in the art around you. And you'll be able to make your own art using it, too. Instead of floating aimlessly trying to come up with compositions, you'll have a place to start. You'll know the "dos" and the don'ts. If you put your sketchbook to work for you to make simple composition sketches of the world around you, you'll be surprised how quickly and much more easily creating your own compositions becomes.

So, take a deep breath and jump in with me. These are not long lessons, but the benefits of learning what you are about to be introduced to can make a huge difference in your art.

Be sure to get your downloadable!

Be sure to check out the downloadable companion eBook to this video, with valuable information and examples. You will also find printable blank armatures at the end of this document that you can use to create your own masterpieces!