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Composition is the arrangement of the main parts of a painting in relation to each other. The way a painting is composed has a great deal of impact on the way we look at, interpret and understand it. During the planning stages of a painting, altering the size, shape and placement of the main elements to be incorporated can dramatically change the composition. When painting, the use of texture, colour and chiaroscuro (light and dark) can also affect the composition and therefore the way we look at a painting.
In landscape paintings, artists can use a number of ‘rules’ to create a harmonious composition that leads the eye around the image.
One of the simplest and most effective of these is the Rule of Thirds, which was developed during the Renaissance times. Artists realised that the eye does not settle naturally on the centre of a painting and that compositions that placed the main subject in the centre were not very pleasing to the eye. Therefore, a grid system was developed, splitting a canvas into thirds both horizontally and vertically.
The principals of the grid denote that if the main subject of the painting lies on one of these lines or the intersecting points of any two of these lines, a balanced composition is achieved. If you look at many landscape paintings, you will see that the horizon lies on one of the grid lines and that there is a point of interest located where two of the lines cross.
In addition to the Rule of Thirds, artists use many other ‘tricks’ to create a harmonious landscape composition. For example, artists might ensure trees, people, clouds and other elements of the landscape point in the same direction, creating a sense of balance throughout the painting. Foreground elements of the painting, such as archways, windows or trees, can create a frame for the scene beyond, evoking a sense of standing in front of the scene and looking in.
To encourage us to look more closely at the middleground and background, artists can incorporate paths and rivers to lead our eye from the foreground all the way through the painting. If a pathway meanders, the points at which it bends can draw attention to the main points of interest along the way.
To emphasize the underlying structure of a composition, artists use texture, colour and chiaroscuro (light and dark) to add extra emphasis to certain parts of the landscape. Whilst the foreground of a painting can include a range of strong textures, if those same textures were used in the background the eye would be drawn too strongly to only that part of the painting. Instead the background of a painting tends to have less texture and detail so as not to disturb the overall balance. Similarly, colour is used in landscape painting to create the effect of the landscape receding into the distance.
Warmer colours are used in the foreground and cooler colours in the background, creating a ‘realistic’ sense of space. Warm and cool colours as well as the use of chiaroscuro can also be utilised to draw attention to the main points of interest. Dark shadows or strong highlights can be added to elements of the painting that are important to the landscape or the way we interpret it.