Picture Layout and Composition

Tutorial still under review !!!!!

This is basically the tip of the iceberg, composition is a process ... a long one. Picture layout should always improve the mood of the picture. Besides the character pose and camara angle the layout must add a balance to it. This balance is vital to the final image and should be considered even from the sketch EVEN YOUR SIGNATURE!!!. I still have problems with this balance idea, i never took it into consideration until a year ago. The importance of balance is huge, making an image look good goes beyond knowing how to draw and how to color, balance comes from how different elements work in your canvas bringing a sense of completeness to any drawing.

In order to achive this balance, dimensions, directions, "weights", color, textures, similar elements, superposition, focus point AND position in your canvas must be taken into consideration at the same time.

Lets start by making something very clear, you MUST think of the whole image in order to make a composition. It is hard and demands practice until you get use to it.

Remember! Weight, direction and focus point are the main thing to keep in mind.

Weight

Weight: Everything in your drawing will have a weight, call it IMPORTANCE always in comparation to other elements in your image. This weight is given by its dimension, by its color, or by its location on your canvas.

Location

Location: if you divide your canvas on four section you must know how placement will affect the final outcomming of your image, Whatever it is placed in the middle will look very static, whatever is place on the top section will look heavier to the viewer than what it is placed on the lower section, Whatever it is placed on the right side of the canvas will look havier than what it is placed on the left side.

heavy

lighter

heavy

lighter

Dimensions

Dimensions: This is easy, bigger is heavy and smaller is lighter. By the use of color and position on the canvas balance can be achived! Remember the location thing.

if you think of the location of the square on the upper right corner it is heavy, so you need a big element to balance this

another way to balance a composition, giving a heavy object some sort of "support" for its weight

the smaller square now looks interesting, however it is not heavy, the element on the right will be MUCH heavier now.

some intresting layout for a drawing, it ended looking heavier on the center now. yet the elements balance each other

Directions

Directions: This is as importance as knowing how to makes thing lighter or heavier in your composition. Directions are pretty self explainatory, if all elements have the same direction they look ok according to each other, like there is not much that calls your attention, but if one of those elements has a different direction it will call your attention, like there is something "odd" different, and VERY interesting to the eye. .... watch it, if all elements has different directions it is shit, big pile of shit o.o Scattered elements are visually confusing, organize your information into small, manageable chunks is better.
Elements at 90º and 45º look ok or normal to the eye, a different angle A way to balance directions is to set one of the elements at complementary direction, like in image #4

All directions go vertical.The one looking odd is not because a different direction.

One of the element is at a 90º angle it is not bothering to the eye

Same goes if it is at 45º angle, it is not bothering ... however looks interesting to the eye

Balancing complementary direction.

Big Pile Of Shit, Remember composition is based on comparation to the rest of elements ... How to compare this, it is messy, nothing is following a rule.

now more samples....

here is the final images

sky´s weight is supported by the water , her body is supported by the main focus point, the glow; tree and darker sky part are supported by rock, pole is supported by tail, even the white kitty balance her shirt, street lights are supported by the butterflies which at the same time are connected to the glow ..... well, it is impossible to show o.o;;;;

what to keep in mind

Color: To keep it simple, the brightess color, or single color used will call the attention of the viewer, call it a hint color. The amount of this hint color is vital too, For example you have a whole scene painted in analogs colors blues and greens shades, but you want to call the viewer attention to one special item or situation... For example, on the first image below. What calls your attention the most? The light effect comming from the water. I made it the focal point because i liked the magical idea of her reflection, thats all. Note how i didnt use that same color on the background and despites the amount of bright butterflies they cant steal the focus point from the water. Here comes into consideration another issue directions, note how the lighting curved lines DRAGS your attention to the water.
Same goes for the second image. look at the background and characters, they all match into analogs colors, even the wings on their back cant steal the attention from the dices ... why? they are the only thing in red.

Texture: defined as "A two-dimensional illusion suggestive of a tactile quality." (google) . So everything you draw will have a visual texture. EVERYTHING! even a plain shirt will have a visual texture, a tree, grass, metal, rusted metal; and these last two is a good example of contrast. For example the image below has a textures of different materials. However they all can be seen as "cold" or "rough" textures, even her skin looks dead, except her golden arm. This image holds a very very especial meaning to me, i used golden metal for a reason. So the material helped me a little to achive what i wanted to express. Same way work around, if everything in your image is soft and pretty like fur, feathers, cute flowing thing around the character and then you spot a different material like harsh and sharp ice or a dirty and nasty piece of coal, thats a contrast and it should call your attention, and it should be use to express ideas in your drawings. Thats all, one more element to keep in mind when drawing.

Amount of similar elements seen as one: Concentration or uncontration of similar elements in an one spot or an imaginary line in your image might be used to calls attention and as a design element, this means the whole group of similar objects and not every single one of them be there on its own. Similar items work better, similar as in their shape, size, color, texture or direction. they dont need to be the exact same element over and over in your scene all togheter in the very freaking spot. Too obviuos. Here is another stupid sample, these one is very subtle. Check out the sky above her.... yeah, stars grouped into an imaginary line. believe or not these stars helped me to fill the sky without create excesive amount of different objects all over the place, they are seen as a group, as one single unit. Scattered elements are visually confusing, organize your information into small, manageable chunks.Yet again, another design element to keep in mind when drawing. Oh! btw, directions goes into one single point here, even the stars

Superposition: this simply creates an stronger idea of depth in the image, what is in front and what is behind. Use it, you will be loved. Here is an example. You know, i could have easily left the blade not overlap her boot, it size should tell you that it is closer to the viewer than the girl. But like i said, superposition gives an stronger idea of what is in front and what is behind, same goes for the handler and her finger tips, her shoe and the end of the building, her head and the cable and so on. On the second picture same goes for her back and the jelly pet thingy i had to draw. Just something subtle works ok.

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