You might hear the term composition used to refer to any piece of music, writing, painting or sculpture but in the visual arts it is used specifically to talk about the arrangement of elements within an artwork. Mastering composition is essential for any artist, yet the importance of this skill is often forgotten about. A poor composition can affect the whole artwork, so either careful planning or a great sense of intuition is necessary when putting paintbrush to canvas.
How Can Composition Vary?
Composition is the way in which different elements of an artwork are combined or arranged. The artist has complete freedom when choosing the composition of their artwork. Elements may all be clustered towards the centre of the canvas or photograph or spread out in the corners of the piece. Alternatively, there may just be one subject that dominates the whole artwork. Different schools of thought have had diverse approaches to composition in art over the centuries. What is common today would have been unheard of in another time.