When composing a scene for a painting, it’s important to remember the rule of thirds—the guideline that aims to place the subject in the left or right third of the composition. Essentially, following the rule of thirds can lead to a more compelling painting.
For example, take a reference photo that you are interested in turning into a painting. Then, divide the photo into nine equal zones, using both horizontal and vertical lines to form a 3 × 3 grid (Figure 1). The focal point of the painting should then occur in one of the intersection points off the central square (Figure 2). Placing the subject at one of these focal points helps to balance the composition such that the subject and negative space are in harmony and works to draw the viewer’s eye to the most important elements in the painting.
Once you have a good grasp of how the rule of thirds works and why, you’ll begin to see when it might be beneficial to break the rule. Like any guidance, it’s just that—a suggestion. You’re allowed to break the rule. For example, you might choose to break the rule of thirds if you want to fill the entire painting solely with the plant (Figure 3). Artists often do this in portraits of people, so why not do this in portraits of plants? You might also center the subject if you’ve pulled the view of the plant back so far that it’s very small. You may also want to experiment with a Z-style composition that takes the viewer on a journey through the composition (Figure 4). Each of these choices will give your painting a different mood or emphasis.
This is one of the reasons why you want to take multiple photos of a subject. That way, you can play with the composition later to see what works best. Take a shot with the subject in the upper left, upper right, lower left, lower right, and centered. You may be surprised by which option achieves the most harmonious expression.