How to Draw from Photographs

Composition Basics

The way the elements are arranged on the page—or the composition—is important, because it allows you to lead the viewer’s eye around the page, ultimately directing it toward the focal point. You should keep these composition basics in mind when taking your photos—but there will still be many situations where you’ll want to alter the composition of a photo reference or combine more than one reference, meaning you’ll often be composing on the page instead of through the lens.

Common Composition Schemes

Oval The eye travels around the picture in an oval path. Each time the eye begins to move toward the side of the picture, an element ...