Unlocking the Power of Composition

Have you ever felt stuck in your sketching journey—like you’re drawing regularly but not quite hitting that “wow” factor you’re aiming for? It’s a common phase many sketchers go through. I began sketching in 2016, and I’ve experienced the same plateau. We focus on lines, shading, and perspective, hoping for a breakthrough.

In this post, I’ll show you how being more intentional with composition can immediately elevate your work. The best part? You don’t need to overhaul your technique—just adjust how you think about the page. I’ll also share some of my sketches to illustrate how small compositional changes can make a big impact.

What Is Composition Really?

Composition is how you arrange elements within your sketch or painting. It’s the structure that holds your drawing together and guides the viewer’s eye. Think of it as visual storytelling—you’re deciding what to show, where to place it, and how to lead the viewer through the scene.

Good composition also creates balance and harmony. When a sketch contains multiple elements, a strong composition helps emphasize what’s important, rather than letting everything compete for attention.

Why Composition Matters

A well-composed sketch:

• Establishes a clear focal point.

• Helps the viewer understand your intent.

• Makes even simple subjects feel more compelling.

• Creates a visually pleasing and balanced page.

Strong composition can make even a loosely drawn or unfinished sketch feel intentional and engaging. It’s one of the fastest ways to level up from “average” to “impressive.”

Four Simple Composition Rules You Can Try

Over the years, through plenty of trial and error, I’ve developed a few compositional principles that I now rely on in almost every sketch I make. The great thing is—you don’t need to be an expert to apply these. Try one or two in your next sketch and notice the difference.

1. The Rule of Thirds

This is one of the easiest and most effective composition techniques. Centering everything can often make a sketch feel flat or static. By placing the main subject off-center, your composition becomes more dynamic.

Imagine dividing your page into a 3x3 grid—two horizontal and two vertical lines. You don’t need to draw these lines; visualize them. Try placing your subject where the lines intersect rather than directly in the center. Aim to position key elements toward the thirds of the page, not in the middle.

Notice how I placed the buildings in Cirencester, England using the rule of thirds. The taller St. John Baptist Church sits on the right third, while the shorter Bear Inn is on the lower left. This asymmetrical placement creates interest while maintaining harmony.

Here, I applied the rule of thirds by positioning the church steeple on the left and placing other architectural elements in the lower right. The 3x3 grid is just a guide—you don’t need to align subjects precisely on the intersecting points to make the composition work.

2. Use Leading Lines

Leading lines are visual paths that draw the viewer’s eye toward the focal point of your sketch. These can be roads, footpaths, electrical wires, fences, building edges, or even rows of trees. They add depth and a sense of movement to your composition.

These lines don’t need to be literal—implied or imaginary lines work just as well to guide the viewer’s gaze.

In this commissioned artwork of a client’s heritage home, I used a fisheye perspective on a row of houses to add drama. The rooftops form a strong leading line into the composition. A light diagonal on the lower left suggests a pavement that subtly leads the viewer’s eye toward the family walking home.

3. Keep It Simple

Less is more. A common beginner mistake is trying to include every detail in a scene, filling the page from edge to edge. Overcrowding overwhelms the viewer and weakens your message.

Instead, simplify by focusing on the main subject and including only supporting elements that enhance the story.

Simplification is key when sketching a busy urban environment. In this series, I had the option to use the photograph reference (1) to sketch the entire scene (2), but it became time-consuming and diluted my focus. Instead, I emphasized just the corner shop (3), and even tried a version using only black diluted ink (4). Each version tells a different story, but a simpler approach is often the most powerful.

4. Leave Some Breathing Room

Don’t feel the need to fill every inch of the page. Negative space—or intentionally blank areas—adds contrast and calm. It draws attention to your subject and gives your sketch room to breathe.

In urban scenes, leaving ample space for sky or foliage can frame your subject and enhance the sense of openness.

This is a busy street scene, filled with architecture and movement. I intentionally left plenty of sky to help the composition “breathe” and direct attention to the foreground buildings and people. If I had added more background details and reduced the sky area, the scene might have felt cluttered and less effective.

Final Thoughts

Improving your composition doesn’t require special tools or extra time—just a shift in awareness. By approaching your layout with greater intention, your sketches will feel more confident, expressive, and complete.

So, the next time you open your sketchbook, pause for a moment. Take a breath. Look at your subject and ask yourself:

You’ll often hear the advice to “break the rules” in art—but first, learn to use them well. Mastering the basics of composition gives you a solid foundation to build on—and eventually break away from—with purpose. Start with one or two of the tips above, and let your sketching evolve with more clarity, impact, and personal style.

About Thainlin

Thainlin Tay is an Art Toolkit Ambassador who has led an Art Toolkit Travel Sketching live demo and instructed People in Motion, available on our workshops page. Learn more about him and see his art on his Ambassador Page.