Applying Composition Rules to On-Location Sketching

In my previous post, Unlocking the Power of Composition, I shared how simple techniques like the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines can transform rough sketches into compelling stories. In this post, I’ll take those principles into the field, showing you how I applied them during a recent on-location sketch under Singapore’s tropical sun. Where applicable, I’ll refer back to the previous blog on my four favorite composition techniques.

The Challenge: Simplifying a Complex Scene

Last month, I joined Urban Sketchers Singapore at Marina Barrage, a bustling waterfront spot with sweeping views of the city skyline.

The scene was overwhelming—landmarks, foliage, pathways, water, and crowds—all under a scorching 95°F (35°C) blazing sun. While I could have attempted a panoramic sketch using a fan-fold sketchbook, the unforgiving weather made that impossible.

With limited time and my 9x12-inch watercolor block, I had to simplify ruthlessly, using composition to focus on the essentials and guide the viewer’s eye.

Applying Four Composition Techniques

Just as in my first post, I relied on four key rules to structure my sketch:

1. Rule of Thirds: Balancing the Scene

I visualized a 3x3 grid and placed:

• Marina Bay Sands (the focal point) on the left third.

• The horizon line in the lower third to emphasize the sky.

• Palm trees in the middle third, omitting a central palm tree that would disrupt the balance.

• The footpath on the lower right.

This asymmetrical layout created dynamic harmony—much like my Cirencester and Chijmes sketches, as referenced in my previous blog post.

2. Leading Lines: Guiding the Eye

The wide footpath in the foreground became my primary leading line, drawing the viewer toward Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands in the distance. I reinforced this with lamp posts—a trick I’d used earlier in my Emerald Hill sketch, where rooftops led the eye toward a family walking home.

3. Less is More: Editing the Scene

I omitted unnecessary details, like the palm tree in the center, which would have become an accidental focal point, as well as the orange life buoy on the right and the metal barriers. That central palm tree would also have obscured another key landmark—the white concave roof of Gardens by the Bay. I also shifted the shelter (blue rectangle) into the frame.

Just as I’d simplified my Club Street sketch by focusing on a single shopfront, here I prioritized only the elements that told the story: landmarks, the path, and a few human figures for scale.

4. Breathing Room: Negative Space

Despite the busy environment, I left ample sky and foreground to prevent overcrowding. Though there were dozens of people around, I sketched less than half of what I saw. I also included the water body on the lower right and the skyline of the buildings in the background (not shown in the photos above). Like in my Little India Buffalo Road sketch, this negative space gave the composition room to breathe and subtly highlighted the key elements.

The Sketching Process: Intentional Choices

Here’s my 3-step approach to outdoor sketching (time estimates are based on a 9x12-inch page):

1. Quick Pencil Layout (5 mins)

I lightly mapped the big shapes and key elements. No precision needed—just a reminder for the inking stage. Sketch loose and freely; the idea is not to be bound by the pencil marks later when you put down the ink lines.

2. Inking (30 mins)

I kept the ink lines loose and sketchy, adjusting as I went. Sketching with a certain level of urgency was critical to avoid over-detailing. Conversely, if you feel you have all the time in the world to sketch, you’ll naturally tend to go for the details—and that takes forever. I also reminded myself to paint blobs of ink in extremely dark areas, for example below the trees; these help increase contrast in the sketch.

3. Watercolor (40 mins)

I applied light washes to preserve tonal contrast, letting the greenery pop against the pale sky. Typically, for a quick ink-and-wash sketch, I use a 3-layer approach:

• First layer: Light wash for sky, ground, and distant objects

• Second layer: Richer colors for mid-ground elements

• Third layer: Shadows and highlights for depth

I’ll dive deeper into this technique in a future post!

And here’s the completed artwork, which took slightly more than an hour to complete, with time to spare for networking with other urban sketchers and friends, and the show-and-tell throwdown typical of an urban sketchwalk event.

Key Takeaway: Composition Is a Mindset

As I emphasized in my previous blog post, good composition isn’t about rigid rules—it’s about intentional storytelling. Whether you’re sketching a quiet street or a sprawling skyline:

• Pause first. Ask: What’s the story here?

• Simplify. Cut distractions to highlight your focal point.

• Guide the eye. Use thirds, lines, and space to create flow.

The difference? My older sketches felt “flat” until I applied these principles. Now, even quick location work feels purposeful and polished.

Try it: In your next sketch, pick one compositional rule to experiment with. Notice how it transforms your work!

On-Location Sketching Supplies

In case you’re wondering about my sketching gear and setup when I’m sketching on-location, here it is:

• Art Toolkit Folio Palette with Daniel Smith Watercolors

• Round-tip travel brushes: sizes 4, 8, and 12

• 1½-inch flat brush

• Collapsible silicone cup

• Fude fountain pen filled with Noodler’s Lexington Grey ink

• Mechanical pencil with 0.5 2B lead and eraser (not shown)

• Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Paper 140lbs/300gms cold press 9"x12" (20-sheet block) 

• A small, foldable camping stool (not shown)

• Carry pouch

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 and read his first blog post on composition here: Unlocking the Power of Composition.