Basic composition can be summed up in four letters. These are L X O S. The subject matter should follow one of these letters. A tall object at the left side of a painting is connected to an object running horizontally along the bottom for the full length of the painting. This would be an example of an L.
Basic composition using the "L"
This is an example of the "L" in composing a picture. Notice the components making up the landscape form an "L". The high tree on the left followed by the shack and foreground form a basic "L".
Also the focal point or main point of interest is the shack and it is placed at third point across the picture both horizontally and vertically. The small tree at the right acts as an eye stopper to prevent your eye from wandering off the picture and allowing it to miss some objects shown. The arrangement should always be such that the eye stays in the picture rather than wondering off.
Basic composition using the "X"
Here is an example of a composition using the simple "X". Notice the eye travels up the road toward the centre of the "X" and then toward the hill in the background. The focal point in this case is in the centre of the drawing. Everything else is secondary and is played down. This example is perhaps the most simple form of composition.
Basic composition using the "O"
This example suggests an "O" composition. Notice the eye travels in a circle from the bottom, up the trees and is connected by the limbs of the trees. The eye does not leave the drawing as is intended.
Basic composition using the "S"
This shows the "S" in composition. It could be a road, a stream, a path or just about anything. It doesn't have to form a perfect "S" of course as it is the same with the others "L", "X", and "O".
You merely suggest them in various forms. The main point of all this is to keep the viewer's eye in the picture.
There's lots more to composition than I show here, such as negative space, grouping objects, balance etc. I've tried to show you the basics.
