Paint with Joni >> Oil Painting Lessons >> Rule of Thirds in Painting
Rule of thirds:
Learn the rules well so you know
how to break them properly.
-Dalai Lama
-Dalai Lama
Rule of thirds:
Divide your picture area into three equal horizontal sections and three
equal vertical sections. The rule of thirds holds that the eye will naturally
be drawn to the intersections of these lines, sometimes known as "Hot
Spots." Items that you want attention drawn to should be placed on
these spots and the viewer's eyes should be led along the lines.
The following examples help to illustrate this.
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Notice
how perfectly the lighthouse is aligned with a vertical line and the horizon
is near a horizontal line. The closer seagulls are also near a vertical
line.
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