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Sketchbook composition and arranging elements on the page

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Lately I’ve been thinking about composition and how I design my sketchbook pages a lot, so today I’ll share a few of my thoughts on the process.

It can make a huge difference if you place an element on the right or the left, if you draw it big or small, so it’s worth thinking about how you arrange elements on your page before you start. Combining both large and small elements on a page will make it visually interesting, as will elements with and without color, or with different levels of detail. Variation and rhythm are important for an interesting composition.

But how to start?
Sketchers approach this in different ways. Some people like to plan ahead and draw a grid on the page to which they add elements. Others just start to add elements anywhere on their page, and then try to pull them together in a layout afterwards.
I like to do a hybrid of these two approaches. I will often start spontaneously and then add more elements with some compositional basics in mind. I find it’s a practical approach that serves me well in most cases (you can see the different stages of one sketchbook page in the images for this post). I don’t really work with grids, more often I refer to composition principles I learnt from painting – there are similarities to both.
I often like to do a small thumbnail drawing before I add elements to my page. This helps me a lot in figuring out the inner balance of a page, and for remembering where I want to put what.

When you’re field sketching, more often then not you need to go with the flow. Whether you’re just adding sketch after sketch of different subjects on your page, or are capturing animals in motion or over time, often you need to decide very quickly how to start and where to add elements. I usually start on one side and simply add new elements in a way they seem to fit best, adjusting with composition rules in mind. It’s a bit like solving a puzzle. Of course, puzzles don’t have elements like focal areas and white space and visual balance.

The challenge is to find interesting arrangements if you add elements quickly. Sometimes gaps can be fixed later with text blocks or additional observations. I don’t worry too much about planning ahead in these cases, as the spontaneous capture of what is in front of me usually makes up for less optimal layout decisions, and some areas can be fixed afterwards. When I work with a thumbnail and existing references, the same concept still applies, since often things work out a bit differently on the sketchbook page than they do in a thumbnail.

I find that paying attention to composition makes for much stronger and better sketchbook pages, and it’s something I always have in the back of my mind.

How do you plan your compositions? Do you do it at all?

I’m in the process of creating a new course on composition and layout, so I’d love to hear your feedback.
Are you happy with the layout of your pages? How do you approach composition in your sketchbook? What problems do you frequently run into and what do you wish would be easier? Let me know what you’re interested in and I’ll add it into the course!

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10 thoughts on “Sketchbook composition and arranging elements on the page”

  1. Hi Julia
    I’m just starting out with sketch books. So any information would be appreciated. I feel like it a subject not covered very well especially with botanicals and how to lat out a page. I have a few books but they don’t adequately cover layout. I do Watercolour botanical painting but there always just the one piece I’m working on.i have done landscapes where there are perspectives ,rule of thirds, rule of odds, closer details and less detail for distant objects but that some how for me doesn’t seem to transfer that knowledge to my layouts not sure why it doesn’t I think it’s because in layouts there are multiple separate items.

    1. This is definitely what I want to cover in the class – what elements can you use in your layout, and how can different compositions work. Thank you for the feedback!

  2. This is incredibly helpful and also something that I often wonder about (not always constructively! )
    Thank you!!

  3. I find other people’s sketchbooks beautiful and I’m sure some of that is harmonious layout, yet I can’t quite put my finger on why they are so pleasing when mine seem ‘thrown’ at the page. Any tips would be appreciated as I use my cluttered approach as an excuse not to continue. Thank you.

    1. You can get surprisingly far with elements thrown at the page, I very often start like this, too. So don’t give up! I will work this into the course, one strategy is to check a few simple compositional rules while you’re in the process of filling the page.

  4. Hello Julia,
    This is a lovely page spread. I will try to remember to keep these ideas in mind as I approach my next journal entry. I get stuck in making an image too big on a page, not leaving enough room for any other entries… perhaps a lightly marked grid would train me/remind me to keep sizes in mind as I sketch. I really enjoy receiving your newsletter!

    Thanks so much,
    Patrice

    1. Thank you Patrice! Yes, grids can help, although I have to say I never use them. I often lightly mark the space for one object (with light pencil).

  5. Hi Julia,
    Enjoyed the post. Notice you’re adding the names for the species in three languages: German, English and Latin. Lots of work for you but much appreciated; have gone to translate German names in the past out of curiosity…
    Cheers, Suzi.

    1. Hi Suzi, I’m always curious about the English names, sometimes they match, and sometimes they describe an entirely different aspect of the species!

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