The Secrets To Choosing Your Composition

Summary

The video explains how to choose and apply compositional principles while you’re actively making an image—especially if you’re a beginner who feels overwhelmed by many competing “rules” (e.g., rule of thirds, formal vs. informal composition, graphic-shape organizing principles, golden ratio/Fibonacci spiral).

Key emphasis: composition is often learned as theory, but artists usually reach results through a mix of:

• Post-rationalization (explaining afterward why something worked),
• Intuition, and
• Repeatable “go-to” visual formulas (motifs and organizing shapes they tend to reuse).

The speaker argues that the goal isn’t to know every rule perfectly, but to build a workflow that helps you connect concepts directly to the specific image you’re drawing.

Artistic techniques / creative processes shown or taught

1) Use compositional principles to “organize” an initial sketch

The artist demonstrates a workflow where rough sketching comes first, then composition concepts are used to formalize it into a clearer illustration.

Process (conceptual):

• Start with rough, messy ideation sketches (quick doodles).
• Identify an organizing shape/motif emerging in the concept (e.g., a triangle motif).
• Turn the sketch into a more graphic, intentional composition by:
  • leaning into formal shapes (e.g., triangles for strength/impact),
  • aligning/structuring elements to match that shape,
  • making choices that increase the feeling of “purpose” rather than just character design.
• Iterate by repeating the same character idea and trying different organizing approaches.

Demonstrated compositional motifs:

• Triangle motif for strong, iconic, structured imagery (compared to artists like Frank Frazetta and Mike Mignola).
• S-curve / dynamic curve composition for motion and dynamism (dynamic poses, flowing lines, curved silhouettes).

2) Control emotional feel by composing from a “brief” (theme/goal)

The second approach is to select compositional tools based on the intended emotion or viewer response—rather than starting only from the subject matter.

Workflow:

• Begin with a brief (story, professional assignment, theme, desired emotional effect).
• Choose compositional strategies to match that feeling, such as:
  • varying line/shape contrast to create attention and movement,
  • arranging eye movement paths (via line, tone/“implied line,” and shape relationships).
• Recognize that artists can draw similar subject matter but produce different emotional messages through composition and rendering choices.

Examples/ideas referenced:

• Triangles can be strong but may feel static; diagonals/angles can make images feel more dynamic.
• Camera angle and framing can increase diagonal motion and “more triangles,” especially in comics/cover art contexts.
• Even “chaotic” compositions still need underlying organization.

3) Thumbnailing as an intuitive composition method (practice-based)

The third approach is to trust intuition and solve composition during thumbnail exploration, using many small iterations.

Process (as described):

• Sketch many small thumbnails (e.g., 10–20).
• Let the composition emerge through repeated decisions:
  • start with rough ideas in your head,
  • test shapes, poses, and layouts quickly,
  • refine by transferring thumbnails into finished drawings.
• Build intuition over time through constant practice and studying a “visual library” from art books.

Concepts / principles explicitly discussed

• Rule knowledge vs selection in practice: understanding many rules is different from deciding which one applies to the current image.
• Post-rationalization: explanations after the fact mean “why it works” isn’t always how it was actually created.
• Unreliable narrator & intuition: composition involves subconscious decisions, not purely logical steps.
• Go-to formulas / motifs: artists often reuse a small set of organizing systems that fit their style.
• Formal vs informal composition: affects structure vs. chaos, but chaos still benefits from organizing structure.
• Strength vs dynamism: different motifs, angles, and curves create different emotional responses.
• Triangle vs S-curve:
  • triangles = strength/impact,
  • S-curves/diagonals = motion/dynamism.
• You don’t need many composition ideas: find a small set of frameworks that suit your artistic purpose; practice matters more than encyclopedic rule mastery.

Creators / contributors mentioned (featured artists & host)

• Tim McBurnie (host; “Drawing CeX”)
• Andrew Loom (author referenced for “rules”/creative illustration concepts)
• Frank Frazetta (triangle-motif example)
• Mike Mignola (strong organizing shapes and cover design feel)
• Goron Braum / Gerald Braum (referred as a fantasy artist influencing “brutalist” formal graphic organization)
• Mœka / Alons Muka (referenced for flowing line / movement-focused figure work)
• Dave Stewart (referenced as a Hellboy colorist)
• Hellboy (series context tied to Mignola and related collaborators)