The root of composition lies in the relationship between elements. This is often the contrast in things, which can be applied to many areas such as:

• light
• colour
• character and plot
• sound

Basic elements of good composition include:

• Focus – clarify the narrative
• Balance – symmetrical or asymmetrical design
• Structure – the rule of thirds
• Depth – creating atmospheric perspective

We were asked to complete the task of creating a digital illustration in Photoshop that uses all the compositional techniques. Going along similar lines to John’s demonstration, I designed my own illustration shown below:

To begin the design, I placed the rule of thirds on the screen and marked out the points where the main focus would be, this being the wolf looking up to the moon. The two main elements were placed around the top left and bottom right points of the thirds. To create the hills and trees I used specific shape brushes. To add depth to the illustration, i used the concept of atmospherical perspective. This is done by increasing the brightness and decreasing the contrast with distance, using the background colour as a basis. By applying this with the colour overlay tool it creates depth in the illustration.

Using the same technique, I created another illustration that relates to my project.

The image shows a girl sitting by a tree, looking into the distance to a lit up city skyline. I wanted to demonstrate loneliness and isolation, feelings that people with mental health problems experience frequently.