rule of thirds

[Rondo]

how can we use that? the rule of thirds
(if we can that is)

[Twaager]

There are some "rules" out there how to compose pictures. The "divine proportions" rule is the most famous in painted art. The rule of thirds in the photographic world. My opinion is; there are no such "rules" to slave to. Not even the perspective rules are that important to follow. You really don't need them to make good pictures.

Picasso broke up the rules and started the modernist movement in pictorial art. The Chinese and Japanese art did not care about them, still they made great pictures. Nor do most modern illustrators. So why bother?

Well, to break rules you have to know them, someone says. It's a good point. So study them (not to hard) but do as you like. The most important is to keep personality, communication and emotions alive in your pictures. Not keeping all the rules.

My photo of the lighthouse at Halland Väderö is slave to the rule of thirds.

Attachment 67586

[Rondo]

thanks for the info about,but...can we use it in artrage? and if so how?

[Twaager]

thanks for the info about,but...can we use it in artrage? and if so how?

Just use the ruler to divide the screen in thirds like I showed in my photo. Easy! And place the point of interest in your work of art in one of the crossings. That's it.

[Judith Tramayne]

Use the rulers and draw the lines on the bottom layer. Add a new layer and paint your main point of interest on the next. Then go down to the bottom layer and add a new layer. This will place your new layer between. This is where you can paint your background and add more layers if you need them. Above your point of interest layer, you can add a layer and paint in around it so it doesn't look like it's sitting on top of the background. I also like to use the knife with a small brush size with instant blur to do the edges so it sinks into the background.

I work with a boatload of layers when I paint. That way if something isn't working, I can either clear the layer or delete it.


To get to the default ruler, click on stencils. In the upper right hand corner, click on the little box and choose default ruler.