Exploring Composition with the Rule of Thirds (Weekly Challenge #166)

Welcome to Week 166 of the Landscape Art Club! This time, we’re heading to the breezy coast of Portrush, Northern Ireland, with four fresh photo references generously provided by @elisabetha.jpg. This peaceful seaside town has offered up bright skies, crisp light, and charming everyday details like benches, boats, bikes, and sea views —ideal for practicing composition and especially the rule of thirds.

Focus Point: Composition - Rule of Thirds

This week, let’s sharpen our eye for composition, specifically through the lens of the rule of thirds — one of the most accessible yet powerful tools in visual storytelling.

The rule of thirds helps break free from centering everything in your scene and encourages stronger visual flow. It invites you to shift your focal point off-center to create dynamic tension, align horizons, objects, or figures with the intersecting grid lines for balance.

Things to Explore:

• Can you reframe the photos to place the boats, benches, or bikes along a third?

• How does placing the horizon lower or higher affect the mood?

• Can you lead the viewer’s eye through the composition using lines or shapes?

  
  

If you're new to the concept or want a quick refresher, don't miss the blog post:👉 The Rule of Thirds in Art: How to Use It, Break It, and Make It Yours

Photo Analysis & Artistic Challenges

Now let’s take a look at the four reference photos and explore how you can approach each one with this week’s focus point in mind.

Photo 1: Boats in the Harbor

A cluster of small boats, including a striking red one, float in a quiet harbor with a row of white seaside buildings in the background.

Challenge as a Photo: The red boat catches attention, but the scene is quite centered and still. There’s little dynamic tension or direction as presented.

Questions:

• Is your focal point the red boat or the overall rhythm of the harbor?

• Could shifting the main elements to a third add more story or movement?

Tips:

• Place the red boat along one of the lower third lines to energize the composition.

• Use the line of houses or the curve of the harbor as leading lines.

• Try a tighter crop to focus on the boats and reflections.

Photo 2: Benches and Open Bay

Two wooden benches sit on a grassy patch overlooking the open bay, with expansive sky and fluffy clouds overhead.

Challenge as a Photo: The horizon runs through the center, and the benches, though charming, feel secondary.

Questions:

• Do you want to focus on the benches, the sea, or the clouds?

• How could shifting the horizon help highlight your intent?

Tips:

• Lower the horizon to emphasize the vast sky, or raise it to bring attention to the benches.

• Place one bench on a third to suggest solitude or space.

• Consider softening the sea to contrast the structure of the benches.

Photo 3: Dockside and Red Ship

A bright red ship floats near the dock, framed by a grassy foreground and white railing under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Challenge as a Photo: Strong horizontal and vertical lines lead away from the focal point, which can distract from the ship.

Questions:

• How can you use the railing as a leading line instead of a block?

• Is the ship the only focal point, or could something else add interest?

Tips:

• Shift the ship toward a third-line intersection for more impact.

• Use the railing to guide the viewer toward the ship.

• Try cropping to reduce empty space and frame the key action more clearly.

Photo 4: Bicycles by the Sea

Two blue bicycles rest against a railing with the beach and gentle waves in the background. The sky is bright, and the setting feels relaxed.

Challenge as a Photo: While picturesque, the elements are mostly centered, which may flatten the mood.

Questions:

• Should the focus be the bikes, the horizon, or the peaceful scene as a whole?

• What crop or tilt might add narrative tension or balance?

Tips:

• Move the bikes to the left or right third for a more intentional look.

• Raise or lower the horizon to bring attention to the sky or sand.

• Use light and shadow to add depth and mood.

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Use these images to train your compositional eye and experiment with how a small shift in placement or cropping can dramatically change your scene. Feel free to reinterpret, simplify, or rearrange elements—art is not about copying, but about expression.

Post your artwork by Thursday, 8 May 2025, 23:59 CET on Instagram, use the hashtag #landscapeartclub166. Tag @landscapeartclub so I can see and feature your piece!

As usual, the high-resolution versions of the reference photos are available on the forum.

Happy painting, and stay inspired!