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Mastering Composition: Techniques and Principles to Dramatically Improve Your Painting
Create Better Compositions by Design
The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition . This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet.
Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations.
Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking.
Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.
The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition . This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet.
Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations.
Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking.
Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published November 29, 2007
72 people are currently reading
1179 people want to read
About the author
Ian Roberts
2 books20 followersIan Roberts has been an artist all his life. But the story for A Land Apart has percolated inside him since he was a teenager canoeing in the woods of northern Ontario. He is the other of two other books, Creative Authenticity, 16 Principles to Clarify Your Artistic Vision and Mastering Composition, which has sold over 40,000 copies. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the painter, Anne Ward.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 5, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
This is a useful resource for on the subject of composition. It's for artists, beginner to advanced. If you can't quite grasp the subject, this is a good book to start with.
Ian Roberts is a great teacher and you can tell from the clear breakdown on the subject, making it easy for understand what makes a good composition. He also provides numerous drawing tips as well, like the basic mistakes to avoid, control of edges, and helpful exercises to train the mind to see and think about composition.
The book covers the common armatures which are the basic structure behind every composition. There are also lessons on cropping and framing using values and colour shape.
The lessons are illustrated by lots of examples, mostly painted by himself. They are mostly landscapes, still life, and a tiny bit on portrait. The painting demonstrations included are very detailed, down to the type of colours used.
The accompanying DVD shows examples of the techniques that are used to improve composition, before and after the changes were made. You can see how even little color changes can affect composition. These are also lessons in the book which are presented in the video.
Highly recommended to all artists.
February 20, 2013
This is quite simply The BOOK that changed my approach to composition. The book that brought me up a whole new level as an artist able to understand composition.
A definite reference and forever book for any artist looking to acquire more knowledge and take the right steps in getting there.
The one element I particularly enjoy is the layout: carefully thought through and user-friendly. This adds heaps to the enjoyment of learning something that can be down right boring. Roberts keeps all the elements he wants us to discover flowing smoothly and effortlessly on well written, illustrated and printed pages.
This edition also comes with a cd. A wee bonus to help highlight and explain the content of the manuscript by visually illustrating the essentials explained in the hardback.
Since reading Ian Robert's book, I find myself frequently referring back to it, finding inspiration and new answers.
Just in the same keen way Katherine Tyrell recommended this read on her blog http://makingamark.blogspot.com , I am adding my own support and enthusiasm.
Highly recommended.
A definite reference and forever book for any artist looking to acquire more knowledge and take the right steps in getting there.
The one element I particularly enjoy is the layout: carefully thought through and user-friendly. This adds heaps to the enjoyment of learning something that can be down right boring. Roberts keeps all the elements he wants us to discover flowing smoothly and effortlessly on well written, illustrated and printed pages.
This edition also comes with a cd. A wee bonus to help highlight and explain the content of the manuscript by visually illustrating the essentials explained in the hardback.
Since reading Ian Robert's book, I find myself frequently referring back to it, finding inspiration and new answers.
Just in the same keen way Katherine Tyrell recommended this read on her blog http://makingamark.blogspot.com , I am adding my own support and enthusiasm.
Highly recommended.
December 15, 2021
Davvero un'ottima lettura per imparare o consolidare la conoscenza della composizione nella pittura. Il libro ti insegna a vederla nelle opere d arte e ad applicarla al proprio lavoro con numerosi esempi e proposte di esercitazione.
December 1, 2019
Great one. Really give the foundation and starting guidelines for beginners. Definitely one of the best book on composition out there!
December 2, 2017
I'm a hobbyist, not an art student or professional, but I've been feeling stuck when it comes to painting. I'm ready to move beyond painting pretty trees/sunsets/beaches, but no other subject inspires me. Somewhere along the line, I heard the term "art composition," but YouTube and online articles almost exclusively talked about the rule of thirds and the golden ratio. So now I knew to put my tree/sunset/beach along these lines, but not much else.
Roberts has opened my eyes to new possibilities. He explores value masses, color theory and armatures - the ways that you guide the eye through the painting. I'm a writer, so I frame concepts in terms of stories and journeys. I learned from Roberts that composition is about creating a journey for the eye through the painting, until it reaches the climax - the focal point. And then you guide the eye through the journey again. It's why some paintings can grab your attention and hold it. You're not just staring - the eye is led through the hills and valleys of the painting. Once you become aware of this, you can feel your eyes moving along the path the artist has created for you.
This is why I was stunted. Writing is partly creating something I like, and partly about crafting a specific experience for the reader. But in painting, that second half was missing. Roberts showed me a way to craft an experience for the viewer. Now I find myself looking at everything, and seeing how it can be composed into a striking painting - street signs, pencils, chairs - and sometimes even those trees, sunsets, and beaches.
Roberts has opened my eyes to new possibilities. He explores value masses, color theory and armatures - the ways that you guide the eye through the painting. I'm a writer, so I frame concepts in terms of stories and journeys. I learned from Roberts that composition is about creating a journey for the eye through the painting, until it reaches the climax - the focal point. And then you guide the eye through the journey again. It's why some paintings can grab your attention and hold it. You're not just staring - the eye is led through the hills and valleys of the painting. Once you become aware of this, you can feel your eyes moving along the path the artist has created for you.
This is why I was stunted. Writing is partly creating something I like, and partly about crafting a specific experience for the reader. But in painting, that second half was missing. Roberts showed me a way to craft an experience for the viewer. Now I find myself looking at everything, and seeing how it can be composed into a striking painting - street signs, pencils, chairs - and sometimes even those trees, sunsets, and beaches.
December 28, 2022
I don't usually put this sort of book on my list but I really wanted to with this one. It is far and away the best book on the craft of painting that I've ever read. It has changed how I paint.
September 28, 2023
I found Ian Roberts on YouTube and really appreciated his generosity and teaching style, so much so that I signed up for his Mastering Composition classes. I bought his book after my second module "Brushwork" and have just finished reading it before my final "Color" module starts. I mention that because the book has many demonstrations and exercises for the reader to follow, but I have not done any of them yet because I am still working with a limited palette and am not using the full range of pigments listed. The directions do seem clear, though, and should benefit anyone able to do them because of the added hands-on learning.
I found the book complements his videos and his class but stands alone as a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about what makes some art sing and some fall flat, losing the viewer immediately. Ian is a representational artist and so the book is focused on representational art (fine by me; that's what I love) and what makes it work. However, I think the reader comes away with an appreciation that all art is, at its core, abstraction, and many abstract artists could benefit from the knowledge to be gained from Mastering Composition.
I found the book complements his videos and his class but stands alone as a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about what makes some art sing and some fall flat, losing the viewer immediately. Ian is a representational artist and so the book is focused on representational art (fine by me; that's what I love) and what makes it work. However, I think the reader comes away with an appreciation that all art is, at its core, abstraction, and many abstract artists could benefit from the knowledge to be gained from Mastering Composition.
April 6, 2023
Mastering Composition by Ian Roberts is a book that teaches artists (like me yay!) how to create compelling compositions in their paintings. This book covers the principles of design, the use of value, color, shapes, and edges, and the application of various compositional techniques. The book also includes exercises and examples to help artists to learn how to discern subtle differences that may or may not affect the overall composition. While it's on traditional side, it is still applicable to digital illustrations. While I'm not that interested in his detailed color mix approach, I still found this book very helpful. It made me more aware of the compositional choices I make in my drawings; thus, giving me the confidence to produce more not less artworks. If you're in a need of a boost in understanding composition, you will probably like this one.
March 20, 2025
This is a wonderful book for learning composition. I felt that Ian Roberts broke the concepts down and explained them well. He discusses different compositional forms with examples and explains why they work.
There are a lot of examples from his own work, discussing why it works and what some subtle changes could do to it.
The book includes a dvd. The technical quality of the DVD is poor, I had to turn the sound on my tv almost to maximum to hear it adequately, and the dvd buzzed in the player.
But after that, the content was excellent. He showed most of the pictures in the book, and showed them with alterations while discussing what these alterations do to the eye movement. Then he goes through the same video again without the voice so you can see and feel the effects yourself. The dvd is an excellent addition to the book.
There are a lot of examples from his own work, discussing why it works and what some subtle changes could do to it.
The book includes a dvd. The technical quality of the DVD is poor, I had to turn the sound on my tv almost to maximum to hear it adequately, and the dvd buzzed in the player.
But after that, the content was excellent. He showed most of the pictures in the book, and showed them with alterations while discussing what these alterations do to the eye movement. Then he goes through the same video again without the voice so you can see and feel the effects yourself. The dvd is an excellent addition to the book.
November 10, 2025
Digestible. Approachable. Invaluable.
Mastering Composition is up there with Gurney’s Color and Light as a foundational toolkit that will take your skill to the next level. Because this book is focused the fundamentals of composition, it offers a deep look at areas—such as *how* to guide the eye through a painting—that are only briefly approached by other excellent books such as Creative Illustration (Loomis), Imaginative Realism (Gurney), and Framed Ink (Mateu-Mestre).
What I especially appreciated about Robert’s approach is his “workshops” that walk the reader through examples of how to improve (or ruin) compositions. Seeing how subtle changes affect the flow of a painting takes the reader from abstracr theory into practical, concrete knowledge.
Mastering Composition is up there with Gurney’s Color and Light as a foundational toolkit that will take your skill to the next level. Because this book is focused the fundamentals of composition, it offers a deep look at areas—such as *how* to guide the eye through a painting—that are only briefly approached by other excellent books such as Creative Illustration (Loomis), Imaginative Realism (Gurney), and Framed Ink (Mateu-Mestre).
What I especially appreciated about Robert’s approach is his “workshops” that walk the reader through examples of how to improve (or ruin) compositions. Seeing how subtle changes affect the flow of a painting takes the reader from abstracr theory into practical, concrete knowledge.
October 13, 2020
I don't agree with all the author's recommendations, but the concepts he mentioned did get me to think more carefully about composition.
I would lean more toward 5 stars, but the "student corrections" section at the very end of the book was complete bullshit. He tried to correct his students' artwork, but somehow in every case made their paintings worse than the original versions. I get that art is subjective, so I asked a random person, without context, which of each example they liked more, and they repeatedly chose the student version over the author's.
I would lean more toward 5 stars, but the "student corrections" section at the very end of the book was complete bullshit. He tried to correct his students' artwork, but somehow in every case made their paintings worse than the original versions. I get that art is subjective, so I asked a random person, without context, which of each example they liked more, and they repeatedly chose the student version over the author's.
August 26, 2025
All this time, the only way I could learn about composition was through scattered bits and pieces—articles on the internet or sections in various books. But they only ever touched on parts of the subject here and there. I always felt composition was important, yet I couldn’t find anything that explored it in real depth.
This book, however, brings all those fragments together and goes much deeper. It’s truly a bible of “composition.” I came away from it feeling more confident and with a much deeper understanding of what makes a strong composition.
Highly recommended for any artist!!!
This book, however, brings all those fragments together and goes much deeper. It’s truly a bible of “composition.” I came away from it feeling more confident and with a much deeper understanding of what makes a strong composition.
Highly recommended for any artist!!!
October 27, 2023
Magnífica obra para aprehender los principios básicos de composición, planificación, luz, manchas o color en una obra pictórica. Me ha dado una nueva visión mucho más profunda a la hora de analizar y disfrutar de la intencionalidad compositiva de los grandes maestros de la pintura.
Un tesoro de libro que ojalá se difunda más, especialmente recomendable para principiantes y para refrescar ideas en los avanzados.
Un tesoro de libro que ojalá se difunda más, especialmente recomendable para principiantes y para refrescar ideas en los avanzados.
October 17, 2025
I'm an amateur drawer; this book was gifted to me by an acquaintance who heard I wanted to learn about composition and color use. This book definitely helps me in this endeavor. The content, particularly the suggested exercises, seems as useful for drawing as for painting. Glad to have received it; not sure how long I will keep the book after I master the content.
March 24, 2018
I’m not a painter but a photographer and bought this to learn a bit about paintings and any composition tips I could use in my field. I came away with a decent amount to think about and would recommend this book to any other photographers wanting the same.
February 17, 2021
A really great introduction to composition. I feel like I can both better prepare and evaluate my work now. I don't agree with every one of his opinions, but generally speaking I think the fundamentals are good, and I will be doing the practice he suggests.
February 18, 2022
This has a different approach to painting than most I have read, maybe because it is by an oil painter, whereas I usually stick to acrylic. It shows how to plan a painting before starting, in particular how to lead the eye through the painting.
September 27, 2022
The most useful book Ive read to date. I also follow his youtube instructional videos which are also the best ive seen. Good composition is fundamental to a good painting & Ian is able to explain this in an easy to understand way. I would highly recommend.
July 17, 2025
The methods and exercises introduced in this book are helpful for developing a strong and systematic approach to composition. However it’s worth noting that an overly calculated composition may compromise the painting’s serene, tranquil, and harmonious atmosphere
August 29, 2025
This book is full of wonderfully insightful knowledge about what makes a good painting and on top of that it is full of wonderful reproductions of exquisite paintings. Roberts is a great master and teacher and his tone of voice is so well educated, he never falls to preaching.
May 30, 2017
I'd give it a 4.5 for a how-to book. It was created before the popularity of youtube videos which have overtaken this format for teaching. I still enjoy having a hard copy. But I am old-school...
November 1, 2017
Excellent book
August 25, 2019
Explains concepts well.
February 21, 2021
Amazing
June 25, 2021
Excellent reference book that I will return to often
November 27, 2022
I follow Ian Roberts on YouTube and got his book. He is a fantastic artist and teacher. The book is very helpful to read. I love that he is so willing to share his thoughts and knowledge so freely.
September 18, 2023
An excellent resource to have on the artist’s bookshelf, written with clarity and examples to keep us from skidding off the road.
March 28, 2024
An excellent journey through the aspects the influence our enjoyment of a painting, and some suggestions on how to apply those aspects to our own works.
January 9, 2025
The author explained very well on the basics of composition. Especially, I like the part on how to find the nice view using frame.
May 30, 2025
This is one of the best books to study if you want to learn about composition and design of paintings in any medium.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews