A Brush with Wildlife: Create a Composition with Carl Rungius

Photo of Rungius at work in studio

Rungius at work in his studio

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Other artists, like Carl Rungius, used a complex system of lines to determine his use of space. Notice, in the photograph to the right, the small study in the left lower corner showing his plan for the composition of Rams on the Alert (1953).

There is no set order to approaching composition. It’s one of those things where you just keep adjusting and tweaking all the parts until you get it right. Many artists make dozens of sketches and studies before they begin the final piece.

Take Carl Rungius, for example. He made many studies of the scene before painting the final Lord of the Canyon.


Study for Lord of the Canyon, by Carl Rungius	Enlarge	Final painting of Lord of the Canyon, by Carl Rungius	Enlarge

With the first mark on a page, you are creating a composition. Learning to manipulate the art elements and principles to achieve a unified composition may take a lifetime to master—but let's get started!