Composition is the gravity that holds a painting together. In the actual world things exist in accidental position. In the space of a painting the painter must deliberately create right relations of the parts to the whole. Here, example-by-example, you'll see how to compose. The work of 24 professional artists included in this book gives you an over the shoulder look at how to apply composition techniques. Armed with this information, you can paint a powerful picture and—equally important—you can analyze and improve a work that has gone wrong. Through an organized, disciplined text punctuated with revealing illustrations, the author guides the reader in the skills and thinking process. This is a sound book, full of useful advice all serious students and professionals are sure to find helpful, revealing and rewarding.