Architectural Drawing Tutorial: How to Make a Good Composition

Alex Hillkurtz shares how to create a composition with depth using architectural illustration

Composition is the foundation of all illustration, especially architectural sketches. That's why we should pay attention to how we place our elements in space before drawing them.

In this tutorial, storyboard artist Alex Hillkurtz (@alexhillkurtzart) explains how to use two techniques give compositions dynamism and lift sketches to another level. Get your pencil and paper, and let's go!

1. Rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is a visual tool that helps us divide compositions and choose our focus. We're going to use it to compose asymmetrically to give our sketches dynamism.

Take any page or canvas and divide it into three equal parts vertically and horizontally. Choose one of the points where the lines converge on the grid as your focus, this way you can make a slightly asymmetrical sketch which will be more interesting to look at that than a symmetrical one.

This is because we read images in the same way we read books: our eyes go to one point first, and, from there, we run them over the rest of the illustration. That's why putting our focus away from the centre gives our drawings dynamism.

2. Focus the attention with contrasts

Contrasts (of tone, color, saturation, or detail) are the perfect way to direct people's attention. Through instinct alone, our eyes will be taken to the part of the drawing with the most detail and contrast. So, one way to guide them to a concrete point is to add more detail and contrast to it. This will make your piece more original and interesting.

You've learned to place the foundations of your drawings. Now, all you need to do is draw them!

If you found this tutorial interesting, you can learn to combine ink sketches with watercolor to create buildings that jump off the page on Alex Hillkurtz's online course Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink.

You may also be interested in:

- Urban Landscapes in Watercolor, a course by Daniel "Pito" Campos
- Watercolor Illustration with Japanese Influence, a course by Flor Kaneshiro
- Illustration of a Nature Diary, a course by Paulina Maciel · Canela