Instead of just tossing the various elements together, you should
organize them using a few basic principles of composition. These
techniques keep the picture from appearing cluttered and give it a
visual rhythm. Here are some things to note and use in your artwork:
TANGENTS
Basically, tangents are points where one object touches another. In
drawings, you mostly want to avoid creating these spots, because
they look awkward. Notice how the far edge of the bowl rises slightly
above the horizontal line of the table rather than stopping precisely on
the line. Likewise, the top of the cup. And to avoid another tangent,
the roof of the house doesn’t touch the line of the hill but stops just
short of it.
OVERLAP
Overlapping conveys the feeling of depth. Note how the string of
pearls looks real. That’s due to its being overlapped. The cup and vase
are also overlapped, as is the house by the hill.
DIAGONALS
This is a very symmetrical scene, which gives it a feeling of
stateliness; however, you can infuse an understated dynamic with
energy by applying diagonals. The hill, house, and tree all use
diagonals and, therefore, add energy to the scene.
PACING AND GROUPING
Instead of everything being spaced evenly apart, the objects appear
randomly placed, which is more interesting. The vase and cup are
grouped together, the bowl is solitary and placed toward the rear, and
the pearls are placed toward the front in a casual manner.
SHADOW
Note that the right wall, which is drawn at an angle, is shaded. This
differentiates it from the adjoining wall and gives the appearance of
depth.