Breaking the Rules: Centered Compositions
from Andy Evansen
Andy had planned to explore a variety of odd compositional choices from different artists, but as he flipped through John Yardley’s watercolor book, something unexpected caught his eye. Page after page, Yardley placed the main subject — the “star of the show” — squarely in the middle of the painting.
At first, it felt wrong. Andy had spent years teaching students to avoid putting subjects “smack dab in the middle.” Yet Yardley did it again and again — and somehow, it worked.
That realization set Andy off on a deep dive into centered compositions: why they often fail, why they sometimes succeed, and what artists can learn from breaking the rules.
When the Center Feels Wrong
Yardley’s The Fountain had always stuck in Andy’s memory — not because of its brushwork or color, but because of how boldly the figures and fountain were planted right in the center of the painting.
It was a compositional choice most artists avoid, and Andy couldn’t help wondering why Yardley did it. Maybe the slight imbalance from the secondary figure helped. Maybe the diagonal of the fountain created tension. Either way, it broke a rule — but it didn’t completely break the painting.
As Andy flipped through more pages, he noticed the same tendency: figures walking down the middle of the street, buildings perfectly aligned, sheep staring out from the dead center of the canvas. Over and over again, Yardley seemed to ignore the “rule of thirds.”
Balance Beyond Placement
Looking deeper, Andy began to notice why these paintings still held up.
Often, the balance didn’t come from where the subject sat — it came from what surrounded it. Yardley might offset a centered subject with heavier darks on one side, or let a shadow path sweep diagonally through the composition. Sometimes a gaze or gesture directed the viewer’s eye away from the middle, creating visual movement even when the main figure sat squarely on the axis.
In The Sheepfold, for example, the central sheep were symmetrically placed, yet the rest of the herd and the light distribution pulled the viewer’s attention across the page. The scene remained dynamic — not static.
Lessons in Movement and Gesture
In another favorite example, a horse-drawn cart appears nearly symmetrical. The wagon sits in the middle, the horses stride evenly, and yet the piece feels full of motion.
Why? Because Yardley captured gesture. The bowed horse heads, lifted hoof, and unfinished wheel edges all imply motion. The composition may be balanced, but the movement within the shapes keeps it from feeling frozen.
For Andy, this was a key takeaway: gesture can save symmetry. If the forms convey life and direction, the viewer’s eye flows naturally — even through a centered design.
As Andy summed it up: “Just be an incredible painter — so no one notices your compositional choices.”
The Real Lesson: Rules Are Tools, Not Chains
Ultimately, Andy’s study of these centered compositions reminded him of an essential truth: composition “rules” are simply guidelines. They exist to help artists understand balance, not to restrict creativity.
A centered composition can absolutely succeed — but only when the rest of the painting supports it. Through balance of light and shadow, unity of shapes, expressive gesture, and thoughtful contrast, even a dead-center subject can feel harmonious and alive.
Andy’s Challenge to Artists
To wrap up his reflection, Andy offered a challenge to his students:
Create a painting with your main subject placed right in the center — and make it work.
"Lean On Me” Andy Evansen
Play with imbalance, value contrast, and supporting shapes. Group your focal point with nearby forms. Let light, color, and rhythm lead the eye.
You might be surprised at how expressive a “rule-breaking” composition can be when it’s handled with intention.
Learn more from Andy through his video series or mentoring course: