Posing the Interdimensional Traveler - ZBrush Creature Design: Creating Dynamic Concept Imagery for Film and Games - page 203

Rule of Thirds and Golden Rectangle
A common compositional tool for creating a pleasing layout is known as the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds
is derived from the idea of the golden rectangle, but it is not a golden rectangle itself. It is a quick way to
create a pleasing proportion in most aspect ratios. The rule of thirds is often used in illustration and photo-
graphy. This rule divides the picture plane into nine equal parts as shown in Figure 4-26 .
Figure 4-26: Using the rule of thirds, the picture plane is divided into nine sections to help place points of
interest.
When composing the image, make an effort to place objects of interest on the intersections of these lines.
These intersections represent focal points for the image. This helps you avoid placing focal points in the cen-
ter. We want to keep areas of interest outside the center for reasons already discussed in Chapter 1, “ZBrush
as a Character Design Tool.” Perfect symmetry and balance tend to be boring. The idea is that images com-
posed in this manner will carry more dynamic tension than a perfectly centered composition.
Figure 4-27 shows the rule of thirds applied to an image. While the rule of thirds is not exactly the golden
rectangle and will not result in the same composition, it is a close and quick approximation that is very help-
ful to many artists seeking a way to organize their image planes into dynamic compositions.
Figure 4-27: Applying the rule of thirds to a composition shows how the elements are arranged (image by
Paul Tobin).