LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION ost landscapes have a background, a middle ground, and a foreground. The background represents areas that are farthest in distance; the foreground represents the areas that appear closest in distance; the middle ground is in between. The back-
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BY WILLIAM F. POWELL
ground, middle ground, and foreground do not have to take up equal space in a composition. Below, the middle ground and foreground are placed low, so the elements in the background become the area of interest.
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Choosing a Viewpoint The wide horizontal landscape above illustrates a panoramic view. The tree shapes on the left and the right lean slightly toward the center, drawing the eye into the middle of the composition. In the example to the right, notice how the elements direct the eye to the center by subtly "framing" that area. Below, the road in the foreground leads back to the small structure, which is the focus of the drawing.
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