Imagine you’ve got a camera or you’re drawing a picture. To make your photo or drawing look really interesting, we use the rule of thirds. It’s like a secret trick to help your pictures look amazing!

Here’s how it works: when you’re about to take a picture or draw a scene, mentally divide your picture into thirds, both ways—down and across. Picture two lines going down and two lines going across, sort of like a noughts and crosses board. This will give you nine equal parts.

Now, the fun part: try to put the most interesting things in your picture—like a tree, a house, or a friend—where those lines meet or along the lines. These spots are like magic spots that make everything look extra good.

For example, if you’re taking a photo of your pet, instead of putting them right in the middle, you might place them at one of the points where the lines cross. It makes your photo look more balanced and keeps the eyes of anyone looking moving around the picture, which is way more fun to look at.

So, next time you’re snapping a picture or creating a masterpiece, remember this little trick.

Watch at least one of these short videos

My favourite video about the rule of thirds is the last one.

Step 1: Find Your Subject

• Look Around: Walk around the playground and find something in nature you want to take a photo of, like a tree, flower, or interesting rock.

Step 2: Frame Your Shot

• Use the Rule of Thirds: When you look at your subject on the screen, move the iPad so that your subject is off-centre, where the lines would cross. See in the image below the mushroom is on the right of the rule of thirds.

Step 3: Think About the Light

• Light Positioning: Make sure the light (like the sun) is behind or to the side of your subject. This will make your photo look better and more interesting.

Step 4: Take Your Photo

• Use Your iPad: Take your photo using the iPad. Check if the subject is in the right spot and if the light looks good.

Step 5: Review and Reflect

• Load and Edit your Photo on Artsonia: Write a unique title for your photo.
• Write a Reflection: On Artsonia, write 2-3 sentences about what you did and how you used the rule of thirds to create your photograph, in the artist statement section.

Ideas for Writing About How You Used the Rule of Thirds

Simple Ideas:

1. I put the tree on the left side to make it look nice in the picture.
2. The bird is up in the left corner so you can see it well.
3. I made the ground low in the picture so you can see lots of sky.
4. The flower is on the right side to help you see its colours better.
5. I put the bridge down low so you can see the river going up high in the picture.
6. The sunset is on the right side to make the picture look good.
7. I placed the main thing a little to the right to make the picture interesting.
8. The car is in the bottom right corner to help you look all around the picture.

Building Ideas:

1. I placed the tree on the left line to make the picture look better.
2. The bird is at the top left corner of the grid, which makes it stand out against the sky.
3. I put the horizon low in the frame so the sky takes up most of the picture.
4. The flower is on the right cross point to draw attention to its colours.
5. I positioned the bridge at the bottom third of the photo to balance it with the river above.
6. The sunset is at the right intersection to make the whole image look balanced.
7. I placed the main subject slightly off-centre, on the right, to make the composition more lively.
8. The car is in the lower right corner to guide your eyes through the scene.

Growing Ideas:

1. I positioned the tree along the left third of the image to create a more appealing composition.
2. The bird is placed at the upper left intersection, making it the focal point against the sky.
3. I aligned the horizon with the lower horizontal third, allowing the sky to dominate most of the image.
4. The flower is positioned on the right intersection to highlight its vibrant colours and draw attention.
5. The bridge is set at the bottom third of the photo, balancing the composition with the river above.
6. The sunset is located at the right-side intersection, achieving balance and enhancing the visual appeal of the image.
7. I placed the main subject near the right vertical line, making the scene more dynamic and engaging.
8. The car is situated in the lower right corner to anchor the composition and lead the viewer’s eye through the picture.

High-Thinking Ideas:

1. I positioned the tree along the left vertical line of the rule of thirds to enhance its visual impact in the scene.
2. The bird is located at the top left intersection of the rule of thirds, making it a focal point against the sky background.
3. I aligned the horizon with the lower horizontal line of the rule of thirds to give more space to the dramatic sky above.
4. The flower is centred on the right intersection point according to the rule of thirds, drawing attention to its colours.
5. By placing the bridge at the bottom third of the image, I aimed to balance the scene with the river flowing through the top two-thirds.
6. The sunset is positioned at the intersection on the right third, which helps balance the elements within the frame.
7. I arranged the main subject off-centre, placing it near the right vertical line to create a more dynamic composition.
8. The car is positioned at the lower right corner of the rule of thirds grid, anchoring the image and guiding the viewer’s gaze through the scene.