Because I set up my own composition I did not need to use a view finder to select a composition. A view finder can be a simple cardboard frame that zeros in on what you want to include in your composition. I could now start my initial sketch. I indicate the perimeter of my composition on my watercolor paper, the highest, lowest, farthest to the right and farthest to the left areas of my subject. This tells me that I will work inside those marks and that I will fit everything on my paper in a balanced way. I am always instructing my students to do a quick, 30 second sketch of their subject on their paper within the designated perimeter. This will guide you in balancing your composition and help you to achieve the proper scale and proportion. This is a very light sketch (I hope you can see it!) and can be tweaked as needed. (will continue)
