Hierarchy and Composition - Try drawing this

I like this image because it's small and doesn't have any details on it. -So you can easily see how all the parts fit together into a:

1) Clear and easy to read composition (functional)

2) Each part - each positive part (trees, foliage, hills) and each negative part balance artistically against each other
in a pleasant design (artistic)

balancing art and function is the goal

http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/06/howie-post-tree-king.html

Boy Geneva doesn't waste any time getting to the lessons! A determined gal.

Good negative shapes are making the characters read well. That was the main point of the study.

OK, but I would have done a preliminary step - without the details of the individual leaves and the puffs in the dust trail. just the major shapes and flow of the composition.

Those lumpy details have been drawn BIGGER than the original and are eating up the overall shapes they are part of.

Each leaf is part of a CLUMP of leaves.


Each Clump is part of an overall shape of foliage.

Ge it? Thats hierarchy. The details should serve the next level of shapes up, not fight them.