Unity: When creating a composition think about how the separate parts of your drawing come together to create a whole. The size and shape of the paper determines the boundaries of the composition. Consider the entire piece.
Focus: Create a focus in your drawing, one area that is more detailed, brighter, darker, or that in some way stands out. Avoid putting the focus smack dab in the center. You may also have several minor focus points in your drawing. Think about how the eye will move from one focal point to another.
Repetition: Repeating variations of the same shape or tone throughout your drawing will add continuity and help unify your drawing. In this way you can compliment your focus point with fainter "echoes" of shapes or values.
Contrast: Variation in value, intensity, size or shape add interest to the drawing. Repeating the same shape in a different value (darker or lighter) is one way to create interest while unifying your composition.
Pathways: Create pathways to move the eye from one part of the drawing to another around the whole piece. Look at drawings and paintings and see what grabs your attention first. Then see how your eye moves around the composition.
