Sign in Subscribe
Acrylic Painting Tutorials

Landscape Composition Types: L-Shape and Fulcrum Designs

Discover two of the most effective composition types for landscape painting — the L-shape and Fulcrum design. Learn how to balance weight, color, and structure.

Robert Joyner | Garage Studio Artist & Art Educator

Robert Joyner | Garage Studio Artist & Art Educator

— 3 min read
L-Shape and Fulcrum Designs hero image

In this lesson, I break down two of my favorite composition structures for landscape painting — the L-shape and the Fulcrum (or Steelyard) design. Both are simple, flexible, and incredibly useful for building strong, balanced compositions that work in any format.

This lesson is part of the Acrylic Landscape Painting Fundamentals Course.

Keep It Simple

There are hundreds of composition theories out there, but in my experience, sticking to just a few tried-and-true setups is the best approach.

Too many options can paralyze you. If you master two or three reliable formats, you can fit almost any subject into one of them — and spend more time painting than planning.

The two I rely on most are the L-shape and the Fulcrum (Steelyard) composition. Let’s look at how each one works.

Sketch demo showing L-shape and Fulcrum composition types for landscape design, featuring balance of large and small shapes and color accents.

The L-Shape Composition

The L-shape is built around a dominant vertical or diagonal element combined with a strong horizontal base. Think of it as framing the scene from one side — creating a natural “frame within a frame.”

That vertical mass could be:

  • A tree or group of trees
  • A building with a shadow stretching across the ground
  • A large foreground rock or structure

The “L” helps guide the viewer’s eye into the scene and adds structure.
It can appear on the left or right side of the painting and works beautifully in both vertical and horizontal formats.

It doesn’t have to be a literal “L,” either — just the feeling of that shape, where a vertical meets a horizontal edge to anchor the design.

The Fulcrum (Steelyard) Composition

The Fulcrum composition focuses on balance and weight distribution.
Imagine your painting as a seesaw — one large shape on one side balanced by a smaller, lighter shape on the other.

  • The large mass could be a tree, building, or cluster of dark shapes.
  • The smaller counterbalance could be:
    • A smaller object like a distant tree or figure
    • An interesting shape or pair of figures
    • A bold accent color (like a red barn or umbrella)

The goal is to offset visual weight without symmetry. A large dark tree on the right might feel balanced by a small, vivid shape (like a red barn) on the far left. That distance between them creates dynamic tension and keeps the painting from feeling lopsided.

As I demonstrate in the sketch, that small accent could be anything — a figure, a color note, or a shape that simply feels “interesting.” The power comes from placement, not size.

Why These Work

Both of these compositions rely on clear structure and intentional imbalance:

  • The L-shape gives the viewer a visual frame to enter the scene.
  • The Fulcrum uses visual tension to create energy and balance.

You can combine these ideas, too — using an L-shape design while placing a counterbalance element in the distance.

Key Takeaways

  1. Keep composition options simple — two or three structures are plenty.
  2. The L-shape composition frames the scene and adds direction.
  3. The Fulcrum (Steelyard) composition balances large and small elements.
  4. Counterbalance with placement, not symmetry.
  5. Use color accents as visual weight to offset large shapes.

Course Navigation

Previous Lesson: Leading the Viewer Into the Painting
Next Lesson: Avoiding Common Composition Pitfalls in Landscapes
Acrylic Landscape Painting Hub - view all lessons

Learn & Improve Your Acrylic Skills

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links are affiliates, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend materials I use regularly, often from Blick Art Materials. Your support keeps my tutorials free and ad-free—thank you!

Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

Read more