Composition is, of course, an important skill to develop. Many books have been written on the subject. DaVinci is reported to have recommended that young painters look at mold stains on the walls and try to see landscapes. This is sometimes referred to as ‘forced’ or re-purposed composition. Henry Rankin Poore wrote on it in the 1800’s and is worth looking up.
The example here begins with a random picture of flowers. This is analyzed by gestural sketch. Next, look at the gestural study until you imagine a completely different subject image based on the original compositional layout. This seems a bit forced at the start, but it becomes easier and quite enjoyable as you do it more often. In this case one can see ‘a race between two cyclists watched by spectators.‘
