- Definition
The "rule of thirds" is a way to make a picture more interesting by imagining lines that divide it into nine equal boxes. You place the most important parts of your picture where these lines cross or along the lines themselves, instead of right in the middle.
In a photo of a sunset, placing the horizon line on the bottom third line instead of the middle makes the sky feel bigger.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The rule of thirds is like drawing a tic-tac-toe grid on your picture and putting the most interesting things where the lines cross.
Ask your child: Where would you place the most important thing in this picture to make it more exciting?
Common mix-up: Kids often think the main subject should always be dead center. The rule of thirds shows how placing the subject off-center can make a picture more dynamic and interesting.
Examples
- Placing a person's eyes on the top horizontal line in a portrait.
- Positioning a lone tree where two of the grid lines intersect in a landscape drawing.
rule of thirds is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
