If you've ended up with a composition where the subject is getting a bit lost on the canvas or sheet of paper, don't let the shape and/or size of a canvas or sheet of paper dictate. Instead, consider cropping or cutting off part of the composition, either only a little or in an extreme fashion.
Preview what it might look like by covering over the sections you might crop with some paper or card, then stepping back to consider the result. What you're after is a composition where the space around the subject or focus of the painting forms visually intriguing negative spaces.
Don't fret about cropping off some of the subject. Someone looking at the painting will mentally complete the subject, and be actively engaged with the painting when they're looking at it.
Preview what it might look like by covering over the sections you might crop with some paper or card, then stepping back to consider the result. What you're after is a composition where the space around the subject or focus of the painting forms visually intriguing negative spaces.
Don't fret about cropping off some of the subject. Someone looking at the painting will mentally complete the subject, and be actively engaged with the painting when they're looking at it.