Emphasis

Emphasis by One Element - In this example by Gretchen Kelly, the high contrast, bright red door stands out against the otherwise colorless background. Although the images represents one continuous composition, the door is clearly the focal point.

Emphasis by Isolation - In this photo, retrieved from Flickr, the lone bird on the bottom wire is made the focal point by means of isolation. Although all the birds appear to be undefined shapes, the isolated bird draws the viewers eye.

Emphasis by Placement - This photo of the Andy Warhol gallery at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, uses placement to create emphasis on the image at the back. Both the staircase and the hallway lead back towards the image, as do all parallel lines on the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Emphasis by Contrast - This image, by Mark Bennett, uses contrast to create the window as a focal point. The warm, glowing orange stands out against the cold, blue, snowy background, creating a warm, inviting focal point.

Absence of Focal Point - This image, titled Pink Quetzacoatl, has no focal point. Instead, it is an abstract representation, a collection of vibrant colors and interesting shapes and lines. By avoiding the use of a blatant focal point, the painting becomes one unified focal point in and of itself.