Artists can make certain subjects/shapes more prominent by making them larger (in the foreground), more colorful, better lit, harder edged, more detailed, and/or by placing them near the center of the piece. By varying size, color, lighting, edges and placement, multiple subjects/shapes can be given a hierarchy that helps to direct the viewer's gaze from the most prominent subjects to the lesser subjects and back to the most prominent.

Artists might choose to vary the prominence of the subjects/shapes in order to depict an actual hierarchy or in order to create more drama within a piece. An artist might wish to encourage identification with a prominent major subject while presenting a broader context for understanding that subject.

Featured: Sacred Spring by Paul Gauguin.