Design and composition are the same. I like design, because it seems more widely applicable to things other than painting. You can design a building, you can design a meal, and you can design a life. I want people to see the connection between design as it relates to not just your art but also your life. In order to create powerful engaging art (and a life), the use of differences are involved. Differences of value, design, color and texture all can be used in your art to make it exciting for you to make, and for the viewer to look at. Some of the common elements of design are: line, shape, space, value, color and texture. Composition, or design, is the arrangement of all or some of these elements.