Composition is the same as design. 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 designing a powerful painting, and creating an engaging life. Variety and the use of differences are key.
Using differences of value, design, color and texture make your art exciting, not just for you, but for others as well. Some of the common elements of design are: line, shape, space, value, color and texture. Composition/design is the arrangement of all or some of these elements.