Balance in Art
Refers to the use of artistic elements such as line, texture, color, and form in the creation of artworks in a way that renders visual stability. Balance is one of the principles of organization of structural elements of art and design, along with unity, proportion, emphasis and rhythm. |
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TYPES OF BALANCE
There are three main types of balance that are used in art and design: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. Symmetrical balance, which includes radial symmetry, repeats patterns of forms systematically. Asymmetrical balance counterbalances different elements that have equal visual weight or equal physical and visual weight in a three-dimensional structure. Asymmetrical balance is based more on the artist's intuition than on a formulaic process. |
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Symmetrical Balance
Symmetrical balance is when both sides of a piece are equal; that is, they are identical or almost identical. Symmetrical balance can be established by drawing an imaginary line through the center of the work, either horizontally or vertically, and making each half identically or very visually similar. This kind of balance creates a sense of order, stability, rationality, solemnity, and formality. Symmetrical balance is often used in institutional architecture (government buildings, libraries, colleges, and universities) and religious art.
Symmetrical balance is when both sides of a piece are equal; that is, they are identical or almost identical. Symmetrical balance can be established by drawing an imaginary line through the center of the work, either horizontally or vertically, and making each half identically or very visually similar. This kind of balance creates a sense of order, stability, rationality, solemnity, and formality. Symmetrical balance is often used in institutional architecture (government buildings, libraries, colleges, and universities) and religious art.
Radial Symmetry
Radial symmetry is a variation of symmetrical balance in which the elements are arranged equally around a central point, as in the spokes of a wheel or the ripples made in a pond where a stone is dropped. Thus, radial symmetry has a strong focal point.
Radial symmetry is often seen in nature, as in the petals of a tulip, the seeds of a dandelion, or in certain marine life, such as jellyfish. It is also seen in religious art and sacred geometry, as in mandalas, and in contemporary art, as in "Target With Four Faces" (1955) by the American painter Jasper Johns.
Radial symmetry is a variation of symmetrical balance in which the elements are arranged equally around a central point, as in the spokes of a wheel or the ripples made in a pond where a stone is dropped. Thus, radial symmetry has a strong focal point.
Radial symmetry is often seen in nature, as in the petals of a tulip, the seeds of a dandelion, or in certain marine life, such as jellyfish. It is also seen in religious art and sacred geometry, as in mandalas, and in contemporary art, as in "Target With Four Faces" (1955) by the American painter Jasper Johns.
Asymmetrical Balance
In asymmetrical balance, the two sides of a composition are not the same but appear to have an equal visual weight nonetheless. Negative and positive shapes are unequal and unevenly distributed throughout the artwork, leading the viewer's eye through the piece. Asymmetrical balance is a bit more difficult to achieve than symmetrical balance because each element of art has its own visual weight relative to the other elements and affects the whole composition.
In asymmetrical balance, the two sides of a composition are not the same but appear to have an equal visual weight nonetheless. Negative and positive shapes are unequal and unevenly distributed throughout the artwork, leading the viewer's eye through the piece. Asymmetrical balance is a bit more difficult to achieve than symmetrical balance because each element of art has its own visual weight relative to the other elements and affects the whole composition.