Balance Principle of Design Think of some examples

Balance Principle of Design

Think of some examples…. . • • -

Balance • • • Balance of the universe work hard – get a massage exhausted - sleep hungry – eat too much junk – garage sale late – rush sick – take medicine save up – spend money smells bad – lysol short – wear high heels

Balance • Life • Balance…. – School – Family – Friends – Work – Balance the check book – Balanced meals

Balance • The distribution of visual weight within a composition. • Visual Weight – through use of the elements. Must be seen, can’t be weighted physically. • A sense of balance is inborn. • As children we develop a sense of balance in our own bodies – equilibrium.

Imbalance • • • Lack of balance Disturbs us We want to “fix” it Uneasiness/unsteadiness Annoys you • Balance beam – gymnast falls off • Straighten a picture on the wall

Imbalanced • • Uncomfortable War Traffic Hurricane Oil spill – pollution Rollercoaster Grabs attention Uneasy feeling

Balance in Art Visual Balance

VISUAL BALANCE • Because of our sense of gravity we are accustomed to seeing more weight on the bottom then on top. This results in stability and calmness. • Solid shapes weigh more then open shapes • Shapes that go beyond the upper corners tend to rise, while shapes that go beneath the lower edge tend to sink • The vertical, horizontal and diagonal orientation of an element also affects its visual weight

OPTICAL CENTER • All images have an optical and actual center • Optical center is about ¼” above actual • Actual center will make your composition bottom heavy

Symmetrical Balance • How do you feel when you look at the following image…….

• Leonardo Da Vinci • Vitruvian Man • • Harmony Organized Quiet Peaceful Calm Order Static

FORMAL BALANCE • Conscious symmetrical repetition while clearly creating perfect balance can be undeniably static, so the term of formal balance is used to explain the same idea. • Can have a strong sense of symmetry in an asymmetrical work by having the emphasis on the central axis and common elements on both sides. • Domenico Veneziano: The St. Lucy Altarpiece

Central Axis • Line of Symmetry • Imaginary line that works as a guide Max Ernst

CENTRAL AXIS • An imaginary line that divides the picture plane evenly in half • We always assume a horizontal balance with a center vertical axis with the left and right sides achieving a sense of equilibrium. • Also a vertical balance with a horizontal axis dividing top and bottom.

• Vertical Axis • Measures horizontal balance

• Horizontal axis Measures Vertical balance

Approximate Symmetry • Slight variations in symmetrical balance

Asymmetrical Balance • Informal • Balance of unlike objects or elements. • Weigh the same but, • different elements. • Based on eye attraction.

ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE • • • Balance is achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or equal eye attraction. Alternate term is informal balance Asymmetrical balance seems less planned and casual yet it is more intricate and complicated to use than symmetrical balance. Attempting to balance dissimilar items involves more complex considerations and more subtle factors. Kathe Kollwitz: Mother with Dead Child

http: //www. artsconnected. org/toolkit/watch_balance_symmetrical. cfm

• Monet

• Thomas Hart Benton

Value • More contrast = more weight. • Black against white is heavier than white against grey. • Felix Vallotton

Hand out • Image B • A darker smaller element is visually equal to a lighter, larger one.

Which seems more attractive…

Baugin: Still Life with a Chess Board

Color • Studies have proven that our eyes are attracted to color. • Given the choice we will look at color over black and white. • We will choose a brighter color over a neutral. • Brighter color = heavier.

Shape and Texture • Large shape with out texture balances a small shape with texture. • Larger = heavier • Textured and detailed = heavier • Small = lighter • Solid = lighter

Hand out • Image E • Please turn page • A small complicated shape is balanced by a larger, more stable shape. • Image A • A small textured shape can balance a larger, untextured one.

Position • Principle in psychics two items of unequal weight can be brought to equilibrium by moving the heavier item to the center. • This effect seems to be casual and unplanned. • It can cause a composition at first glance to seem unbalanced. • Aubrey Beardsley

Hand out • Image D • A large shape placed near the middle of a design can be balanced by a smaller shape placed toward the outer edge.

Eye Direction • Carefully plotted • Makes viewer look in specific direction • More weight in that direction • Subliminal arrows • Edgar Degas

Carel Willink: Townview

Radial Balance • Radiate from a central point • Symmetrical horizontal and vertical • Frequently found in nature.

TYPES OF RADIAL BALANCE • Centrifugal Balance: – Occurs when the visual forces expand outward • Centripetal Balance: – Occurs when the visual forces move inward, suggesting a compression of space

Crystallographic Balance • All over pattern

• Adeline Harris • Quilt

No Balance

Homework • • Find examples of… 1. Symmetrical/Formal 2. Approximate 3. Asymmetrical/Informal 4. Radial 5. Crystallographic Do not use example shown in class Please number all examples.

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