What is balance?

Refers to the visual equalization of the elements of arts

Balance in art refers to the sense of distribution of perceived
visual weights that offset another. We feel more comfortable
and therefore find it more pleasing when the parts of an
artwork seem to balance each other
Three Major forms
SYMETRICAL:
Where the elements in a composition are balanced in a
mirror-like fashion. It does not have to be exact.
ASSYMETRICAL:
Where Equilibrium is achieved by the balance differences
in the art elements within a composition.
RADIAL:
Where elements in the composition branch or radiate
out from a central point.
What kind of balance is show?

Symmetrical Balance
If you could visually divide the paper in half. There would be equal amounts of visual
weight on both sides. Neither side dominates the photo.
What kind of balance is shown?

ASSYMETRICAL BALANCE
The waves on the left is balance by the focused of
mountain on the right side. The closer to that edges
of the photo an item is,the more visual weight it
carries.
What kind of balance is shown?

Radial
The lines of the fireworks all come
from a bright central point.
Example of types
"The Last Supper" by Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da
Vinci (1452-1519) is one of the best well-known examples of an
artist's creative use of symmetrical balance. Da Vinci uses the
compositional device of symmetrical balance and linear
perspective to stress the importance of the central figure, Jesus
Christ. There is slight variation among the figures themselves,
but there is the same number of figures on either side and they
are situated along the same horizontal axis.
"The Boating Party," by American artist Mary Cassatt
(1844–1926), is another dynamic example of
asymmetrical balance, with the dark figure in the
foreground (lower right-hand corner) balanced by the
lighter figures and particularly the light sail in the upper
left-hand corner.
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.
Why is balance important in
art?
Example of Balance
Humans
Humans, perhaps because we are bilaterally symmetrical,
have a natural desire to seek balance and equilibrium.
Artists generally strive to create artwork that is balanced.
A balanced work, in which the visual weight is distributed
evenly across the composition, seems stable, makes the
viewer feel comfortable, and is pleasing to the eye. A
work that is unbalanced appears unstable, creates
tension, and makes the viewer uneasy. Sometimes, an
artist deliberately creates a work that is unbalanced.
In three dimensions, balance is dictated by gravity, and it
is easy to tell when something is balanced or not (if not
held down by some means). It falls over if it is not
balanced. On a fulcrum (like a teeter-totter), one side of
the object hits the ground while the other rises. In two
dimensions, artists have to rely on the visual weight of
the elements of the composition to determine whether a
piece is balanced. Sculptors rely both on physical and
visual weight to determine the balance.
Isamu Noguchi's (1904-1988) sculpture "Red Cube" is an
example of a sculpture that intentionally looks off balance.
The red cube is precariously resting on a point, contrasting
with the gray, solid, stable buildings around it, and it
creates a feeling of tension and apprehension.
HOW THE ELEMENTS OF ART
INFLUENCE BALANCE?

When creating an artwork, artists keep in mind that

certain elements and characteristics have greater visual
weight than others. In general, the following guidelines
apply, although each composition is different and the
elements within a composition always behave in relation
to the other elements.
 Color

COLOR

Colors have three main characteristics (value, saturation,

and hue) that affect their visual weight. Transparency can
also come into play.
 Value

VALUE
Darker colors seem visually heavier in weight than lighter colors. Black is the darkest
color and the heaviest weight visually, while white is the lightest color and the
lightest weight visually. However, the size of the shape matters, too. For example, a
smaller, darker shape can be balanced by a larger, lighter shape. Saturation: More
saturated colors (more intense) are visually heavier than more neutral (duller) colors.
A color can be made less intense by mixing it with its opposite on the color wheel.
Hue: Warm colors (yellow, orange, and red) have more visual weight than cool
colors (blue, green, and purple).
Transparency: Opaque areas have more visual weight than transparent areas.
 Shape

SHAPE
Squares tend to have more visual weight than circles, and more complex shapes
(trapezoids, hexagons, and pentagons) tend to have more visual weight than simpler
shapes (circles, squares, and ovals)
The size of the shape is very important; larger shapes are heavier visually than smaller
shapes, but a group of small shapes can equal the weight of a large shape visually.
Line
Thick lines have more weight than thin lines.
 Texture
TEXTURE

A shape or form with texture has more weight than one

that is not textured.
 Placement
PLACEMENT
Shapes or objects located toward the edge or corner of the
composition have more visual weight and will offset visually
heavy elements within the composition.
Foreground and background can balance each other.
Items can also balance each other along a diagonal axis, not
just vertical or horizontal.
Any type of contrast can be employed in the striving for
balance: still vs. moving, smooth vs. rough, wide vs. narrow,
and on and on.