What Is Balance In Art?
Balance in art is the use of elements to achieve their desired aesthetics and message within art. Outside of these elements of art, other components play a critical role to this end.
These components can consist of rhythm, proportion, space, movement, form, yet always there is an emphasis on organization.
Organization is among the most critical aspects of creating balance. This applies whether the art is consisted of like elements, or by the contrast of them.
By using contrast in compliment with gradation, flow can be achieved to bring balance of color.
When organization is used well even contrasting elements can create aesthetic appeal. Most often when we speak of organization it is a reference to the composition in art.
The end goal of using balance in art is for creating visual stability through harmony and unity in art. This stability is what will allow for theme and message to be carried by the sum of the art content.
Ultimately this is the goal of many artists who wish to reach beyond mere aesthetic appeal.
Defining Balance By Category
Here you may find examples of balance from art history by great artists we have come to know through time. You can compare art from older times to the principles below and further work towards their personal application in your art.
Actual Balance In Art
Actual Balance applies to sculptures, mobiles, and other free standing art. This balance speaks to the ability of the art to physically stand on its own by its weight without support.
Pictorial Balance In Art
Pictorial Balance refers to the proportional symmetry of the parts within the art composed in its space. This can apply both to sculpted art and two dimensional works like painting.
Symmetrical Balance In Art
Symmetrical balance focuses on the objects or elements within the art. This balance is often referred to within a scope of geometrical balance or its “weight” rather than proportion or scale.
While this can also maintain a pictorial balance it is not required. Rather its focus is centered on the geometry of the art.
Asymmetrical Balance In Art
Asymmetrical balance is in contrast to symmetrical balance. This technique can be easily achieved through the use of contrasting elements.
Within asymmetrical applications often other fundamentals of art such as proportion and scale can also be used to create contrast. This is very different from imbalance which I will discuss later.
The purpose of this style of balance can be easily found in places such as color theory. We easily understand the relationship between complimenting and contrasting colors.
Contrasting colors can still be used with great effect due to these relationships.
Other elements, much like color, can also be used in contrasting ways. While this creates an asymmetrical work of art the balance exists to still render visual stability and aesthetic appeal.
Balance In Art By Ratio
Often a ratio of balance is used within a canvas based upon its horizontal, vertical, or radial boundaries. Methods such as the golden ratio has been used for generations.
How the ratio is used will depend upon the physical boundary of the canvas.
Horizontal balance occurs when the art utilizes its elements, proportions, scale, and space in similar or like kind from left to right.
Here the weight of its symmetrical balance is even across the space of the canvas.
Vertical balance is where the art applies its elements, proportions, and space in like kind from top to bottom on the canvas. The weight distribution is also typically symmetrical across this space.
When a canvas is more squared with four evenly lengthened sides we then have Radial Balance. In this case the weight distribution is measured symmetrically from the center of the canvas radially outward to each side.
Imbalance
Artists may intentionally seek to create an imbalance within their art for many reasons. Typically this is for the intention to quickly draw focus to a singular and specific message.
While this can create unease in art it also has other uses.
Imbalance can be used for purposes such as marketing. Here aesthetic appeal is still maintained despite the imbalance of the art.
Its point must reach an audience in a mere glance to convey its message.
There will be times when imbalance will accomplish a task for the artist which no other method can achieve. While not often used as a general tool of art, this is a tool within our box to apply if we need it.
Concepts for imbalance can be found in places like older marketing campaigns or political posters. The phrase “call to action” or “emotion” can often be associated with this idea.
What Is Visual Stability?
Visual stability is less focused on the how of the art and more on the why behind it. In other words, when visual stability is achieved it allows the parts within the art to come together for their intended purpose.
This can be achieved through balance in art, or imbalance. If the intended goal is for marketing then the message must be conveyed immediately.
Here imbalance can achieve the desired visual stability if the message immediately understood.
It is for this reason that this stability is focused on the why behind the elements. When the elements, objects, or the use of space removes the ability to communicate clearly this stability is compromised.
The hierarchy of each component within art will fall somewhere under visual stability. Typically elements that come together will yield shape. Shape will be used within space.
The sum of these parts will create balance of some type or kind through the objects which shape created. This then in turn should create visual stability for the intended purpose of the artist.
The Role Of Proportion To Balance In Art
Proportion is the size of objects by their relationship to each other. This comparison allows a measurable standard within the given space for realism or a shift to stylized art.
There will be times when proportion can be in conflict with visual stability. When adding objects to a scene within the art requires the proportion to be altered, more “noise” may be created.
This can dilute the visual stability of the intended message.
The artist may have to decide if an object is necessary, or if a shift in focus is required in order to maintain the overall balance in art.
Depending upon the desired visual stability, what is chosen to go into the art may require a certain category of balance. In most cases symmetrical balance can be maintained while the weight is shifted to one side or another.
How Scale Is Used To Aid Balance In Art
It is easy for some to confuse scale and proportion. Yet there is a difference in how they are used.
Scale is where objects of like kinds can be measured to each other. How does this work?
Think of a visual image from the Olympics. The gold medalist can be placed on a pedestal which is scaled higher and larger than silver and bronze. Each pedestal may be the same, and serve the same function, yet the difference in scale is for showing prominence of one over others.
With this simple example one can begin to understand how scale can impact the balance in art. Within more complex works, scale can be used to render greater focus to an area of importance.
Balance in symmetry is maintained within its boundaries, weight can shift to aid if needed, all while not creating an asymmetrical feel or imbalance.
Distortion of scale is also a strategy which can be used. This is achieved by increasing the scale of an object beyond its recognized size or boundary.
While the object itself is familiar, its scaled prominence is for an intended purpose relating to the artists intended message.
One can easily find this in older movie posters and is common to find today on book covers. This is an asymmetrical balance which is being used for the purpose of achieving a message to an intended purpose.
Within mobile art it can be quite common to find distortion of scale. Often here the goal is for aesthetic beauty without a need to convey a specific message by relation to other surrounding objects.
While this can be done with drawing or painting, it is less common to see without some intent behind its purpose.
Anchoring Balance In Art By A Focal Point
Obtaining balance in art can be achieved through anchoring all other surrounding objects and elements to a focal point.
In the event that the artist realized up front that the weight in symmetrical balance will be shifted, this can be an easy solution to maintain visual stability.
As the weight of the focal point will reside in the more prominent positive space, the surrounding elements and objects “fill in” as needed. Each will play a supporting role to that end.
If the element or object lends towards the desired visual stability then it can be given its proper scale and proportion. This should create a natural movement in the art and allow rhythm if so desired.
Balance can be maintained symmetrically within its vertical and horizontal boundaries. Radial balance may not be focused from a center point by weight, yet it can still keep its symmetrical integrity.
It is here that scale and proportion play a vital role in how this balance is achieved. If these two are not used well by relationship to its other parts then the outcome will be very asymmetrical in its visual stability.
The result is that the message with the aesthetics can be lost.
The Relationship Of Movement To Balance In Art
Movement and balance hold a close relationship. This movement can be as simple as the flow of the art based upon its focal point in relationship to its other objects by scale and proportions.
When the surrounding elements and components are well composed, it is common to find natural movement within symmetrical balance.
If the composition has maintained its boundaries, the scope of movement within the balance will fit to its vertical or horizontal limitations.
It is within a radial balance that things can begin to be fun. Imagine cropping a photograph to capture or highlight a feature or focal point from it rather than the whole image.
In this case the movement is determined not by boundaries but rather by its radial balance. Whether this radial balance is centered, or its weight is shifted is immaterial.
Movement can still surrounded that focal object.
Movement can be broken intentionally within asymmetrical balance. This broken movement is to cause a visual collision at a point within the art for a purpose.
The eyes are immediately drawn to this collision for the message or object.
In these above cases of how movement relates to balance in art, each carries with it visual stability towards its intended purpose.
Visual stability is lost when movement either flows in a direction away from the focal point, or imbalance by collision arrives improperly without a clear message.
Balance In Art By Rhythm
Rhythm can be movement yet movement is not always rhythm. In other words while movement can occur naturally based upon creating balance and visual stability, rhythm is often an option or occurs by choice.
Where rhythm does occur naturally will be found when the art itself is representational to nature or structures. It is a naturally occurring rhythm within the objects.
An example of this could be a painting of an orchard or vineyard.
Nevertheless while almost all representative works will have balance and natural movement, not all will have rhythm.
Obtaining balance through the use of rhythm is easily done. By its very nature a balance is created through repeating patterns, spacing of objects, and how it draws upon the use of distance in space.
It is something which our eyes capture easily and process immediately. Focal points are rendered more naturally with greater visual stability and aesthetic appeal.
This is better than using imbalance and collision points.
It is for this reason that many companies within the marketing industry began using rhythm with balance. They found it easier to achieve the delivery of a message rather than using imbalance.
Some still use asymmetrical balance yet often this is used in conjunction with text by size and color.
How people respond to rhythm and this delivery method results in a greater acceptance of what that message is. By contrast an imbalance would yield better results for warnings or hazards.
Outside of this function it is still very common to find many artists using rhythm and balance in art. Impressionists have used these principles for many generations with great success.
Their success comes from how natural rhythm can be to the eyes found in representation from the natural and constructed world around us.
Balance In Art And Visual Stability Go Hand In Hand
As an artist you will begin to discover that balance in art and visual stability go together hand in hand. If the visual stability is broken then it is as a result of a breakdown in the balance.
If balance is broken the cause is most often found in the choice of elements or how they are used. This would be the primary and most foundational place to look for a solution.
A secondary cause for broken balance can often be found through the use of proportion and scale through the objects represented. Also ask, is there too much noise represented in order to maintain visual stability?
A third issue for common breakdown of balance in visual stability can be found in the choice of focal point. Often associated with this will be how this focal point is weighted within the symmetrical balance in its use of space.
If visual stability is broken then it is typically due to a breakdown in balance within one of the above three components.
Great works of art are compositions which have achieved great balance through the use of its elements, objects, space, proportion, focal point, and scale to yield its visual stability.