Symmetrical, Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, Radial Asymmetrical, Radial

and Mosaicand Mosaic

BALANCEBALANCE

Visual Weight in Design Visual Weight in Design ElementsElements

The major difference in design balance and The major difference in design balance and physical balance is that your visual elements don’t physical balance is that your visual elements don’t have a physical weight. They do however, have have a physical weight. They do however, have visual weight.visual weight.

Some things that affect Some things that affect visual weightvisual weight:: SizeSize – As you would expect larger elements carry – As you would expect larger elements carry

more weight more weight ColorColor – It’s not fully understood why, but – It’s not fully understood why, but

some colors are perceived as weighing more than some colors are perceived as weighing more than othersothers. Red seems to be heaviest while yellow seems to . Red seems to be heaviest while yellow seems to be lightest. be lightest.

DensityDensity – Packing more elements into a given – Packing more elements into a given space, gives more weight to that space space, gives more weight to that space

ValueValue – A darker object will have more weight than – A darker object will have more weight than a lighter object a lighter object

WhitespaceWhitespace – Positive space weighs more than – Positive space weighs more than negative space or whitespacenegative space or whitespace

Symmetrical BalanceSymmetrical Balance Symmetrical balance is like having our fulcrum in Symmetrical balance is like having our fulcrum in

the center of the lever. To achieve balance we need the center of the lever. To achieve balance we need to have elements of equal weight on both sides of a to have elements of equal weight on both sides of a central axis.central axis.

Symmetrical balance tends to be more formal and Symmetrical balance tends to be more formal and more static. It evokes feelings of consistency, more static. It evokes feelings of consistency, elegance and classicism.elegance and classicism.

Think of a wedding invitation. They tend to use Think of a wedding invitation. They tend to use centered text in part because this helps achieve centered text in part because this helps achieve symmetrical balance, which leads to feelings of symmetrical balance, which leads to feelings of formality and elegance. Exactly what a wedding is formality and elegance. Exactly what a wedding is expected to be.expected to be.

Symmetrical design balance is easy to see and Symmetrical design balance is easy to see and relatively easy to achieve.relatively easy to achieve.

Leonardo’s Last Supper is a great example of symmetrical balance in art. For everything on the left side of the painting there’s something of equal weight on the right. The entire painting is balanced around the central figure of Jesus Christ, which makes perfect sense given what the painting is about.

http://i.images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-4407940261-hd/World_Heritage_Sites/Europe/Southern_Europe/

Raphael's master, pays tribute to Florence Raphael's master, pays tribute to Florence and Romans in work, uses Biblical and and Romans in work, uses Biblical and contemporary people, intellectual path, contemporary people, intellectual path, perfectly symmetrical balanceperfectly symmetrical balance

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/3541397235_188f15359f.jpg

Asymmetrical BalanceAsymmetrical Balance Asymmetrical balance is like having our fulcrum off Asymmetrical balance is like having our fulcrum off

center. Unequal weights need to be placed on either center. Unequal weights need to be placed on either side of the fulcrum in order for balance to be in side of the fulcrum in order for balance to be in equilibrium. Visual weight will not be evenly distributed equilibrium. Visual weight will not be evenly distributed around a central axis and often you’ll find one dominant around a central axis and often you’ll find one dominant form on one side of the axis offset by several less form on one side of the axis offset by several less dominant forms on the other.dominant forms on the other.

Asymmetrical balance is more dynamic as there’s more Asymmetrical balance is more dynamic as there’s more visual variety in design elements. It’s more interesting visual variety in design elements. It’s more interesting because of that variety, but also more difficult to because of that variety, but also more difficult to achieve.achieve.

Elements in asymmetrical design will have more Elements in asymmetrical design will have more complex relationships between them and the overall complex relationships between them and the overall design will use more whitespace to equalize the balance.design will use more whitespace to equalize the balance.

Asymmetrical design evokes modernism and feelings of Asymmetrical design evokes modernism and feelings of forcefulness, vitality, and movement.forcefulness, vitality, and movement.

In Kandinsky’s Composition #8 the dominant element is the In Kandinsky’s Composition #8 the dominant element is the dark circle in the upper left. No single element on the right dark circle in the upper left. No single element on the right side of the painting carries the same weight as this circle, side of the painting carries the same weight as this circle, but the dense line work on the right side carries enough but the dense line work on the right side carries enough weight together to give a counterbalance to the painting. weight together to give a counterbalance to the painting. Notice how the left side of the painting contains more Notice how the left side of the painting contains more whitespace, since the circle already carries enough weight whitespace, since the circle already carries enough weight for that side.for that side.

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/kandinsky.comp-8.jpg

"It is a commonplace about the classic phase of "It is a commonplace about the classic phase of Mondrian's oeuvre that the artist achieves a subtle Mondrian's oeuvre that the artist achieves a subtle asymmetrical balance in his compositions. Much of our asymmetrical balance in his compositions. Much of our pleasure in engaging with these works seems to be pleasure in engaging with these works seems to be appreciation of their balance, a balance which provokes appreciation of their balance, a balance which provokes our interest and awakens our admiration because it is so our interest and awakens our admiration because it is so challenging. It strikes us not just as asymmetrical, which challenging. It strikes us not just as asymmetrical, which is not in itself remarkable, but as surprising, eccentric, is not in itself remarkable, but as surprising, eccentric, improbable, even mysterious. The compositions are improbable, even mysterious. The compositions are typically experienced as strong or stable yet also as typically experienced as strong or stable yet also as dynamic, as containing the "equilibrated contrasts"dynamic, as containing the "equilibrated contrasts"

Radial BalanceRadial Balance

Radial balanceRadial balance – all elements – all elements radiate in or out from the center. radiate in or out from the center. Think beams of light coming from the Think beams of light coming from the sun. It’s easy to maintain a focal sun. It’s easy to maintain a focal point in radial balance as it will point in radial balance as it will always be the center. always be the center.

Close-up of a Rose Window in the Notre Dame Cathedral.  The stained glass Rose Windows were built between 1250 and 1260. They still have the original glass.  Many Gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame have circular stained glass rose windows.

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/rose-window.jpg

Mosaic BalanceMosaic Balance

Mosaic balanceMosaic balance – many elements – many elements on the page create a sort of balanced on the page create a sort of balanced chaos. Think of a Jackson Pollack chaos. Think of a Jackson Pollack painting. Mosaic balance lacks painting. Mosaic balance lacks hierarchy and can look like noise. It’s hierarchy and can look like noise. It’s harder to define a single focal point harder to define a single focal point in all the chaos. in all the chaos.

JACKSON POLLOCK

http://markandrews.edublogs.org/files/2011/01/pollockpic-15p6n9d.jpg

http://www.arthistoryspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/painting_jackson_pollock.jpg