1.3.2: Balance

Balance

Balance is a Principle of Design that regards the handling of visual weight regarding the work of art as a whole. The use of the term here is different than how we use it in everyday conversation. We might want to say that a lop-sided work of art, one that is heavily weighted on one side, is "out of balance." That is somewhat true, and yet all works of art possess some form of balance. Saying that a work of art is "out of balance" in this context fails to recognize that the work simply has a different kind of balance.

Artists use different kinds of balance to express different kinds of qualities. A work that is evenly balanced, for instance, gives a calm, in-control, orderly vibe, while an offset work creates a sense of drama, or uneasiness. One kind of balance isn't necessarily better than another as long as it supports what the artist is trying to communicate. An off-kilter composition may be more appropriate for communicating a particular message than a more equally weighted one.

Let's consider a work by Piet Mondrian, whose revolutionary paintings of the early twentieth century used non-objective shapes instead of realistic subject matter to generate the visual power in his work. While Broadway Boogie Woogie seems very similar from one area to the next with the many repeated squares and rectangles painted in white and primary colors, one side is not exactly the same as the other. The lack of perfect symmetry adds a dynamic, energetic quality to this work that fits its title. If one side was exactly the same as the other, the work might feel too predictable and calm. Instead, looking at this work, one can imagine early 20th century, hopping and bopping, city life with its grid pattern similar to the layout of city streets and blocks, and the pulsating colors similar to the rhythms of lively dance music.

Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie, c. 1942-43, oil on canvas, 127 x 127 cm, Wikimedia Commons, public domain

In the examples below, notice how the placement of the white rectangle makes a big difference in how the entire picture plane is activated. Balance can thus have a powerful influence on the overall feeling of a work.

6 Examples of Visual Balance.
Image by Christopher Gildow. Used with permission.

The example on the top left is weighted toward the top, and the diagonal orientation of the white shape gives the whole area a sense of movement.

The top middle example is weighted more toward the bottom, but still maintains a sense that the white shape is floating.

On the top right, the white shape is nearly off the picture plane altogether, leaving most of the remaining area visually empty. This arrangement works if you want to convey a feeling of loftiness or simply direct the viewer’s eyes to the top of the composition.

The lower left example is perhaps the least dynamic: the white shape is resting at the bottom, mimicking the horizontal bottom edge of the ground. The overall sense here is restful, heavy, and without any dynamic character.

The bottom middle composition is weighted decidedly toward the bottom right corner, but again, the diagonal orientation of the white shape leaves some sense of movement.

Lastly, the lower right example places the white shape directly in the middle on a horizontal axis. This is visually the most stable, but lacks any sense of movement. Refer to these six diagrams when you are determining the visual weight of specific artworks.

There are three basic forms of visual balance:

• Symmetrical
• Asymmetrical
• Radial

3 Examples of Visual Balance.
Left: Symmetrical. Middle: Asymmetrical. Right: Radial.
Image by Christopher Gildow. Used with permission.

Symmetrical balance is the most visually stable, and characterized by an exact—or nearly exact—compositional design on either (or both) sides of the horizontal or vertical axis of the picture plane. Symmetrical compositions are usually dominated by a central anchoring element. There are many examples of symmetry in the natural world that reflect an aesthetic dimension. The Moon Jellyfish fits this description, ghostly lit against a black background, and symmetrical in its design. The slight tilt of the jellyfish in the picture frame, however, isn't perfectly symmetrical. The term "approximate symmetry" is often used to acknowledge the slight imperfection from true symmetry.

Moon Jellyfish, (detail). Digital image by Luc Viator, licensed by Creative Commons

Symmetry’s inherent stability can sometimes preclude a static quality, as seen in the 630 foot tall monument, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. However, the varied cityscape, ever-changing sky, and ever-changing perspective as you maneuver about the city, keep the work interesting just because it is vastly different than its surrounding environment. Another thing to note here is the balance of the arch itself versus the balance of the photograph as a whole, so while the arch itself is symmetrical in design, the photograph should be described as asymmetrical.

Eero Saarinen, Gateway Arch, 1963-65, stainless steel, 630’ high. St. Louis, Missouri. Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons.

Asymmetry uses compositional elements that are offset from each other, creating a visually unstable balance. Asymmetrical visual balance is the most dynamic because it creates a more complex design construction. A graphic poster from the 1940s shows how offset positioning and strong contrasts can increase the visual drama of the entire composition.

Theatrical poster for the American release of the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High. Wikimedia Commons. Public domain

Claude Monet’s Still Life with Apples and Grapes (below) uses asymmetry in its design to enliven an otherwise mundane arrangement. First, he sets the whole composition on the diagonal, cutting off the lower left corner with a dark triangle. The arrangement of fruit appears haphazard, but Monet purposely sets most of it on the top half of the canvas to achieve a lighter visual weight. He balances the darker basket of fruit with the white of the tablecloth, even placing a few smaller apples at the lower right to complete the composition.

Claude Monet, Still Life with Apples and Grapes, oil on canvas, 1880, 67 x 83 cm. Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

With Balance, we consider how the overall handling of visual weight in an artwork affects the mood, energy, or feeling of the artist's communication. With this in mind, consider the following Rules of Balance:

1. Large forms attract more attention than smaller forms.
2. Forms gather weight as they near the edge of a composition.
3. Complex forms are heavier than simple forms.
4. Warm colors are heavier than cool colors.
5. Intense colors are heavier than pale colors.

Of course, complex nuances can build as these rules begin overlapping one another. For instance, does a less complex large form have more or less visual weight than a small, but complexly textured form that is closer to the edge? The answer depends on many factors, such as the degree of differences, other forms and elements used in the artwork, etc. This is where discussions about art can become very interesting — not necessarily arguments about who is right or wrong, but discoveries in how to better see and how to better understand how others may see differently.

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Content from this page was adapted from:

• https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshe...ples_of_Design