Balance

1. Balance Principle of Design

2. Think of some examples….. • - • - • - • - • - • - • -

3. 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

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

5. 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.

7. 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

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

9. Balance in Art Visual Balance

10. 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

11. 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

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

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

16. 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

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

18. 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.

19. Vertical Axis • Measures horizontal balance

20. Horizontal axis Measures Vertical balance

21. Approximate Symmetry • Slight variations in symmetrical balance

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

24. 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

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

27. Monet

28. Thomas Hart Benton

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

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

31. Which seems more attractive…

33. Baugin: Still Life with a Chess Board

34. 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.

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

36. 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.

39. 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

40. 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.

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

43. Carel Willink: Townview

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

45. 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

47. Crystallographic Balance All over pattern

48. Adeline Harris • Quilt

50. No Balance