Balance

Balance is the distribution of visual weight of objects in a work of art

While actual weight is a factor in sculpture and architecture, the principle of balance most often refers to the visual heaviness of shapes and forms in an artwork. An artwork’s balance affects the equality and tension of the composition and can lend a feeling of calm or chaos to the work.
Visual balance creates the sense that the painting feels stable and "feels right."
Imbalance causes a feeling of discomfort in the viewer.
Different than actual weight, visual weight is not measured using a scale but must be observed instead. Visual weight balances around an artwork’s axis. The axis may be vertical, in which visual elements balance on both sides of the axis. Artworks may also balance around a horizontal axis, in which visual elements balance from top to bottom.

There are 3 types of balance: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Radial

symmetrical Balance

Symmetrical balance is a type of formal balance in which two halves of an artwork mirror each other.

This type of balance is familiar and common. The human body is balanced symmetrically as is our planet, our cars, clothes, furniture etc.
Symmetry imposes a strong sense of order and stability on both the composition and the subject.
Symmetry is associated with beauty; symmetrical works are pleasant to look at.
When one side of an artwork mirrors the other, it has absolute symmetry.
When the symmetrical balance is not exact, it is called bilateral symmetry.

Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to the Kingdom to St. Peter, 1481-1482

Perugino's painting "Christ Giving the Keys to the Kingdom to St. Peter" is an example of bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is the most common type of symmetry. Notice that the buildings in the background are perfectly symmetrical with one building mirroring the other one on the opposite side. The figures one either side however are not perfectly mirrored but are still symmetrical. In this painting, the symmetry gives the painting not only a sense of balance, but also a sense of calm, stability, and formality.

MORE EXAMPLES:

Diego Rivera, Flower Day (Dia de las Flores), 1925

Frida Kaholo, Self Portrait, 1940

asymmetrical balance

Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, 1829-1833

Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889

Asymmetrical balance is created when two sides of an image do not mirror each other, but still have approximately the same visual weight.

Asymmetric balance is more subjective than both symmetry and radial symmetry.
Asymmetry is also called informal balance and seems less organized than symmetry
Asymmetry allows for more variety in a composition than symmetrically balanced designs.
It provides the same “comfortable” feeling as symmetry without using like elements on each side of a central axis.
The composition is balanced due to the contrast of any of the elements of art. For example, a large circle on one side of a composition might be balanced by a small square on the other side
Many artists appreciate asymmetric balance because it feels less rigid and more realistic than symmetric balance. Although symmetry makes clear the artist’s desire to present a visually balanced image, asymmetric balance does not happen by accident, but instead requires planning and intention.
An artwork with asymmetrical balance is “heavier” or “lighter” in some areas, looks unstable, and can make the viewer uncomfortable.
Asymmetric balance adds a dynamic look to artworks and often draws attention to focal points in the composition

EXAMPLES

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1, 1871

The painting by James McNeil Whistler titled "Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1" but commonly known as "Whistler's Mother" is a good example of asymmetrical balance.

In this example of asymmetrical balance in art, the artist balances the heavy black figure on the right with the curtain on the left. If the curtain were a different size or a different color, the balance would be thrown off.

Georges Seurat, A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884

Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-1602

RADIAL BALANCE

Radial Symmetry is symmetry in which the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar

Radial balance is symmetry in several directions.
Visual elements are arranged around a central point in the composition, like the spokes on a wagon wheel. Often, radially balanced designs are circular.
In nature, we most easily observe radial balance in the form of flowers. Radial balance is prevalent in human design as well; car wheels, architectural domes, clocks, man-hole covers, a compass, etc.
Radial symmetry creates a strong sense of unity in a work of art, and is common in sacred images

Interior rose window at the Strasbourg Cathedral

Vishnu Mandala, Nepal

Aztec Calendar stone

St. Marks's Sacristy, Santuario della Santa Casa, Loreto, Italia

HOW TO CREATE BALANCE IN A WORK OF ART

1. SIZE

Larger objects have more visual weight than smaller objects, all else being equal. If two objects of different sizes need to balance one another then the smaller object will need a boost in visual weight. This visual weight may come in the form of additional smaller objects or perhaps ample negative space around the object.

2. Color

Bright colors are visually heavier than dull colors. Beyond that, if two colors are of similar intensity, then the warmer of the two colors has more visual weight.

3. Position

In at least one way, the two-dimensional arrangement of visual components is informed by our real-world experiences with weight and physics. Consider the playground see-saw. If two children on either end of a see-saw are the same weight, then they will balance each other
However, if one child is larger than the other, then the larger child will need to move towards the center to balance the smaller one. It is the same in art. So, the closer a visual component is to the edge of a composition, the heavier it becomes visually. Likewise, the closer a component is to the center, the lighter it becomes.

4.Texture and Pattern

Texture and pattern are similar concepts in art. Each is defined by frequent changes in contrast, usually created through value (the lightness or darkness of a color). Texture and pattern add visual weight. You can tweak the balancing forces in art by either adding or reducing the amount of texture and pattern in a given area.

The Principles of Art

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