Balance
Malevich, Black Square, 1913
Claude Monet, Impressionism Sunrise, 1872
Balance is arranging elements so that no one part of a work overpowers, or seems heavier, than any other part. The elements may include the size, shape, colour, and arrangement of objects or shapes. When balanced, a composition appears stable and visually comfortable.
The three kinds of balance are symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial. However, balance doesn't necessarily mean symmetry. Asymmetrical ("informal") balance occurs when elements are placed unevenly in a piece, but work together to produce harmony overall.
Radial or rotational balance is based on a circle with its design extending from or focused upon its centre.
Symmetrical compositions convey a sense of stability
Asymmetrical compositions tend to convey a sense of movement because the elements of the composition are placed unevenly.
Vincent Van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888.
If you would prefer to respond graphically, please paint or draw the same subject matter using symmetical, assymmetical and radial balance.
Which works better?
Why?
Answer these questions in the form on the left and/or undertake the practical exercise.
Consider each of the three images above. Do they appear well balanced?
The painting by Malevich is clearly symmetrical, both in terms of shape and colour.
Monet's Impressionism Sunrise (which is where the term Impressionism is said to originate) shows movement both through the clouds and the water, supported by the direction in which the boats are facing. Note how the sun in the top half of the painting is balanced by the reflection underneath it in a similar colour. See also the the boat in the foreground is positioned at about the same distance from the bottom of the picture as the sun is from the top. Both the left and the right of the painting have similar colours where the water meets land. What else adds to the balance of this work?
Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers is a great example of radial balance, with the flowers coming from the centre outwards. See also how he has balanced the colour in the top flowers with the table, so that the painting appears well balanced/weighted.
Would you change any of these paintings to make them appear more balanced? Why? How?