Tabla de Contenidos
Balance is one of the basic principles in the conception of a work of art, and it is integrated with concepts such as contrast, movement, rhythm and emphasis, as well as with design patterns, with unity and variety. Balance refers to how the elements that make up a work of art, including line, shape , color, nuances, space or texture , relate to each other in the composition of the piece to generate visual balance. what the artist proposes.
The equilibrium
A first idea about balance in a work of art arises from the perception of gravity in a three-dimensional piece, a sculpture for example. The work will be in balance if it is perceived that the piece or any of its parts does not fall, both in static works and in those that have movement. If the work is developed in two dimensions, the artist develops the composition in such a way that the visual effect conveys balance in relation to gravity. On the other hand, a sculptor, in addition to seeking visual balance, must also consider the physical parameters of the piece.
Symmetry is a fundamental factor in the perception of balance. Perhaps because the human being is symmetrical, it is a natural tendency of people to search for balance through symmetry. And artists often seek to convey that balance in their works. A balanced work, in which the visual weight is evenly distributed throughout the composition, appears stable, puts the viewer at ease, and is easy on the eye. An unbalanced work seems unstable, creates tension and unsettles the viewer. Sometimes an artist deliberately creates an unbalanced work. Isamu Noguchi’s Red Cube , located in New York, is an example of an intentionally unbalanced sculpture. red cubeit rests precariously on one of its vertices, contrasting with the gray, solid and stable buildings around it, and creates a feeling of tension and insecurity.
forms of balance
In the disposition of a work of art, three approaches can be distinguished that contribute to the sensation of balance; These are the symmetrical , radial and asymmetrical equilibriums . The symmetrical balance includes the radial and is based on the repetition of patterns. In the asymmetrical balance, the artist counterbalances in the arrangement of the work elements that have different visual or physical weight, based on his intuition rather than on models.
In symmetrical equilibrium, both sides of a piece are similar. If an imaginary line were drawn that divides the work horizontally or vertically, that is, what its axes would be, the sectors of the work that remain on each side of the axis would have similar characteristics or a similar visual weight. Symmetry around a central axis is called bilateral symmetry , both horizontal and vertical (according to the orientation of the axis). The symmetrical balance can occur as a mirror image, a reproduction in the form of a reflection in a mirror on both sides of the axis of the work, or it may be that some elements of the composition are reproduced in a mirror form from the axis of the piece.
This type of balance gives a sense of order, stability, rationality, solemnity, formality, etc. Symmetrical balance is often used in the architectural design of government buildings, libraries, colleges, and universities, and is very common in religious art. An example of symmetrical balance in painting is The Last Supper., fresco mural by the Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci. In the composition of the work, the artist uses symmetrical balance on a vertical axis together with perspective with a central focus on the walls and ceiling and an element in the front line, in order to enhance the importance of the central figure, Jesus Christ. . There is a slight differentiation between the figures, but the number of people on each side of the vertical axis is the same, and they are located along a horizontal axis.
Op art , short for optical art , is an art form that uses biaxial symmetry , that is, symmetry in both the vertical and horizontal axes. Op art is abstract art that plays with geometric shapes or figures that are repeated following patterns to generate optical illusions, and in many cases takes advantage of and anticipates the movement of the observer. One of the main artists who developed this technique was the Hungarian Vásárhelyi Győző, known as Victor Vasarely.
Symmetrical equilibrium is also expressed in repeating patterns of shape or color, and is called crystallographic equilibrium or mosaic equilibrium. Some works by Andy Warhol are an example, as is the cover of The Beatles’ Hard Day’s Night album .
Radial symmetry is a variant of symmetrical balance in which the elements of the composition are arranged around a central point; therefore, radial symmetry has a focal point in its approach. This type of symmetry is often seen in nature, in flower petals and in marine organisms. It is the type of symmetry found in some forms of religious art, such as mandala.
The asymmetrical balance proposes a distribution of the elements of a composition in which there is no symmetry but a visual balance. Elements are unevenly displayed throughout the artwork, leading the viewer’s eye through the piece. Asymmetrical balance is a bit more difficult to achieve than symmetrical balance, as each element in the piece has its own visual weight in relation to the other elements, and affects the balance of the entire composition. Asymmetrical balance can manifest itself in several small elements on one side of the composition, balanced by one large element on the other side, or if the smaller elements are placed further from the center of the composition than the placement of the larger elements. big.
The asymmetrical balance is less formal and more dynamic than the symmetrical balance. It may seem more spontaneous, but it requires careful planning, just as much or even more than symmetrical balancing. An example of asymmetrical balance is Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night . The dark triangular shape of the trees that visually anchor the left side of the painting is offset by the yellow circle of the moon in the upper right corner. Another example is The Boating Party , by Mary Cassatt (article lead image), with the dark foreground figure in the lower right corner balanced by the lighter figures and particularly the sail in the upper left corner.
The balance in the composition of a work of art
When an artist works on the composition of a work of art, he takes into account the aesthetic characteristics of the elements he plans to display. A series of general criteria are usually used in relation to the balance of the elements that are used, applied interactively. One of these elements is color. Colors have three main characteristics in relation to their visual incidence: lightness, saturation and hue; Transparency is another element to consider
Darker colors appear visually denser, with greater visual impact, than lighter colors. Black is obviously the darkest color, and therefore the one with the greatest weight, while, on the contrary, white is the color with the least visual weight in the composition. The size of the object that contains the color is also relevant; a smaller, darker shape can be balanced by a larger, lighter shape.
The most saturated, most intense colors have a greater visual weight in the composition than the more muted colors. You can degrade the saturation of a color by mixing it with its opposite on the color palette. The colors of warm tones, yellow, orange and red, have more visual weight than the cold colors, blue or green. Regarding transparency, the opaque areas of the composition have more visual weight than the transparent areas.
Another aspect of the composition to consider in relation to the balance of the piece is the shape of the elements that make it up. Squares tend to carry more visual weight than circles, while more complex shapes like trapezoids, hexagons, and pentagons tend to carry more visual weight than simpler shapes like circles, squares, and ellipses. The size of the elements is also very important; larger elements have more visual impact than smaller ones, but a group of small elements can balance the visual weight of a large one.
In relation to these aspects of the composition, it is necessary to consider the location of the elements in the balance of the piece. Elements or objects located on the edge or in the corners of a composition have more visual weight and will crowd out elements located towards the center. The foreground and background of the composition can balance each other, and in their placement elements can also balance along a diagonal axis, not just vertical or horizontal.
The lines that make up the elements must also be taken into consideration. Thick lines have more visual impact than thin lines. And a textured element will have more visual weight.
The contrasts in the display of the elements of a work of art can be an effective strategy to achieve balance: still and in movement, soft and rough, wide and narrow, intense and subdued, are some of the possible alternatives.
Sources
Antonella Fuga. Art techniques and materials . Elected, Barcelona, 2004.
Frank Popper. From Technological to Virtual Art . Leonardo Books, MIT Press, 2007.
