Balance
SYMMETRY:
Where the image's illusion of balance appears to be equal on both the left and right sides.
Bellini, Giovanni
Madonna with saints
1505
Altar painting: oil on wood, transferred to canvas
402 x 273 cm (158 1/2 x 102 1/2 in.)
church of S. Zaccaria, Venice
ASYMMETRY:
Where the image appears to be weighed heavier on one side yet the image still appears to have an illusion of balance.
Guston, Philip
Head
1975
Oil on canvas
69 1/4 x 74 1/4 in.
Estate of Philip Guston
Emphasis
Emphasis occurs when elements of art are used to draw an audience's attention to a key subject in an art work.
In this image, yellow has been used to create a glow around the violet flower -- emphasising its significance. Clemente used complementary colours and high contrast to pull our attention towards the key area of emphasis.
Clemente, Francesco
Three Dead Soldiers
1983
Pastel on Rives paper
26 x 19 in (66 x 48.2 cm)
Private collection
Variation
Variation occurs when elements of art vary within the artwork. An image may contain a range of sizes, colours, textures (etc). This is done to jazz up a work -- evading monotony.
Klimt, Gustav
The Kiss
Detail
1907/08
Oil on canvas
180 x 180 cm
Proportion
Proportion is used to establish a relationship of scale between visual elements.
Here, Emily Carr shows us a village next to a mountain, inciting us to comprehend the mountain's majesty.
Carr, Emily
The Mountain
1933
Oil on canvas
111.4 x 68 cm
McMichael Canadian Art
Repetition
When visual elements repeat themselves, establishing rhythm. The forms can be duplicates, near duplicates, or have some sense of variety.
Lichtenstein, Roy
Temple of Apollo
1964
Oil and Magna on canvas
94 x 128 in
Grid
A Grid composition exists when the art work appears to be flattened and covered with a repeated form. The image usually appears to be equitably balanced throughout the picture plane.
Warhol, Andy, 200 Campbell's Soup Cans, detail, 1962.
Document prepared by Paul Syme