Balance in Design & Communication

Design & Communication | ARTS102

Lesson Thre Balance

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Understanding visual art, design, communication and it’s functions through traditional and contemporary delivery.

Design & Communication | ARTS10

Design & Communication: BALANCE THE PRINCIPLE OF BALANCE IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION - OVERVIEW In creating any composition there will be a distribution of elements within the picture plane. Each of these elements will have a level of strength relative to each other within the existing picture plane. We call this their VISUAL WEIGHT. Visual Weight can be manipulated by the designer to achieve an equilibrium of elements within the picture plane. This is BALANCE. Humans have a natural sense of balance in body and in observation of their surroundings; imbalance is disturbing in that it can indicate imminent danger, such as from falling objects or leaning rocks. We naturally are uncomfortable with the imbalance. So too are we uncomfortable with unbalanced imagery. This discomfort impedes the clarity of the visual message we are sending. As a general rule, imagery therefore needs to be balanced to achieve effective visual communication.

(An exception to this might be where discomfort is the intended communication,

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in which case an unbalanced composition may enhance the message.

Elements within a composition will have differing visual weights. To begin, we must establish that almost all two dimensional visual imagery exists within a frame of some kind. It could be the edges of a piece of paper, a wooden picture frame or paper mat, or it could be the edges of the TV/ movie screen or web graphic. These edges create a plane of reference we will refer to as the PICTURE PLANE. As an analogy, consider it the window in the wall, where the illusion of 2D or 3D space is occurring.

Once the picture plane is established, there are many visual devices the designer can use to enhance the clarity of their visual message.

Within the picture plane itself, different portions of the visual eld exert themselves in a variety of ways on a composition

Balance

A rectangular picture plane creates vertical and horizontal movement along its edges as seen above . Any mark or line placed within this picture plane repeats or counters the borders. Points of intersection at the corners draw the viewer’s eye to the corners of the image. Any reinforcement of the corner “arrows” enhances the implied movement out of the image

The edges of the picture plane above create a strong visual pull that increases the visual tension of forms as they near the edges.

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In the image above, the bottom of the picture plane seems to visually contain more weight because of our learned perception of gravity. An object placed near the bottom of the picture plane will appear heavier than an identical object placed higher in the composition. This illustrates the concept of visual weight

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Balance of Visual Weight As seen in the top left image, solid shapes generally weigh more than open shapes In the top right image, the vertical, horizontal, or diagonal orientation of a line or shape will also affect its visual weight. Vertical and horizontal orientations repeat the edges of the picture plane, providing stability to the shape and a sense of being at rest. Diagonals create movement, which is dynamic. All other elements being equal, a dynamic shape will draw more attention than a static one.

In the bottom left image, the right side of the picture plane has more visual weight because of our tendency to scan left to right from our method of reading. Objects placed on the right side will have more visual weight than those on the left. (In cultures where text is read from right to left the opposite would be true.

In the bottom right, objects placed in the center of the picture plane will have a greater visual weight than those placed around it

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Balance through Symmetrical Placement

SYMMETRICAL Balance is where one side of an image is essentially the mirror image of the other; where similar shapes are repeated on both sides of a vertical axis. It is also known as formal balance and by nature it is steady and repetitive.

In the Last Supper, above, Da Vinci establishes Christ as the center of the image, with all lines of perspective moving back toward him. The disciples are equally spaced on his side. If the image were divided in half it would be essentially

Mark Grotjahn, oil on Canvas, 2005

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the same on both sides. Refer to the line drawing depicting this on the top right In the oil on canvas by Mark Grotjahn, far left, notice the symmetry between the two sides of the image. If divided in half and laid over it’s opposite side, the images align. This is symmetrical, or formal balance

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Balance through Asymmetrical Placement

ASYMMETRICAL Balance is where a composition is balanced by differing objects that have similar visual weight. It is also known as INFORMAL Balance. It is active and suggests movement In the posters for the NYC Ballet designer Paula Scher balances the dancers, which are posed in diagonals implying movement, with text and the white negative space, creating a balanced image by visual weight

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Balance through Asymmetry

The six panel screen painting, right, by Tohaku is balanced by large empty spaces dividing the fog-laden trees in the image In the Edgar Degas art below from the 1880’s, notice how he uses the diagonals of the arms and legs of the dancers to move the viewers eye through the image.

This creates an active composition. Also note how the composition is balanced by the large negatives spaces, the clear area in the drawing and the muted scenery in the painting. This is balanced by visual weight.

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Balance through Radial Placement RADIAL Balance is achieved by elements radiating out of a central position. One of the most common uses of radial balance is to base imagery on a spiral, creating constant movement from a central area.

In this painting by Peter Paul Rubens on the left, the characters are consciously twisted, capes y, and eye directions of both humans and horses are arranged to build on the spiral composition. This creates an image of constant movement. (See inset spiral ow at bottom left.

Radial balance can also be steady and still, as in this color eld painting below right by Kenneth Noland.

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The Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds simply states that if you take a canvas and divide it into three equally sized horizontal sections and three equally sized vertical sections, the resulting grid provides a sort of “roadmap” that helps you choose where to place your design elements.

Any graphic design software worth its salt (including Photoshop) can apply a rule of thirds grid to your canvas and crop accordingly, but grids are easy enough to make on your own—you could even draw it directly onto a printed design if you wanted to The rule of thirds grid can be applied to any size design—the grid itself doesn’t have to be any particular dimensions. It just has to be evenly divided into three vertical and three horizontal section. This creates a 3×3 grid— kind of like the opening title card of “The Brady Bunch.” That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll end up with nine equally-sized squares. If your design isn’t a perfect square, you’ll probably be splitting it into nine rectangles

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C H ABalance PTER 2 Visual Communication & Balance The speci c balance of an image alone communicates an enhanced visual message.

Asymmetry, through the conventions of using visual weight to cause balance, has a tendency to build toward diagonals, thereby implying movement. The illusions may be more threedimensional, and establish tension and interest within the picture plane. An asymmetrical design will enhance a communication regarding action or activity. Change demands attention.

Symmetry leads to interpretation as gure. (We are, for the most part, symmetrical beings) Asymmetry is active, dynamic, and spatial.

Composing with this knowledge allows the designer to reinforce their intended message by simple placement of elements

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Comparing and Contrasting HOW ARTISTS USE BALANCE DIFFERENTLY Symmetry can be conservative and stable, but it does not need to be boring. Consider the book covers designed by Chip Kidd on this page. If you draw a line down the vertical center of the images, the left side would be essentially the same as the right, yet the images are informative and dynamic.

Charles (Chip) Kidd (born September 12, 1964) is an American graphic designer, best known for his innovative book covers. Based in New York city, Kidd has become one of the most famous book cover designers to date Kidd is currently the associate art director at Knopf, an imprint of Random House.

Kidd’s in uence on the bookjacket has been amply noted— Time Out New York has said that “the history of book design can be split into two eras: before graphic designer Chip Kidd and after.

View chipkidd.com for more information and imagery from this very interesting designer

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L UBalance CTUS Compare & Contrast Balance in Fashion Illustration

Fashion Illustration is the communication of fashion that originates with illustration, drawing and painting. An illustrator draws and paints clothes for commercial use. It is usually commissioned for reproduction in fashion magazines as one part of an editorial feature or for the purpose of advertising and promoting fashion makers, fashion boutiques and department stores. A fashion illustrator is someone who creates drawings, sketches, and other works of art which pertain to the fashion industry.

Fashion Illustration is more of an expression Read more: http:// textilelearner.blogspot.com/2012/10/fashionillustration-elements-of.html#ixzz47jqUIXPS

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Compare & Contrast Balance in Fashion Illustration

François Berthoud, shown in the last 4 images, is now recognized as one of the most original fashion illustrators of the late 20th and early 21st century. More and more avant-garde fashion designers asked him to create their corporate images. Anna Piaggi has written about him: “While François illustrates fashion in an apparently formal and decorative way, in reality he analyzes his subject in depth and with an elegant sense of detachment before recreating it in his atelier-laboratory…. he experiences fashion with a sharp sense of irony and a visual culture rooted in conceptual art. But his style is totally now!” from http://www.fashionillustrationgallery.com/ artist/francois-berthoud/. Check the web site to see more images.

Note the movement that is achieved in the gures purely by the gesture of the pose.

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CHA PTER 2 Balance Compare & Contrast Balance in Fashion Illustration

Compare the symmetrical work of Berthoud with the asymmetrical compositions of fashion illustrator Tanya Lin. Note how her compositions are based on diagonals, and have movement through the directional lines created by the diagonal arrangements.

Tanya Ling’s work as a fashion illustrator has been exhibited internationally and has been featured in numerous newspapers and publications. In 2009 she was appointed as the Creative Director of Veryta founded by Filippo Binaghi and Stefano Pilati and in 2011 over 50 for her drawings were acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London http://www.tanyaling.com/

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CHA PTER 2 Balance Terms & De nitions

Asymmetrical Balance Achieved by using dissimilar objects but with equal visual weight or emphasis. Artwork without any visible or implied axis, displaying an uneven but balanced distribution of elements Balance A sense of equilibrium achieved through there being equal amounts of implied weight or emphasis in the elements of a composition, when distributed either side of an axis Radial Balance A composition in which all elements are balanced around and radiate from a central point Rhythm A continuance, ow, or sense of movement achieved by repeating and varying motifs and using measured accents Symmetrical A mirror-like duplication of a scene or group of elements on either side of a (usually imaginary) central axis.

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Objectives • Begin to visually communicate Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Radial BALANCE in a composition • Use Symmetrical. Asymmetrical and Radial balance in a composition through the use of concepts such as contrast, repetition, and placement • Build on the skills of Unity and Emphasi

Helpful Tip Please refer to your software instructions or use the Adobe help website.

Try to google photoshop questions or refer to online YouTube tutorials to get familiar with masking clipart/removing background. Build on your knowledge from the last assignment in layers and scale/move/rotate tools.

ASSIGNMENT PART 2 Please respond thoughtfully to the following questions regarding your artwork.

Please write your answers in the “add comments” section of the drop box when uploading your image. Engage me as your instructor and audience by responding to the questions below as a self evaluation

ASSIGNMENT PART 1: Using the principles of Unity, Emphasis and Balance learned so far, you will create images representing the 3 types of balance learned in this chapter; Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Radial Balance. Create balanced compositions that also have unity and a focal point (Emphasis)

1. How did you use Balance in your designs? What concepts from our reading did you apply to this composition 2. Which type of Balance was the hardest for you to achieve successfully?

3. What do you like about your nished design 4. What can you do better next time? What might you change

Open the template in the lesson folder using your software. Make compositions using a single shape of your choice. You will create ONE design for each type of balance: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical and Radial - lling the 3 compositional spaces on an 11x17 page. Please draw 3 square or rectangular borders to de ne your design spaces on one page 11x17 in size

This assignment is worth 20 points.

Here is the rubric for the assignment • following directions (20%) • submitting proper le format (20%) (LOW RESOLUTION JPEG) • inclusion of self evaluation (20%) • understanding of lesson concepts (20%) • creativity; clear, effective use of visual communication (20% Please let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy

• Use black, white and grey ONLY. No color.

• Use unity in all designs • Use emphasis in all design • Copy and paste your shapes, vary size, and position. Consider repetitionand placement as you create each of the 3 types of Balance • Label the type of balance used in each design. (total of 3 designs Feel free to be as creative as you wish; use tools or options as you are comfortable within the limitations of the assignment. Save the le as LOW RESOLUTION JPEG. Save your le and upload to the dropbox/assignment folder provided for Balance

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Assignment: BALANCE