Balance is one of those principles that can be used in a variety of ways in visual art. As you look at each artwork below, ask yourself the following questions:
What kind of balance does the artwork have? (symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial)
Why do you think the artist used that type of balance?
Would you have composed the artwork differently to achieve a different type of balance? Why?
American Gothic by Grant Wood, 1930 This artwork has symmetrical balance because if you placed an imaginary line down the middle, there would be about the same amount of visual weight on each side. This creates a very stable and static (unmoving) composition. The focus is on the hardworking farmers, and the viewer can assume that their day-to-day lives do not vary too much. If Wood had used asymmetrical balance, the people portrayed would not seem as stable, and the artwork would have been more about emotion than the farmers.
The Scream by Edvard Munch, 1893
The balance in this piece is asymmetrical. Asymmetry helps to make the main figure the focal point while at the same time making the figure seem small compared to the area around it. Munch used the large, swirling bands of color to make it seem like the environment around the person could swallow them up. The focus of this artwork is emotion, specifically anxiety. If the artist had used symmetrical balance, the artwork would have seemed too stable to communicate the emotion of anxiety.
Symmetry Drawing by M.C. Escher, 1948
This drawing by Escher is an excellent example of radial symmetry. Radial symmetry starts at a central location and spirals out. What is amazing about Escher is his ability to create several spirals within his artwork. This kaleidoscope effect would not be possible with any other type of balance.
As you can see, each type of balance is used in specific circumstances and for specific purposes. Each type communicates something different to the viewer, and the types are not interchangeable. Symmetrical and asymmetrical balance are the two most often used. Radial symmetry is seldom used except in the cases of optical art (like Escher’s) and cultural art (like mandalas and aboriginal art).
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