Home / Summaries / The Thames & Hudson Introduction To Art / balance-shapes-weight

Fundamentals - Unity, Variety and Balance - Balance

4 important questions on Fundamentals - Unity, Variety and Balance - Balance

What is balance in art?

Since objects in art all have a certain kind of weight, this weight needs to be balanced in order to create a sense of balance. Without a counterbalance, it may appear unfinished. However, light and dark can function as balance, as well as large and small shapes.

What is symmetrical balance?

If each side of a work looks (almost) exactly the same. This is the shape of the human body, animals and geometrical shapes.

What is asymmetrical balance?

When, for example, one heavy object on one side is balanced by several lighter objects on the other side. Unlike symmetrical balance, this kind of balance is not like a mirror.

What is radial balance?

Radial balance, or symmetry, is achieved when all elements surround a single point from the same distant and are repeated symmetrically all around. These are usually circular, but they can be any kind of shape as long as they're radial/with an actual radius.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

The Thames & Hudson Introduction To Art | 9780500239438 | Debra J Dewitte, et al

View summary