Principles
Balance is the feeling of equilibrium in weight, distribution, attraction, and/or attention of various positive and negative visual elements within a work of art. There are three main types of balance: radial, symmetrical, and asymmetrical. <more…>
Dominance is a principle of visual organization that suggests that certain art elements assume more importance than others in the same composition. One main feature is emphasized while others are subordinated. By establishing an area of dominance within a composition, the artist creates a focal point or focal area for the image. <more…>
Movement refers to the motion present in a work of art. This motion may be actual or implied. Actual movement is the physical changing of positions by elements within the artwork. Implied movement is the suggested motion within a composition as a result of the arrangement of art elements, contrasts, etc. Implied movement may also refer to the path traveled by the viewer's eye as he or she studies the composition. The primary types of movement used by artists are: kinetic movement, rhythmical movement, and linear or fluid movement. <more…>
Variety is created through the use of opposing, contrasting, changing, elaborating, or diversifying elements within a composition. It is intended to add interest, avoid visual monotony, and capture and hold the attention of the viewer of the work. Variety may be extreme which results in strong contrasts, or moderate, which results in subtle transitions from one area of a composition to a different area. In either case, those elements with the same general character or classification which are altered and included in the composition in order to enliven it are said to be varied, and may be manifest in shapes, lines, values, and/or textures. <more…>
Proportion is the preferred, appropriate, accurate, or ideal relationship of the parts making up a work of art to one another and to the whole. Often, this relationship is a harmonious one in that variations in one element or component are reflected in another to essentially the same quantity or degree; their relationship is interdependent. <more…>
Unity refers to the cohesive effect of a composition as a result of the relationships among all of the visual components in the image that contribute to a sense of oneness. All of the parts fit together, simultaneously resonating with both the image's visual organization and its content. <more…>
Last modified March 28, 2001