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Balance is how equal or unequal a visual appears. Harmony is when combined elements complement one another.
Definitions
- Balance - The appearance of equality in a composition.
- Harmony - Instances where combined elements complement one another.
Art Examples
[MUSIC]
0:00
The elements of art and design are the
fundamental building blocks of any visual,
0:04
and the principles of art and
0:09
design describe how the elements
can be combined together.
0:11
The principles can be used to help
describe a complete composition,
0:16
like a painting or
0:20
a website, rather than its individual
components, like colors and shapes.
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Let's start with two principles,
balance and harmony.
0:27
Balance is how equal or
unequal a visual appears.
0:31
You might have one side of a composition
that has some shapes, colors, and
0:37
textures, and other elements represented.
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And then the other side of the composition
0:44
might have a fairly equal
set of those same elements.
0:46
This is called symmetrical balance, and it
can create a sense of calm and stability.
0:51
Think about the facade of
an Ancient Greek or Roman building.
0:57
The balance is almost always symmetrical,
split down the middle.
1:02
And the buildings look formal,
strong, and confident.
1:07
If two sides of
a composition are not equal,
1:11
say one side has lots of shapes and
colors, and
1:16
maybe the other side does not,
this is called asymmetrical balance.
1:21
Asymmetrical balance may be desirable.
1:27
In some cases, especially in fine art, it
might be your intention to create a sense
1:30
of uneasiness, as if the composition
could topple over at any moment.
1:35
In this 1830s wood block print by
the Japanese Ukiyo-e artist Hokusai,
1:41
this big wave on one
side dominates the image.
1:46
And it's leaning over a bit, clearly
about to topple over on these people.
1:51
They're definitely in the splash zone.
2:00
It inspires both wonder and
fear of nature,
2:03
not just because of the subject matter,
but
2:06
because of the way it is depicted as
being stronger and bigger than us.
2:08
On a website marketing a service,
you might be able to use this to present
2:14
a problem as chaotic and
unmanageable, with your product
2:18
acting as a serene solution on
the other side of the composition.
2:25
The next principle is harmony.
2:30
Similar to harmony in music, this is when
combined elements complement one another.
2:33
You might have some similar shapes that
feel like they go together like two puzzle
2:39
pieces.
2:43
And as we saw previously,
2:44
there are many harmonies that can be found
when combining colors on the color wheel.
2:46
It can create a sense of completeness,
and make a piece feel whole.
2:50
Like two rhyming words,
2:55
harmony can be powerful when you're
attempting to persuade an audience,
2:57
because it can make your ideas have
a stronger sense of belonging.
3:01
This is very useful when creating
landing pages on websites and apps.
3:06
This principle can be one of the most
difficult to grasp, because it's hardly
3:10
ever one thing that makes a composition
appear to be harmonious, but
3:15
a confluence of things working together.
3:19
Take a look at this
painting by Paul Cezanne,
3:22
one of the most famous French
post-Impressionists, from around 1885.
3:25
The red cherries have a color
complement present in this green jug.
3:30
The orange and
3:36
red peaches are complemented by
the green and blues in the background.
3:38
There is warm tones in the food
on the left and right side, and
3:44
cool tones everywhere else,
giving a sense of balance.
3:48
The circular or
elliptical shape of the food is echoed
3:54
by the shape of the plates that they're
sitting on, and the chaotic lines of
3:59
the cherry stems are present
in the folds of the cloth.
4:04
And if you just sort of pause the video
and look at this image for a minute or
4:10
two, and just let your eyes wander to
whatever looks most interesting to you,
4:14
you might start to notice more
things in this composition
4:19
that feel like they work together.
4:22
In fact, this painting is so harmonious,
you might even think this picture
4:24
is pretty boring,
because it just looks like it belongs.
4:29
But imagine, instead of cherries,
that this was a big plate of broccoli.
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It would throw off the whole
balance of the cool and warm tones.
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The complements wouldn't be there anymore.
4:42
The shapes wouldn't be repeated anymore.
4:45
And it just wouldn't work quite as well.
4:47
That's the essence of harmony.
4:50
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