Balance Introduction to Balance Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Balance activity Nature Balance creates emotion Integration of Word and Image Arrangement and organization Alignment Fonts

Balance

“Balance is achieved by two forces of equal strength that pull in opposite directions, or by multiple forces pulling in different directions whose strengths offset one another. Think of visual balance as a multiple rope pull where, for the moment, all teams are exerting the same strength on the rope. It is not a state of rest, but a state of equal tension” (Arntson, Amy E., Graphic Design Basics, p. 68).

Introduction to Balance

Balance is an equal distribution of weight. A balanced design appears to look unified and holds itself together. To understand balance one needs to understand three visual factors:

• Weight
• Position
• Arrangement

Since we read top to bottom, a movement that matches our experience with gravity, and because we are used to seeing objects on the ground and not in the sky, bottom heavy artwork is more typical and more natural to the eye. Similar to the “top to bottom” aspect, we normally see things in a horizontal and vertical set-up. Using angles and diagonals can cause tension, which can surprise and interest the viewer. Left to right compositions also appear more natural to Western cultures because that’s how we read. Left to right movement in an image seems to require less effort than right to left.

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical

Balance can be broken up into two categories: Symmetrical and asymmetrical. A symmetrical balanced layout is on in which visual elements are mirrored from side to side or from top to bottom. Asymmetrically balanced layouts are arranged unequally on either side of the imaginary axis, yet the focus I still on achieving a harmonious balance.

1. Symmetrical balance has a similarity of form on both sides of a central dividing line.
2. Asymmetrical balance achieves balance through contrast. This contrast can be defined in terms of:
1. Location
2. Spatial depth
3. Size
4. Texture
5. Isolation
6. Subject matter
7. Value
8. Shape
9. Structure
10. Color

Balance activity

In the image below, cover one of the portraits on the left and you will notice that the right side of the image becomes more heavy and unbalanced.

In the next image below, cover up the small graphic on the bottom right and notice the unbalance of white space and the heavy graphics on the left.

Nature

We can look to nature to create balance within our designs.
For instance,
the idea that people are
more comfortable when a design is larger
the base because it gives the object the appearance
that it has a natural stability and balance that we are used to seeing.
Conversely, if we see a design that has no base or is thin at the
bottom our mind gives us the feeling that the object is
lacking in strength, balance or stability.
we wait for it to topple over
because it is not a
natural

I call this the gravity concept. Other points of balance was that it can be created by the use of symmetry and also asymmetry, making the point that we can create balance through the use of contrast.

Balance creates emotion

Can emotions be made visible? Can we see joy, anger or madness in the shape of a line? The answer is undoubtedly Yes! Artists are always trying to excite the five senses through a picture or drawing and through our personal association with their drawings and the condition that we have received through the media we are able to attach emotion, smell, taste and sound to comics. For example when we see squiggling lines above a trash can we immediately think of smelly garbage, those same squiggly lines can be above a drawn loaf of bread and we seem to “smell” fresh bread. Backgrounds in drawings also add effect, a stormy street seems to convey sadness, or loneliness and a sunset can be romantic or pensive.
Words in a word balloon to a lot to add emotion as well. The font and shape add emotion as well as exciting the reader. The best combination is when an artist can use both word and picture to convey emotion and excite all five senses. This can be done in many ways but the end goal is the same, to unify the too artistic medians into one joyous creation that helps the reader obtain the artist vision and also create their own unique vision as well.

Integration of Word and Image

Word and image contribute visually and contextually to a design. Their careful juxtaposition, whether it be side-to-side or varying positions between the foreground and background, cause them to work together to convey certain ideas to the viewer. Text can be present in images, as images can be present in text, further emphasizing the ideas of the designer and client.

Arrangement and organization

The different components of the design are arranged in a layout. When the components are arranged tastefully and aesthetically, the design will convey its intended ideas with beauty and ease. Symmetrical layouts are most often used to convey stability, with the different components arranged on a horizontal or vertical axis. Radial symmetry also conveys stability, with the components arranged around a certain point. Symmetrical layouts provide easy visual direction. Asymmetrical layouts have an unstable feeling, and the visual movement is more dynamic. Components can also be arranged based on a grid, visible or invisible. Grids provide balance. Flexible grids, with varied divisions, have a more dynamic flow and balance.

Alignment

NOTHING on a page should be place by chance. Everything should have a visual connection with something else. This is all about the unity or disunity of a item. In order for items to be connected they need to be visually tied together. Even items that are not in proximity to each other can be connected. For and item to not look united, there must first be unity and then an item must look purposely out of place. This is used to again organize a page. This can create a sophisticated, formal, serious, or even fun look. A trick in alignment is to, "be conscious of where you place elements. Always find something else on the page to align with."

Alignment happens when visual elements line up with other visual elements on a page. The best way to achieve good alignment, especially for a beginner designer, is to create and follow a grid when designing. A grid is a non-printed system of horizontal and vertical lines that divide the page and helps to keep consistency. In many programs a grid or ruler can be used to create perfect alignment.

Good alignment will make page layouts seem much more professional and clean. Remember to always try and keep things simple and organized. Keep lists of similar information together. Do not try and spread information around to fill the white space, many times it is not needed.

Fonts

When creating a design we have to take in account that it will look different on our computer screens. I know this sounds simple, but our choice of font size for instance can vary greatly from the screen to the paper. Also, when using different fonts in a design it is best to use widely varying fonts to create contrast. Otherwise a person may not see the transition between fonts. If the use of contrasting fonts is too difficult then it is advisable to use fonts from the same family. Aside from that it is good to always keep in mind the size, style, spacing and length of the text to be used within the design.

The subconscious mind likes to see balanced layouts on a page. When a page seems unbalanced, readers are less likely to stick around and read the rest of the pages. A balanced design is one that has good visual weight. Visual weight refers to the illusion of physical weight of a visual element on a page. It is important to always balance out your pages.

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