Size
Large objects usually feel heavier.
GRAPHIC DESIGN / WEEK 2
FINDING
BALANCE
UNIT PROJECTReflections Collage
THE BIG IDEA
What is balance?
Balance is the way visual weight is distributed across a composition.
Color
Bright, dark or saturated colors demand attention.
Detail
Texture and complexity create visual pull.
Position
Distance from center can add visual weight.
THREE WAYS TO ORGANIZE
Types of balance
Symmetrical
MIRROR BALANCEBoth sides of an imaginary line are the same or very similar. It feels formal, stable, calm and orderly.
Look for: matching size, shape, color and placement.Asymmetrical
DIFFERENT, BUT BALANCEDThe two sides are not identical, but their visual weight still feels equal. It feels active, modern and interesting.
Look for: one large object balanced by several smaller ones.Radial
BALANCE FROM THE CENTERElements spread outward from a central point. It creates movement while keeping attention focused in the middle.
Look for: circles, spirals, rays or repeated rotation.STUDIO ACTIVITY
Balance three ways.
Cut your shape set
Cut one large and one small version of each shape:
- 2 circles
- 2 squares
- 2 triangles
- 2 stars
Draw a light vertical line down the center of your background page. Do not glue yet.
- Symmetrical Arrange the shapes so the two sides mirror one another.
- Asymmetrical Rearrange them so both sides feel equal without matching.
- Radial Build outward from one center point.
- Choose Select your strongest arrangement and glue it down.
- Label Add the type of balance and your name.
SKETCHBOOK REFLECTION
What do you see?
Title a new page Reflection: Balance, then respond:
Look at your finished design as if the shapes were clouds. What real images, people, objects or scenes could replace them? Describe what you see and explain which shapes suggested it. Could it become a car on a road, a ship in the ocean, a mother and child, or a child with their dog?