COMPOSITIONAL

BALANCE, SYMMETRY
AND ASYMMETRY
Steven Bradley

UNBALANCED COMPOSITION

An unbalanced composition can lead to tension. When a

design is unbalanced, the individual elements dominate the
whole and the composition becomes less than the sum of its
parts. In some projects, unbalanced might be right for the
message youre trying to communicate, but generally you
want balanced compositions.

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order,

rhythm and harmony. Thomas Merton

PHYSICAL AND VISUAL BALANCE

Balance is easy to understand in the physical world, because

we experience it all the time.

When something is unbalanced, it tends to fall over.

Symmetrically Balanced seesaw

PHYSICAL AND VISUAL BALANCE CONT

If one of the people was much bigger, though, the balance

would be thrown o.

Unbalanced seesaw

PHYSICAL AND VISUAL BALANCE CONT

the force of the larger person is reduced by being closer to the

fulcrum on which the seesaw balances.

Asymmetrically balanced seesaw

PHYSICAL BALANCE = VISUAL BALANCE

Physical weight is replaced by visual weight. The direction in

which the physical weight acts is replaced by visual direction.

Asymmetrically balanced seesaw

VISUAL WEIGHT

is the perceived weight of a visual element. Its a measure of

how much anything on the page attracts the eye of the viewer.

VISUAL DIRECTION

is the perceived direction of a visual force. Its the direction in

which we think an element should be moving if it were given a
chance to move according to the forces acting on it.

WHY VISUAL BALANCE IS IMPORTANT

Without visual balance, viewers might not see all areas of the
design. They probably wont spend any time in areas with less
visual weight or interest. Any information in those areas could
easily go unnoticed.

Visual weight is a measure of the visual interest of an element or

area in a design.

You would balance a design visually because you want to balance

the points of interest in your composition, so that viewers spend
time with all of the information you want to convey.

FOUR TYPES OF
BALANCE

SYMMETRICAL BALANCE

SYMMETRICAL BALANCE

occurs when equal weights are on equal sides of a

composition, balanced around a fulcrum or axis in the center.

it evokes feelings of formality (its sometimes called formal

balance) and elegance.

its downside is that its static and sometimes regarded as

boring.

Because half of the composition mirrors the other half, at

least half of the composition will be rather predictable.

ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE

ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE

results from unequal visual weight on each side of the

composition.

One side of the composition might contain a dominant

element, which could be balanced by a couple or more lesser
focal points on the other side.

it is more dynamic and interesting.

It evokes feelings of modernism, movement, energy and

vitality.

RADIAL BALANCE

occurs when elements radiate from a common center.

Because everything radiates from a common center,

everything also leads to that center, making it a strong point
of attraction.

MOSAIC BALANCE (OR CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC BALANCE)

results from balanced chaos.

The composition lacks distinct focal points, and the elements

share a uniform emphasis.

Compiled by: Carlos C. Abiera

Smashing Magazine: Design Principles
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/06/design-principles-compositional-balance-symmetry-asymmetry/