Principles of Art

Rhythm, Movement, Balance, Proportion,

Variety, Emphasis, Harmony & Unity
Balance
• Balance refers to the
visual weight in a picture
and how it is divided.

• A composition works
when the elements are
equalized.

• How are the soldiers in the

photograph by Elliot
Erwitt arranged? Is it
balanced?
 Symmetrical Balance
symmetrical=same
• This photograph by Jerry
Uelsmann is symmetrically
balanced.
• The right and left sides of
the composition are nearly
identical.
• Would you describe this
composition as still or
energetic?
 Asymmetrical Balance

• This photograph by Gary Winogrand is arranged

asymmetrically. The right and left sides, as well as the top
and bottom are different.
• Does the picture still feel balanced to you? Why?
• Rhythm is a type of Rhythm
movement seen in
repeating of shapes and
colors. Alternating lights
and darks also give a
sense of rhythm.
• What rhythms and
patterns can you find in
this photograph by Olivia
Parker?
• Does this make the picture
more visually striking?
Explain.
 • How is rhythm created in
this *abstract photograph?

• Abstract (AKA non-

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objective) A type of artwork
that is not meant to be
realistic.
• Movement is a principle of art
related to rhythm: How is the
movement created in this series
of photographs?

• Describe the movement of

your eyes when looking at
these photographs.

• Do you think the images work

better individually or as a
group? Why?
 Variety/ Emphasis
• Variety in art refers to the use of contrasting or different
types of Elements in a work of art.

• An artist knows that adding contrast to a work of art adds

interest. Sometimes an artist wants the viewer to look
particularly close at a specific area of the work. The artist
will manipulate the Elements of Art so that your eye is
drawn to a particular area. This is called Emphasis.

• Variety or Contrast can refer to nearly every component in

a work of art including tone or color, subject matter and
size.
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• How many examples of variety/ contrast can you

find in this photograph?
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• Who or what is given Emphasis in this photograph?

• Can you identify examples of variety and difference?
Proportion
• The word "Proportion"
means one part in relation
to another.
• All people have a sense of
proportion concerning
themselves as compared to
others. "My nose is too long
for my face". "She has long
legs".
• All of these comments
reinforce the idea that we see
and have opinions about the
relationships between one
thing compared to another.
• The proportion between the structure and figure
is dramatically different.
• What do you think is the subject? Why?
Harmony
• "Harmony" in music results
in pleasing tones to the ears.

• "Harmony" in art results

from a combination of
related (but often different)
Elements of Art creating a
pleasing work for the eye.
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• In music, harmony can be described as different

tones that are pleasing when blended.

• What differences and similarities (harmonies) are

seen in this portrait of a mother and her child?
 Unity
• "Unity" infers that the
work of art is presented
as a " whole".

• When a work of art has

"Unity", the viewer sees
the work as a whole, not
in separate sections.

25¢ Word… Gestalt: configuration or pattern of elements so unified

as a whole that it cannot be described merely as a sum of its parts
• Do you see this photograph as 2 separate parts or as
one whole image?
• By showing this 2 groups as one unified image, what
is the photographer implying?
The End