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A balancing act
You have chosen the arrangement that seems to be the most precariously
balanced — the disk seems to hover in the upper right corner, and
does not seem tied to either the edge or the corner. This arrangement
seems to defy the laws of gravity, and creates a sense of suspense —
as we see in the dream-like image below by Alex Katz.
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| Alex Katz |
Point and counterpoint
An artist may choose to ground a floating focal point in the upper right
by adding a counterpoint in the lower left. Now the position of the
circle makes sense as one of a pair of shapes arranged around the
center of the picture. This creates balance, but also a sense of
dynamic tension between the two points. This counterbalance can be
either symmetrical or asymmetrical.
In stark opposition
Symmetrical balance is achieved by placing visual elements on either
side of a vertical axis, so that a mirror-like effect is created —
as we see in Eduardo Muñoz Ordoqui's image below. Note how the
eye connects the sunlit bed in the lower left with the ominous glow of
the face in the upper right, even though they're on opposite sides
of the center pole.
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| Eduardo Muñoz Ordoqui |
Dramatic asymmetry
Asymmetrical balance is created by opposing distinct visual elements
(such as different colors, forms, or areas of space) so that overall
they create a dynamic equilibrium. There are no rules or center axis
in asymmetrical balance, only the artist's intuitive visual
judgement — which Charles Schmaltz gracefully demonstrates
below.
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| Charles Schmaltz |
Next: Proportion
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