226 CHAPTER 9 Balance

226 CHAPTER 9 Balance

� FIGURE 9.1 This art object, a painted portable scroll, uses different kinds of balance.There is a border atthe top of the scroll that is balanced by one at the bottom. Likewise, the four large circles are balanced side byside and top and bottom. Compare and contrast the balance used in the images within the four largest circles.

Central Tibet, Tsang (Ngor Monastery), Sakya order. Four Mandalas of the Vajravali Series. c. 1429–56. Thangka, gouache oncotton. 88.9 � 73.7 cm (35 � 29�). Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.

Figure 9.1 dates to thefifteenth century. It is a

thangka, a portable scroll. It was used during the 1400s for meditationby followers of Vajrayana (vahj-ree-ah-na) Buddhism. Also known asthe Diamond Path to spiritual knowledge,Vajrayana was the mainBuddhist sect in the Asian country Tibet.The four large circles on thisthangka are mandalas. In Hindu and Buddhist religion, a mandala is seenas a symbolic map of the spiritual universe. It is believed that worship-pers actually entered this mystic realm during prayer.

Describe. Examine an art object from another culture and time in Figure 9.9 on page 232. Describe the general characteristics of the art-works in Figures 9.1 and 9.9.

Have you ever lost your balance, perhaps while skating or

bicycling? Maintaining your balance in such situations is

critical to your well-being. Balance is important, not only to

life but also to art. It is used by artists to bring a sense of

wholeness, or unity, to their works.

In this chapter, you will:

Describe types of balance and why balance is impor-

tant in a work of art.

Compare and contrast the use of different types of

balance in artworks.

Create visual solutions using direct observation and

imagination to explore the art principle balance.

Analyze the expressive qualities of balance in artworks.

CHAPTER 9Balance

227

Visual Balance

Awork of art must contain balance. Balance is the principle of art concernedwith equalizing visual forces, or elements, in a work of art. Visual balance

causes you to feel that the elements have been arranged well.If visual balance creates a feeling that the elements have been arranged

just right, visual imbalance creates the opposite feeling. It causes a feeling ofuneasiness. It makes you feel that something is not quite right. The Leaning

Tower of Pisa (Figure 9.2) attractsattention because it is out of balance. It had tilted into a danger zone and wasclosed to the public in January 2000.Engineers corrected the tilt by 171/2

inches. (See page 252 for more details.)In order to know whether two objects

are of equal weight—that is, if they balance—a balance scale can be used. In the visual arts, however, balancemust be seen rather than weighed. Theart elements become the visual forces,or weights, in an art object. A centralaxis is a dividing line that works like thepoint of balance in the balance scale. Manyworks of art have a central vertical axis(Figure 9.3) with equal visual weighton both sides of the dividing line. Worksof art can also have a horizontal axis. Inthis case, the visual weight is balancedbetween top and bottom (Figure 9.4).

Vocabulary

balancecentral axisformal balancesymmetryradial balance


� FIGURE 9.2This building isknown throughoutthe world, notbecause of itsbeauty or becausethe architect iswell known, butbecause it leans—it is off balance.The many diagonallines tell theviewer that thisbuilding musteither straightenup or fall down.

Bell Tower of theCathedral at Pisa (TheLeaning Tower ofPisa). Begun in 1174.

LESSON 1

� FIGURE 9.3With a verticalaxis, there is equalvisual weight onboth sides.

� FIGURE 9.4With a horizontalaxis, there is equalvisual weightabove and below.

LESSON 1 Visual Balance 229

Formal BalanceOne type of balance is called formal

balance. Formal balance occurs whenequal, or very similar, elements are placed onopposite sides of a central axis. The axis canbe vertical or horizontal. It may be a real

Diego Rivera, the son of two teachers, was born in 1886 in the small town of

Guanajuato, Mexico. As a young man, Rivera received a government grant to

study art in Spain. He also studied with Picasso in France and traveled to Italy to

study the works of Raphael and Michelangelo.

When he returned to Mexico, he decided to paint only Mexican subjects. He

used the simplified forms of pre-Columbian art in his work. His concern for the

workers, the poor, and the illiterate influenced all of his art. He painted many

murals with political themes, considering them a way to teach people who could

not read. In his art, he combined the techniques of European painters with the

history of Mexico to create a new way to portray his ideas about the people and

culture of Mexico.

MEET THE ARTIST

DIEGORIVERA

Mexican, 1886–1957

� FIGURE 9.5 Rivera used his art to show hisserious concern for the Mexican working people.Many of his works depicted the labors of theMexican peasants. His work reflects the style of thesolid-looking, pre-Columbian artwork of the Mayans.

Diego Rivera. Flower Day. 1925. Oil on canvas. 147.3 �120.7 cm (58 � 471�2�). Los Angeles County Museum ofArt, Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles County Fund.Reproducción autorizada por el Instituto Nacional de BellasArtes y Literatura.

Diego Rivera. Self-Portrait. 1941.Oil on canvas. 61 � 43.2 cm (24 �17�). Smith College Museum ofArt, Northampton, Massachusetts.

part of the design, or it may be an imag-inary line, as in Figures 9.3 and 9.4. For-mal balance is the easiest type of balanceto recognize and to create (Figure 9.5).After you find the axis, all you have todo is place similar objects on each side,equally distant from the center.


� FIGURE 9.7 This view of the White House expresses the dignity and importance of the home of thepresident of the United States. The use of symmetry makes the building appear secure and stable.

James H. Cromartie. View of the White House, South Portico. 1980. Acrylic on canvas. 50.8 � 76.2 cm (20 � 30"). PrivateCollection.

� FIGURE 9.6 This urn shows a young manwearing a headdress depicting his guardian spirit,the goddess Quetzal, an unforgettably beautiful bird.The artist who created this urn used symmetry toemphasize the seriousness of this work.

Mexican, Zapotec (from Monte Alban). Figural Urn. A.D. 500–700. Painted earthenware. 63.5 � 63.5 � 31.8 cm(25 � 25 � 121�2"). Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: Nelson Trust 61-16.

SymmetrySymmetry is a special type of formal

balance in which two halves of a balancedcomposition are identical, mirror images ofeach other. Another term for this is bilat-eral symmetry (Figure 9.6).

Symmetry appeals strongly to us,probably because of the bilateral sym-metry of the human body. Objectsclosely associated with our bodies, suchas clothing and furniture, are usuallysymmetrical. Most traditional architec-ture, especially public architecture, issymmetrical (Figure 9.7).


Symmetry can be very stiff and for-mal. Artists use it to express dignity,endurance, and stability. Because formalbalance is so predictable, however, itcan be dull. Many artists avoid boringthe viewer by using approximate sym-metry, which is almost symmetrical.

� FIGURE 9.8 Van Eyck used approximate symmetry to depict this weddingportrait. The halves of the picture are not quite the same. However, the workstill has the dignity of perfect symmetry, only the composition is moreinteresting and less monotonous than if he had used perfect symmetry.

Jan van Eyck. The Arnolfini Wedding. 1434. Oil on panel. 83.8 � 57.2 cm (33 � 22.5�).National Gallery, London, England.

Using Symmetry

Creating Visual SolutionsUsing Direct Observation.Arrange a symmetrical still life.Carefully observe the arrange-ment before making a pencildrawing on a small sheet of paper.Then rearrange or changethe objects slightly to createapproximate symmetry. Make adrawing of the second arrange-ment. Mount the drawings side byside on a sheet of constructionpaper and label each drawing.Which one do you prefer? Surveyyour friends to find out theirpreferences.

Computer Option. If available,use the Symmetry menu andBrush or Pencil tool to create asymmetrical landscape.Vary theBrush shape, thickness, pattern,and color. If the Symmetry menuis not available, determine thecentral axis or line of symmetry.Draw half of the scene. Use theSelect tool and Copy, Paste, andFlip commands to make thematching second half.Title andsave the work.Try rearranging theshapes in your scene so that it isnot perfectly symmetrical.Compare the two drawings.Which do you prefer?

Approximate symmetry has the stabil-ity of formal balance (Figure 9.8). Somesmall differences make it more interest-ing than perfect symmetry. If you lookcarefully in a mirror, you may discoverthat your face has approximate symme-try. The two sides do not match perfectly.

� FIGURE 9.10 This dish was onceused as a serving bowl. The center ofthe design is a replica of the family coatof arms. Notice how the thin gold linesdecorate the empty spaces between thethick blue lines.

Valencia, Spain. Dish c. 1430. Tin-glazed earthenwarepainted in cobalt blue and lustre. Height: 6.7 cm(25�8�); diameter of mouth: 48.2 cm (19�). HispanicSociety of America, New York, New York.


� FIGURE 9.9 The use of radial balance adds to thedecorative quality of this design. This print is based onthe stained-glass dome found in the main synagogue ofSzeged, Hungary.

N. Anderson, Israel. Blue Dome–House Blessing. 1995. Etching. 43.2 � 43.2 cm (17 � 17�). Private Collection.

Radial BalanceRadial balance occurs when the forces

or elements of a design come out (radiate)from a central point. The axis in a radialdesign is the center point. In almost allcases, the elements are spaced evenlyaround the axis to form circular patterns(Figure 9.9).

Radial balance is a complex varia-tion of symmetry. While symmetryrequires only two matching units,designs with radial balance usuallyinvolve four or more matching units.In Figure 9.10, notice that the centerof the design is the family shield sur-rounded by a blue circle of zigzaglines. Four petal-like shapes and fourbars radiate from the center of thebowl to its rim. On the rim, wide blueand thin gold lines continue to form acircular design. Notice how all theblue line designs resemble Arabic writ-ing but do not form any real letters.

Check Your Understanding

1. What is a central axis?2. What is the easiest type of balance to

recognize and create?3. Which type of balance can be found

frequently in nature and in archi-tecture?

4. Compare and contrast the use of balance in Figure 9.6 on page 230and Figure 9.10 on page 232.


Creating RadialBalance

Creating Visual Solutions UsingImagination. Draw on your creativity to design five objects that exhibit radialbalance. Make a drawing of each imaginaryobject, using pen or pencil. Emphasize theradial balance of each object, using line,form, and color.

Computer Option. Choose from avariety of Shape tools. Determine thecenter of the computer page. Use a dot,an X, an addition sign (�), or other shapeto mark this spot. Copy and Paste a shapefour times around the center point. Con-tinue to add and arrange shapes to main-tain radial balance.Try a variety of sizes toadd interest but make sure each set offour shapes is identical.Title and saveyour work. Now explore a more complexradial design. Combine lines and shapesand use more than four repeated combi-nations to complete the design.

� FIGURE 9.11 Torivio, a Native American potter,has developed her own style for decorating herpots. She repeats the designs in radial patterns. Themotif starts out small at the top rim and thenexpands to the widest part of the vessel.

Dorothy Torivio. Vase. c. 1984. Clay. Height about 20.3 cm(8"). Heard Museum Collection, Phoenix, Arizona.

Radial balance occurs frequently innature. Most flower petals are arrangedaround a central axis and radiate out-ward. Many plants follow radial pat-terns of growth. For instance, if you cutan apple in half horizontally, you willsee a radial star design. Cut an orangethe same way and you will notice theradial pattern of segments.

You can find many examples of radialbalance in architecture. Domes aredesigned on the principle of radial bal-ance. Manufactured items such as gears,wheels, tires, dials, and clocks are alsoradial in structure. Radial designs areused by many potters to decorate thesurfaces of their work because theyadapt well to the rounded forms of pottery (Figure 9.11).

LESSON 2

Informal Balance

Informal balance gives the viewer the same comfortable feeling as formalbalance, but in a much more subtle way. Informal balance, or asymme-

try, involves a balance of unlike objects. While informal balance can express dig-nity, endurance, and stability, these qualities are less pronounced. Informalbalance seems more realistic because it is closer to what appears in youreveryday environment. It does not consist of two equal or nearly equalhalves or sides. Instead, it relies on the artistic arrangement of objects toappear balanced.

Using Informal Balance in ArtInformal balance creates a casual effect (Figure 9.12). Although it seems

less planned than formal balance, it is not. What appears to be an accidentalarrangement of elements can be quite complicated. Symmetry merelyrequires that elements be repeated in a mirror image. Informal balance ismore complex. Artists must consider all the visual weight factors and putthem together correctly. Many factors influence the visual weight, or theattraction, that elements in a work of art have to the viewer’s eyes.

Vocabulary

informal balance


� FIGURE 9.12 Pippin balanced the large, simple form of the log cabin near the center of the work with a complex shapeformed by two trees and a shed near the edge of the work.

Horace Pippin. Cabin in the Cotton. Mid-1930s. Oil on panel. 46 � 84.1 cm (181�8 � 331�8�). The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Inmemoriam: Frances W. Pick from her children Thomas F. Pick and Mary P. Hines, 1996.417.

LESSON 2 Informal Balance 235

Size and ContourA large shape or form appears to be

heavier than a small shape. Severalsmall shapes or forms can balance onelarge shape.

An object with a complicated contouris more interesting and appears to beheavier than one with a simple contour.A small, complex object can balance alarge, simple object (Figure 9.13).

ColorA high-intensity color has more

visual weight than a low-intensity color.The viewer’s eyes are drawn to the areaof bright color. What does this mean interms of balance? It means that a smallarea of bright color is able to balance alarger area of a dull, neutral color (Figure 9.14).

� FIGURE 9.13 The objects in this paintingappear balanced because the complex shape of thecreature on the right is counteracted by the large,thin spiral shape on the left. Also, the backgroundspace is informally balanced by the areas of orangeand brown.

Joan Miró. Landscape (The Hare). Autumn 1927. Oil oncanvas. 129.5 � 194 cm (51 � 763�8�). The Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York. © 2003 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, ADAGP/Paris.

� FIGURE 9.14 The bright red color of the clothwrapped around the child helps it stand out againstthe larger, low-intensity color of the enlarged headand the neutral colors of the forms on the ground.

David Alfaro Siqueiros. Echo of a Scream. 1937. Enamel onwood. 121.9 � 91.4 cm (48 � 36�). Museum of Modern Art,New York, New York. Gift of Edward M. M. Warburg(633.193a). © Estate of David Alfaro Siqueiros/Licensed byVAGA, New York, NY/SOMAAP, Mexico City.


TextureA rough texture, with its uneven pat-

tern of light highlights and dark, irregu-lar shadows, attracts the viewer’s eyemore easily than a smooth, even surfacedoes. This means that a small, rough-textured area can balance a large,smooth surface. In a poster or advertise-ment, a block of printed words has thequality of rough texture because of theirregular pattern of light and dark.Graphic designers must keep this inmind when balancing words with othervisual elements.

� FIGURE 9.15 Noticehow the artist used smallareas of bright, warmyellow and orange tobalance cool greens andblues as well as neutral and low-intensity colors.

Emily Carr. A Rushing Sea ofUndergrowth. 1932–35. Oil oncanvas. 112.8 x 69 cm (443�8 �271�8�). Vancouver Art Gallery,Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada. Emily Carr Trust, VAG 42.3.17.

Warm colors carry more visual weightthan cool colors. Red appears heavierthan blue, and yellow/orange appearsheavier than green (Figure 9.15).

ValueThe stronger the contrast in value

between an object and the background,the more visual weight the object has(Figure 9.16). Black against white hasmore weight than gray against white.Dark values appear heavier than lightvalues. A dark red seems heavier than alight red.

LESSON 2 Informal Balance 237

PositionChildren playing on a seesaw quickly

discover that two friends of unequalweight can balance the seesaw byadjusting their positions. The heavierchild moves toward the center; thelighter child slides toward the end. Theboard is then in balance (Figure 9.17).

� FIGURE 9.16 Elijah’swhite beard is the lightestarea in the illustration.The use of this bright, lightcolor emphasizes Elijah, whootherwise might blend inwith the neutral, dull colorsof the background. Compareand contrast this use ofcolor and balance withFigure 9.15 on page 236.

Jerry Pinkney. Illustration fromJourneys with Elijah.

� FIGURE 9.17 Does the seesaw look balanced?

Using InformalBalance

Demonstrating Effective Use of ArtMedia in Design. Create small designsusing cut paper and/or fabric shapes toillustrate five weight arrangements thatcreate informal balance. In each designkeep all of the elements as alike as possi-ble.Vary only the weight factors. Forexample, to illustrate differences in size,a large red circle could be balanced by several small red circles.

Computer Option. Use the drawingtools of your choice to make a series ofsmall compositions that show informal bal-ance. Use both lines and shapes. Explorechanges in size, color, texture, value, con-tour, and position to create these asym-metrical compositions. Make several ofeach kind.Title, save, and print your bestexamples. Display them and compare withyour classmates.


In visual art, a large object close tothe dominant area of the work can bebalanced by a smaller object placed far-ther away from the dominant area (Fig-ure 9.18). In this way, a large, positiveshape and a small, negative space can bebalanced against a small, positive shapeand a large, negative space.


1. What is the effect of informal balance?2. Name the six factors that influence

the visual weight of an object.3. Which has a heavier visual weight,

an object with a simple contour orone with a complicated contour?

� FIGURE 9.18 In the foreground, two dancers placed side by side create a busy, large shape that draws the viewer’sattention. How do the four small dancers in the distance create balance with the dancers in the foreground?

Edgar Degas. Before the Ballet. 1890/1892. Oil on canvas. 40 � 88.9 cm (153�4 � 35�). National Gallery, Washington, D.C. Widener Collection.

LESSON 3 The Expressive Qualities of Balance 239

LESSON 3

The type of balance an artist uses to organize a work of art affects thefeeling expressed by that work. Artists choose balance based on the feel-

ing they wish to convey. An artist who wants to present a calm arrangementwill use formal balance. Formal balance can be used to present a person in adignified portrait (Figure 9.19).

The Expressive Qualities of Balance

Using Formal Balance To Organize A CompositionLOOKING

CLOSELY

Frida Kahlo has used formal balance to organizethis painting to give it a sense of dignity and impor-tance. In the diagram you can see that if the paintingwere folded in half along the vertical axis the shapeswould match. Notice, however, that there are a fewsmall variations.They would not match perfectlybecause she has used approximate symmetry. Can you find any matching shapes that were not included in the diagram?

� FIGURE 9.19

Frida Kahlo. Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky. 1937. Oil on Masonite.76.2 � 61 cm (30 � 24�). National Museum of Women in the Arts,Washington, D.C. Gift of the Honorable Clare Boothe Luce.


Formal balance can also be used inreligious paintings to evoke feelings ofdignity and endurance. In the past,paintings used as altarpieces in churcheswere designed to fit in with the formalbalance of the church altar. The artistFerdinand Hodler developed a personalaesthetic theory called Parallelism thatrelied on symmetry and repetition tocreate images that expressed stability(Figure 9.20).

Many government buildings, hospi-tals, and office buildings are designedusing formal balance. One purpose ofthis type of balance is to imply that thebusiness conducted in these buildings isserious and solemn.

With approximate symmetry, artistsexpress the same sense of calm stability,but they avoid the rigid formality ofpure symmetry. Georgia O’Keeffe usedapproximate symmetry in her paintingsof large close-ups of flowers. Thisimpresses the viewer with feelingsabout the importance of the naturalworld. The use of approximate symme-try lends dignity to the flowing curvesand alternating pastel colors of herpainting, White Rose with Larkspur, No. 2(Figure 9.21).

Radial design, on the other hand, isalmost purely decorative. It appears inarchitecture, jewelry, pottery, weaving,

� FIGURE 9.21 How has O’Keeffe arranged theshapes in this painting to create approximate, notabsolute, symmetry? Would you like the painting moreif it were perfectly symmetrical? Why or why not?

Georgia O’Keeffe. White Rose with Larkspur, No. 2. 1927. Oilon canvas. 101.6 � 76.2 cm (40 � 30�). Museum of FineArts, Boston, Massachusetts. Henry H. and Zoe OliverSherman Fund, 1980.207. © 2003 The Georgia O’KeeffeFoundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

� FIGURE 9.20 Ferdinand Hodler used formalbalance to create a stiff, stable portrait of his friend.The line from the sculptor’s nose through the linein his shirt divides the portrait vertically into almostperfectly matching halves.

Ferdinand Hodler. James Vilbert, Sculptor. 1907. Oil on canvas.65.4 � 66.4 cm (253⁄4 � 261�8�). The Art Institute ofChicago, Chicago, Illinois. Helen Birch Bartlett MemorialCollection, 1926.212

and textile design. It is not often used bypainters in its pure form. You can, how-ever, find loose arrangements of radiat-ing lines in many paintings. Artists usethis technique to focus attention on animportant part of an artwork.

Informal balance has a more naturallook. When you look around your nat-ural environment, you seldom findobjects arranged with formal balance. To capture this natural quality in theirworks, artists use informal balance inarranging landscapes or groups of peo-ple (Figure 9.22).

Architects are using informal balancein many modern structures (see Figure14.16, page 399). Single-family subur-ban homes have become the symbol ofcasual living. These houses are oftendesigned using informal balance.

� FIGURE 9.22 Notice howCarr has used informal balanceby placing most of the raven tothe right of center in thislandscape. She made many tripsto the Northwest Coast ofAlaska to record images of theNative American villages. Thiswork was made in her studiobased on sketches she had doneon her trip to Queen CharlotteIsland. The Haida village hadbeen deserted and the largecarving of the raven remained.She has balanced the raven,flowers, and trees near theforeground against the bluemountain in the distance.

Emily Carr. Cumshewa. c. 1912.Watercolor over graphite on wovepaper. 52 � 75.3 cm (201�2 � 295�8�).National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa,Ontario, Canada.


1. What feeling does formal balanceconvey?

2. What kind of buildings use formalbalance? Why?

3. Why might an artist prefer approxi-mate symmetry over pure symmetry?

IdentifyingBalance

Applying Your Skills. Look aroundyour neighborhood for buildings thathave been constructed using formal orinformal balance. Make a rough sketch ofone building and describe the feeling itgives you. If you live in a city and thebuildings are too tall to sketch, look atthe entrances to the buildings and sketchone of them.The entrance includes thedoor and all the decorative shapesaround the doorway.

Computer Option. Use the tools ofyour choice to create a complex designillustrating one of the following: formalbalance, informal balance, symmetry,approximate symmetry, radial balance.Save your work and then print it. If yourprinter is black and white, use coloredpencils to add color. Evaluate your design.Does it meet the criteria for the kind ofbalance you chose to illustrate?

LESSON 3 The Expressive Qualities of Balance 241

9–1

� FIGURE 9.23

Zaire, Kuba Culture. Mukenga Mask. Wood, animal fur, raffia cloth, cowrie shells,glass beads, string. 49.5 � 43.2 � 55.8 cm (191�2 � 17 � 22�). Virginia Museumof Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia. The Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund.

Historical and CulturalContext

Did you recognize the object in Figure 9.23 to be a mask? This mask isone of three that tells the story of theKuba culture. The Kuba are an indige-nous people of the Democratic Republicof Congo (formerly Zaire). According toKuba legend, royalty descended fromdivine beings. The face on this object ismeant to represent a king named Woot,who founded the kingdom. Differentaspects of this mask are hints to the sta-tus of the figure depicted. The elephant-trunk shape with its patterns of beadsand shells refers to a king’s commandingpower. The animal fur covering his faceand the raffia encircling his neck signifya king’s strength. The cowrie-shell collarsignifies a king’s wealth and power.

Notice that the mask is organized bymeans of symmetrical balance. The ele-ments of color and visual texture areused to suggest this symmetry.

What You Will LearnYou will create a symmetrical ceramic

mask representing a real or imaginaryleader. You will add textures and pat-terns around the facial features, usingclay. To add these facial features, youwill demonstrate the effective use ofsculpting media and tools. The mask isto be embellished, using paint and otherdecorative materials including raffia,wire, beads, and fabric.

SUPPLIESSketchbook and pencil

Newspaper

Clay (can be self-hardening)

Clay modeling tools

Acrylic paint and brushes

Raffia

Thin wire

Beads

Fabric scraps

Glue

STUDIOPROJECT Ceramic Mask


STUDIO PROJECT Ceramic Mask 243

CreatingList in your sketchbook the qualities

you want your leader to show. Drawpreliminary sketches that illustrate thesequalities. Plan how you will use textureand color to organize your work accord-ing to the principle of symmetrical balance.

Crumple newspaper into atight ellipse (oval). Roll a slab of clayabout 3/8-inch thick, and drape the clay over the newspaper bundle. Form a face by modeling the clay. Cut awayunneeded clay from around the edges.

Using your modeling tools,add clay and sculpt the features of theface. (See Technique Tips Handbook,pages 433–434.) Cut holes into the clayin order to attach the wire, beads, orother decorative materials later. Add tex-tures to the face by adding small pieces ofclay or by carving gently into the slab.(Remember to score and moisten theclay before joining two pieces.)

Allow the clay to dry com-pletely before it is fired in the kiln.

Using a No. 2 pencil, lightlysketch your designs on the face, espe-cially the forehead and cheeks. Createsimple patterns of repeating shapes.Again, arrange these symmetrically toecho the overall symmetric organizationof your object. Use acrylic paint to colorthe patterns. Allow the paint to dry.

Attach the raffia, if desired,by tying it through the holes you cut inthe clay. Using wire, string beads overand around the face. These may also betied through the same holes. Additionalbeads can be glued on the surface. Fab-ric strips, which you could fringe, couldalso be glued along the underneath edgeto add more layers of texture.

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

� DESCRIBE List and describe the characteris-tics of the leader portrayed in your mask.How did you symbolize these characteristics?What materials did you use to embellish themask?

� ANALYZE Explain how you used symmetryin creating the form of the face. Compare andcontrast how you used texture and color toreinforce the symmetrical balance of thedesign.

� INTERPRET What does your mask sayabout the person represented? Give yourmask a title. Interpret your artistic decisions.

� JUDGE Did you demonstrate the effective useof clay and clay modeling tools in sculpting theface? Which aesthetic theories would you useto judge this work? Are there any improve-ments you would make to your design?

Evaluating Your Work

� FIGURE 9.23A

Student work.

9–2

� FIGURE 9.24

Himachal Pradesh. Chamba Rumal. India. Early nineteenth century.Cotton with colored embroidery (silk). 66 cm (26") diameter.Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


The Himalayas in Asia are known ashome to the planet’s highest mountain,Mount Everest. To the people of India,however, the range holds an additionalsignificance. Deep within the mountainsis the village of Chamba, which for thepast thousand years has been turningout exquisite examples of a native artform known as the rumal (roo-mall).Created by the women of the village,rumals are richly intricate paintingsembroidered with fine needlework. Tra-ditionally, they were used as ceremonialhandkerchiefs or scarves.

The rumal in Figure 9.24 is typical.Note that this object exhibits radial bal-ance. The design begins with the smallred circle at the center. A pattern offlower petals radiates out from this cen-tral point, each petal pointing to a circleof male and female figures that arenotable in Hindu tradition. An interlac-ing pattern of flower petals continuesthe design along the outer border.

What You Will Learn You will illustrate ideas for a mandala

design from personal experiences. InHindu writing, mandala is the word forcircle. The basic pattern of a mandala isa circle with a center. Like the rumal inFigure 9.24, the mandala will exhibitradial balance. Your mandala will usethree symbols. One should be a symbolof your personal heritage—somethingwith special meaning to your family orcultural group. A second should be a

SUPPLIESSketchbook and pencil

Vellum finish bristol paper or heavy white drawing paper

Compass

Protractor

Colored pencils

Clean scrap paper

Fixative (optional)

STUDIOPROJECT Radial Balance

Mandala


personal symbol of your everyday life(for example, a schoolbook or symbol of a sport or activity you enjoy). Thethird should be a symbol of art, such apaintbrush. You will layer and blendcolors in your work to create gradualchanges in value.

Creating Think about the three symbols you

will use. You may want to talk withfamily members about the cultural symbol. Make visual and verbal notes in your sketchbook. Produce severalthumbnail sketches. Select your bestsketches.

On a sheet of drawingpaper, draw a circle approximately 9 inches in diameter, using a compass.Line up a protractor over the centerpoint, and divide the circle into threeequal wedges. In each third, enlarge one of your three symbol sketches.

Decide on a color scheme.For each color moving outward fromthe center, select a color that is one stepwarmer or lighter or one step cooler ordarker. The object ultimately is to layerand blend these colors together to creategradual changes in value. Choose col-ored pencils to match each color youwill use in your design.

Begin coloring your man-dala. Keep a sheet of clean scrap paperbeneath your hand as you work. Thiswill prevent your hand from smearingyour work.

When you have finishedyour mandala, spray it with fixative—if your teacher provides it—to keep the colors from smearing. Safety note: Do the spraying outside or in a well-ventilated area.

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

� DESCRIBE Describe the three symbolicimages you have chosen. Identify the mean-ing of each.

� ANALYZE Did you use radial balance? What color scheme did you use? Compareand contrast your use of value. Is there agradual progression from the center out?

� INTERPRET What does your personal mandala express about you as a person?Write a brief paragraph or a poem expressingthe meaning of your work.

� JUDGE Which aesthetic theory would youuse to judge this work? If you were to doanother mandala, what, if anything, wouldyou change?


� FIGURE 9.24A

Student work.

STUDIO PROJECT Radial Balance Mandala 245

9–3


Figure 9.25 is a woodblock print created by nineteenth-century Japaneseartist Katsushika Hokusai. The print isfrom one of Hokusai’s best-knownseries, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Inthis asymmetrical composition, your eyeis first drawn to one of the blue areas,perhaps in the lower right corner. Fromthere, your gaze drifts diagonally to thesnow-capped peak, Mount Fuji. Youmight expect a work so designed to beterribly lopsided, but this composition isnot. The intense blue areas are neatlybalanced by the large amount of wateron the left.

What You Will LearnIn this lesson, you will create a digital

image that has asymmetrical balance.The central figures in the work (the pos-itive space) are to be a person and oneor two pieces of furniture or objectsfrom nature. There will be a large, open,negative space, as in Figure 9.25, thatcreates asymmetrical balance. Photo-graph the staged composition using adigital camera. After importing theimages into a computer paint program,alter the work—selecting among thetools and menus. Print the image. Thencreate a painting based on the digitalprint. (See Digital Media Handbook,page 449.)

SUPPLIESDigital camera

Image-editing or paint program

Computer

Printer

Sketchbook and pencil

Large sheets of heavy white paper

Acrylic, tempera, or watercolor paints

Brushes, water containers, and towels

AsymmetricalBalance Painting

STUDIOPROJECT


� FIGURE 9.25

Katsushika Hokusai. Shichiri Beach in Sagami Province from Thirty-Six Views ofMount Fuji. 1823–31. Woodblock print. 26.4 x 38.4 cm (103�8 � 151�8�).Honolulu Academy of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii. Gift of James A. Michener. 1985.

DIGITAL STUDIO PROJECT Asymmetrical Balance Painting 247

CreatingUsing direct observation, sketch set-

tings in and around your school thatinclude one or two large objects, such asa bench, a tree, or a staircase. Use aclassmate as a model. Have your modelpose near—not necessarily in front of—the objects you have selected. Try tovisualize a composition that includesjust the person and the objects against abackdrop of negative space. Attempt toachieve asymmetrical balance.

Place the model in the set-ting you have selected. Take several pic-tures of the scene from different anglesand distances. Pick arrangements thatemphasize asymmetrical balance.

Import the digital imagesinto a computer. Open the images in apaint program. Select and save the bestcomposition.

Use the paint program’stools and menus to improve the compo-sition by selecting and moving the fig-ure or objects. Crop the work, if needed,to emphasize asymmetrical balance.

Explore and adjust the color settings. Increase color saturation;increase the contrast and change thesettings to emphasize foregroundimages. Alter some colors. Althoughthese changes will give the image a flat-ter appearance, like a woodcut, manystriking, colorful, and unusual effectscan be achieved on the computer thatare otherwise not possible.

Save and print your image.

Select a paint medium.Make a freehand painting based on yourdigital image.

When the paint is dry, matand display both artworks.

Step 7

Step 6

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

� DESCRIBE What settings did you record inyour sketchbook? What objects appear inyour work? What software tools did you use to change your original digital image?What media did you choose to create yourpainting?

� ANALYZE How are objects arranged in the digital image and the painting to showasymmetrical balance? What contributes tothe asymmetrical balance created betweenpositive and negative space? Describe howcamera angle, position of objects, and crop-ping support this kind of balance.

� INTERPRET What feelings does your fin-ished work express? Give your painting atitle that reflects these feelings.

� JUDGE Do both artworks show asymmetri-cal balance? If you were to redo any part ofthe work, what would you do differently toimprove the work? How would a differentcolor scheme affect the work? Evaluate andjustify your artistic decisions.

� FIGURE 9.25A

Student work (photograph).


� FIGURE 9.25B

Student work (painting).

STUDENTART PORTFOLIO

Whether balance is symmetrical, radial, or informal, it is

essential to an artwork’s success. Formal balance can add

dignity; informal balance, excitement. As you examine the

student artworks on these pages:

Compare and contrast them in terms of their use of the principle of balance.

Analyze the works, forming precise conclusions about the type of balance used.

Balance


Activity 9.26 Type of balance.Analyze the balance used in this artobject. Form a conclusion as towhether it is formal or informal.Does the object appear to have apractical use, or is it purelydecorative?

� FIGURE 9.26

Student work. Untitled. Copper wire, coiled copper,rubber, electronic armature.

� FIGURE 9.27

Student work. Untitled. Stoneware, beads, wire, raffia.

Activity 9.27 Expressive qualities of balance.What feeling or idea does this mask communicatethrough its use of balance? Explain.

STUDIO ART PORTFOLIO Balance 249

To view more student artworks,visit the Glencoe Student ArtGallery at art.glencoe.com.

ART

For Your PortfolioAnalyzing Peer Artworks. Many art students nowa-days maintain online or digital art portfolios. With yourteacher’s guidance, organize online exhibitions of stu-dent artworks.You may also research online exhibi-tions of student art at other high schools. Select andanalyze these peer exhibitions to form conclusionsabout formal qualities, historical and cultural contexts,intents, and meanings. Compile your analysis into afour-part report that you can store in your portfolio.

One way to sharpenyour skills at perceivingbalance is to tour yourcity. Notice the buildingsand type of balance usedin their designs. Makenotes and sketches aboutthese and other objects.See whether you can find at least one exampleof each of the followingtypes of balance: radial,symmetrical, approxi-mate symmetrical, andinformal.

Activity 9.29 Comparing balance.Compare and contrast the use ofbalance in this student work withFigure 12.30 on page 343. What other differences and similarities canyou detect?

Activity 9.28 Type of balance.Describe the type of balance used inthis earth artwork. How are texturesand colors used to reinforce balance?

� FIGURE 9.28

Student work. Earth Wheel. Soil, flowers, sand.

� FIGURE 9.29

Student work. Bear. Acrylic.


� FIGURE 9.30

Arthur Shaughnessy, Native American, Dzawada’enuxw. Dla’ehl Interior House Post: Grizzly Bear Beneath Kolus. c. 1907. Red cedar, and paint. 457.2 � 335.3 � 86.4 cm (180 � 132 � 34�). The Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington. Gift of Mr. John H. Hausberg.

1 DESCRIBE What do you see?List all the information found in the credit line.

Describe the general characteristics of this house post.Provide as many visual details as you can.

2 ANALYZE How is this work organized?During this step you will collect information aboutthe way the elements of art are organized using theprinciple of balance. This is still a clue-collecting step,so do not make guesses.

Is this a two- or three-dimensional object? Explain.

What kind of balance has the artist used to organizethis house post? Compare and contrast examples ofhow and where this balance is used.

Where do you see patterns? Where do you see visualmovement caused by repeated rhythms?

3 INTERPRET What message does this artwork communicate to you?Combine the clues you have collected to form a creative interpretation of the work.

How do the forms, shapes, and colors on this postmake you feel? Explain your reaction.

What do you think is the purpose of this post?

Write an imaginary dialogue between these creaturesthat explains the legend of their creation.

4 JUDGE What do you think of the work?Decide if this is a successful work of art.

Did the artist use the principles of rhythm and balanceto organize the elements of art to communicate a feel-ing or an idea? Explain.

Do you think this is a successful work of art? Why orwhy not? Use one or more of the aesthetic theories todefend your judgment.

Arthur Shaughnessy(1884–1945)

The Dzawada’enuxw (duh-zuh-wah-dah-ee-noocks-wa) are a native people of the PacificNorthwest.This totem pole wasone of four decorative houseposts carved by Arthur Shaugh-nessy around 1907. Such carvingswere traditionally done to dedi-cate new homes built for familiesof stature.The posts, which carrythe family’s history, were viewedas spiritual in nature. In 1966, acollector purchased the weather-beaten posts and had themrestored. He donated them tothe Seattle Art Museum. In 1992,the posts were rededicated in aceremony led by the descendantsof the original owners.

Critiquing the Artwork

Art Criticism in Action 251

Balance is more than an important characteristicin art. For a world-famous building, maintainingits balance means preserving the past.

n 1989, visitors climbed the 294 steps to the top of Italy’sLeaning Tower of Pisa. They could look out from the

famous tilting tower at the surrounding countryside thathas inspired so many artists. Not all was well, though.

Experts warned that the off-balance tower, which beganleaning soon after it was built in 1173, had leaned too far.The tower is built directly on an ancient riverbed of soft,sandy soil, and the foundation is too shallow for a structurethat weighs 32 million pounds. By 2009, it could fall.

So engineers spent $25 million—and took 12 years—setting the 192-foot tower a bit straighter. Not, of course,entirely in balance. That would have destroyed its appeal.It was made straight enough, however, to keep it stablefor another 300 years.

Nearly 2 million pounds of lead weights were placedon one of the tower’s sides. A giant belt was loopedaround the tower and connected to large weights ablock away. These two steps stopped the tilting. Twomillion pounds of soil were removed from aroundpart of the foundation. This created cavities intowhich the tower could settle. When it was all over,Pisa had gone from an angle of 5.5 degrees back toan even 5 degrees. That’s where it was 200 years ago.By 2001, tourists were climbing to the top to enjoythe sight as well as the tilt.


TIME to Connect

The Leaning Tower of Pisa tilts because it was built on sandy soil.What other environmental factors can change a building over time?Using your school’s media center or the Internet, investigate anengineering marvel—such as the pyramids of Egypt or Mexico, theAcropolis in Greece, or the Taj Mahal in India.Write a brief report,including the following data and information:

• What materials were used to build the structure?

• What natural and human-made factors—such as weather,geological events, and pollution—are affecting the structure? Towhat degree has the structure been damaged by these factors?

• What efforts, if any, are taking place to preserve the structure?

DA

VID

BU

FF

ING

TO

N/G

ET

TY

IMA

GE

S

I

Turn to the Performing ArtsHandbook on page 421 tolearn how Eth-Noh-Tec usesa balance of music, movement, and words to present their unique style of theatre andstorytelling.

CHAPTER 9 REVIEWBuilding Vocabulary

On a separate sheet of paper, write the termthat best matches each definition given below.

1. The principle of art concerned with equal-izing visual forces, or elements, in a workof art.

2. A dividing line that works like the point ofbalance in the balance scale.

3. The type of balance that results whenequal, or very similar, elements are placedon opposite sides of a central axis.

4. A special type of formal balance in whichtwo halves of a balanced composition areidentical, mirror images of each other.

5. When the forces or elements of a designcome out (radiate) from a central point.

6. A balance of unlike objects.

Reviewing Art Facts

Answer the following questions using com-plete sentences.

7. Why is balance important to a work of art?

8. What are the visual forces, or weights, in art?

9. What is the difference between symmetryand approximate symmetry?

10. What factors in a work of art influence thevisual weight of the art elements?

11. Which carry more weight, warm or coolcolors?

12. How can value affect visual weight?

13. What does a formally balanced buildingexpress?

Like other fine artists,sculptors need to con-sider balance as theydesign their sculptures.

Try your hand at creating a balanced sculpturedesign at the education Web site of the Smith-sonian Institution. Simply follow the WebMuseum Tour link at art.glencoe.com.

ART

Thinking Critically About Art

14. Research. The Zapotec people, a pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico, leftbehind some interesting artifacts, as shownin Figure 9.6 on page 230. Using online orprint resources, write a one-page researchreport on whether or not the use of sym-metry is common in Zapotec architectureand art.

15. Historical/Cultural Heritage. Analyzethe painting of Mexican peasants in Figure9.5 on page 229. After reading the Meetthe Artist feature on Diego Rivera on thesame page, identify the general theme ofthis artwork. Then compare and contrastRivera’s style with Figure 9.14 on page 235by David Alfaro Siqueiros. Describe the differences between the works of the twoMexican contemporaries.

Linking to thePerforming Arts

Chapter 9 Review 253

Documents

226 CHAPTER 9 Balance