The B A L A N C I N G A C T of art

Read "Launching the Imagination" (Balance: pages 74-81). Then start a new post in this forum with your name in the title and discuss the following questions: 

1. How is visual weight different than physical weight?
2. What happens to objects when they get close to the edges of a composition?
3. Why are human beings more comfortable with balanced compositions?
4. What happens when there is imbalance?
5. Is there a place for purposeful imbalance? Give some examples.
6. Why is symmetrical balance so popular in architecture?
7. Can different types of balance be used in a single composition?
8. How many ways are there to achieve asymmetrical balance? Name them.
9. Is radial balance always symmetrical? Why or why not?

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1.) Visual weight is simply judging how much something weighs by only looking at it. Whereas the physical weight of an object is what you feel when you are holding it. With each term, you use a different sense. Visual weight is through the eyes. Physical weight is through touch or feeling.

2.) Objects that tend to get close to the edges of a composition, lose their affect on the piece.

3.) The human mind naturally completes a design. It's human nature, the minute we see something that's off balance, we kinda want to fix it or add something else to the piece. It makes us feel wary.

4.) Imbalance in a piece can become unattractive to the eye. This may lead to confusion, not knowing what the piece is stating.

5.) There is a time and place for purposeful imbalance... maybe for humor or maybe the artist is intending the piece to imbalanced to give that confused, wary feeling for the public eye.

6.) Symmetrical balance in architecture is popular because it is the most functional among all uses of work in building. It is simple, and balanced and easy to work with.

7.) Yes, sometimes it is nescessary, but it's not always a good idea to go over the top with imbalance.
8.) There are many ways: such as a large object going off the page with a small object in the opposite corner, a large object coming closer to the middle with the smaller object in the opposite corner leaving the page, a large object angled coming off the page with three small objects stacked near each other toward the bottom corner of the page, a large object coming off the page no longer angled with a triangle in the opposite corner sitting near the edge. Those are just some.

9.)  No, radical balance is not always symmetrical because there are times when the lines could be imbalanced on either side or when something is not completely right... when it's just a little off. It has happened.