How would an artist create using symmetry and repetition within an art piece? How would they draw it? *

Balance in art is one of the basic principles of design, along with contrast, movement, rhythm, emphasis, pattern, unity, and variety. Balance refers to how the elements of art (line, shape, color, value, space, form, texture) relate to each other within the composition in terms of their visual weight to create visual equilibrium. That is, one side does not seem heavier than another.

In three dimensions, balance is dictated by gravity, and it is easy to tell when something is balanced or not (if not held down by some means). It falls over if it is not balanced. On a fulcrum (like a teeter-totter), one side of the object hits the ground while the other rises. In two dimensions, artists have to rely on the visual weight of the elements of the composition to determine whether a piece is balanced. Sculptors rely both on physical and visual weight to determine the balance.

Humans, perhaps because we are bilaterally symmetrical, have a natural desire to seek balance and equilibrium. Artists generally strive to create artwork that is balanced. A balanced work, in which the visual weight is distributed evenly across the composition, seems stable, makes the viewer feel comfortable, and is pleasing to the eye. A work that is unbalanced appears unstable, creates tension, and makes the viewer uneasy. Sometimes, an artist deliberately creates a work that is unbalanced.

Isamu Noguchi's (1904-1988) sculpture "Red Cube" is an example of a sculpture that intentionally looks off balance. The red cube is precariously resting on a point, contrasting with the gray, solid, stable buildings around it, and it creates a feeling of tension and apprehension.

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