Asymmetrical Balance
Asymmetrical balance is when you have two dissimilar sides of a design and have positioned visual weight unequally, and yet you've still achieved a sense of balance.
Artist Examples:
Artist Examples:
Lin Onus
Even though this composition is asymmetrical, how have the frogs been arranged to provide balance?
Even though this composition is asymmetrical, how have the frogs been arranged to provide balance?
Katsushika Hokusai
Does one side seem heavier than the other or does it appear balanced? Why?
Does one side seem heavier than the other or does it appear balanced? Why?
In order to learn asymmetry you will use a compositional device called the rule of thirds.
This is where you place a grid over an artwork and place subjects so that they align with lines and sections of the grid. This breaks the visual weight of your artwork into thirds, which is pleasing to the eye.
It is often used in photography and cinematics, pay attention to the next movie you watch to see if they have used the rule of thirds!
This is where you place a grid over an artwork and place subjects so that they align with lines and sections of the grid. This breaks the visual weight of your artwork into thirds, which is pleasing to the eye.
It is often used in photography and cinematics, pay attention to the next movie you watch to see if they have used the rule of thirds!
Your Task:
You will use the rule of thirds to break up the design of your artwork. You will need to pay attention to the heavy vs light visual weight in your artwork to create an asymmetrical balance.
Choose a subject and a line, Eg:
- Frog and stick
- Bird and branch
- Basketball and court
- Lighthouse and ocean
- Sun and mountain
Place the rule of thirds grid provided underneath your A4 paper
Place an the 'line' subject on one of the thirds, eg. the ocean or horizon line is on the top third of the page.
Then place your subject on an intersection
E.g. place the lighthouse is on one of the points where the lines intersect or cross over each other