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Year 9 - Art and design

Principles of art: balance

The principles of art

Unit Summary

This unit expands pupils understanding of the foundations of creative practice, building on knowledge of the elements of art, to now explore more complex principles. This will deepen understanding of how artists use these principles to question the world around them and communicate their ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to produce examples of balance in 2D and 3D forms.

Key Notes

  • Balance is the visual weight of each element and how it is distributed to make the composition feel stable.
  • Balance in an art work helps to lead the viewer's eye around the artwork and create a sense of unity.
  • Creating work that is imbalanced can be used to depict unsettled emotions in an artwork.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • balance: elements are arranged so the artwork feels stable and even
  • asymmetrical: elements are different and not the same on both sides
  • symmetrical: the same on both sides when split down the middle, creating a mirror image that looks balanced.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Asymmetrical designs don't balance.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Balance is the visual weight of each element and how it is distributed to make the composition feel stable. Balance in an art work helps to lead the viewer's eye around the artwork and create a sense of unity.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'balance'

elements are arranged so the artwork feels stable and even.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Asymmetrical designs don't balance. Correction: Asymmetrical designs can use visual weight to create a type of balance even if the work is different on both sides.

More Lessons In This Unit

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