Visual Balance & Symmetry
The underlying principle anything good in fine art, graphic design or
photography will have a purposeful composition is called visual
balance. When you take a photograph and look through the view
finder to line things up, you are applying visual balance.
Balance is the attainment of optical and psychological equilibrium in
a composition. Often, it gives a more natural effect by ensuring
weight is distributed evenly in the composition.
Here are 5 examples of types of visual balance:
Symmetrical balance
This is an even distribution of visual weight on either side of
a notional line (e.g. centre line) or when two sides of a
composition, such a poster, mirror each other enough to
give a symmetrical look. Symmetrical balance usually
creates more formal layouts and conveys tranquillity,
familiarity, elegance or serious thought.
Asymmetrical balance
This is a psychological or "felt" balance. Asymmetrical balance can be achieved
with off-centred elements, without perfect symmetry, in a less
obvious way, by for example:






placing two different but equally interesting objects
either side of the composition
using an underlying imaginary grid
using negative space (known as “white space”) for
isolating text or objects
contrasting foreground with background
placing smaller, dense elements close to the centre, and
less dense elements further away
balancing the surface area of deep and light colour tones
Asymmetry is a form of "balanced imbalance". Tension can result by avoiding symmetrical balance.
Radial balance
With radial balance, circular patterns can radiate
out from a point, or patterns can swirl around in a
circular or spiral path.
There has to be a notional point from which the
action takes place (this point can also be outside
the frame). Examples include:




Perspective lines
Circular patterns
Lines fanning or radiating outwards
Spirals
Rule of thirds
Rule of thirds is a simple 3 * 3 grid placement system often used by
photographers, fine artists and graphic designers. Digital cameras often
have a setting allowing you to show a 3 * 3 grid in the view finder so you
can line up subjects using the grid lines.
When cropping images in GIMP or Photoshop, you can use a rule of thirds
grid to help you achieve more balance (select rule of thirds in properties).
Rule of thirds is flexible and straight-forward. Place your important subject matter, e.g. a person
or a building, along the lines, at any intersections of those lines or inside the rectangular areas.
Visual centre of a page
Placing an important subject centre of the page
can sometimes look static and dull. Moving the
subject off centre can add panache.
Visual centre is slightly to the right and above
the actual geometric centre of a page. Important
elements can be placed here. Visual centre has
similarities with the divine or perfect proportion or the Golden Section/Proportion:
Approximately 1:1.62 (or 62%)
If you take a picture, try placing the subject in the visual centre; what effect does this have?
The best way to understand and appreciate visual balance is to find your own examples. The
most compelling images often combine more than one form of balance.