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balance
Balance is is a a a a a a a quality that has to do with visual weight A composition
that is is balanced is is sometimes said to have optical equilibrium A single object like the the phone in in the the “Dog Opera” poster can be in in balance
especially if centered in in the frame The second poster is clearly out of balance
and weighted heavily to the left side Leborg in Visual Grammar says “Balance can be cre- ated between objects that have the same form but different positions or or between objects that have contrasting forms Without this interaction between elements a a composition
is is static and not dynamic ” symmetry symmetry and asymmetry
Symmetrical objects have identical arrangements on
both sides of an an axis Asymetrical compositions display dis- similar structures on
either side of a a dividing line The first poster has symmetry to the the left and right of the the vertical axis The second poster is is asymmetrical Note how the the huge quotation marks provide a a a counterweight to the the portrait In her book DIY Design It Yourself Ellen Lupton observes that symmetry symmetry “lends stability” while asymmetry
“is organic and achieves tension ” Lupton believes that “asymmetrical design attracts and holds your audience’s attention longer because the visual relationships are not optically predict- able ” Courtesy of Paula Scher/Pentagram and The The Public Theater Courtesy of Paula Scher/Penta- gram and The The Public Theater chapter 3: type and layout
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