Rhythm and Balance, Scale, Texture

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Welcome to blog post #2! For this week, I chose to display images that I took in Hawaii that focus on how I can play with balance and scale in my artwork.

https://www.instagram.com/artofashh/

Balance

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. “Visual balance occurs when the weight of one or more things is distributed evenly or proportionately in space (Lupton and Phillips, 49). In this image, the eye-catching feature is the sun being that it is in the center and serves as the focal point. The sky, the ocean, and the sand are distributed evenly across the composition, which provides a sense of stability and makes the viewer feel comfortable. The light shining from the sun is contrasted by the dark clouds and the sun's rays are reflected off of the deep blue waves of the ocean. 

Scale

The principle of scale refers to the relative size of one object compared to another, typically the size of the artwork to the viewer's body. As artists, we can play with scaling to emphasize parts - or all - of the creation. Additionally, scale and specific location may both be part of the experience. In this image, I am standing in front of one tree in relation to the background of the ocean and sky. "Contrast in size can create a sense of tension as well as a feeling of depth and movement" (Lupton and Philips, 62). Small objects tend to recede and larger ones move forward. My intention was not to create tension, but to evoke a sense of depth and movement. As the viewer can see, the tree I am standing next to looks seemingly larger than the tree behind it. The viewer's attention moves from me, to viewing the objects behind, and then to the vastness of the sky. The small element (my physical body) punctuates a large surface, drawing importance from the vast space surrounding it.

Thank you for reading!

With love,
Ashley <3





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