This document discusses key principles of organization in the visual arts: harmony, variety, balance, proportion, rhythm, and emphasis/subordination. Harmony is achieved through establishing relationships between elements. Variety relieves monotony through diversity of materials and contrasts. Balance distributes elements equally around a central point. Proportion compares the sizes of parts. Rhythm uses repetition of lines, forms and colors. Emphasis draws attention to focal points while other elements are subordinated.

1. ORGANIZATION IN THE
VISUAL ARTS
Presented by:
ERIC F. PAZZIUAGAN, RN, MAN

2. Harmony
 Essential to beauty.
 Visual arts: achieved by establishing a
pleasing relationship between the
various elements.
 Unity: various parts of the design will
give an appearance of belonging
together.
 Repetition of angles and curves,
shapes, lines and colors will give a
harmonious effect.

3.  To relieve monotony, there must be
variety.
◦ The spice of life and of art.
◦ May be achieved by the diversity of
materials used and slight contrast in color,
texture, shape and space arrangements.
 Painting and interior decoration:
complementary hues when used will
give contrast.
 Sculptor: use of conrast of texture,
such as smooth and rough, in his
work.

4.  Architect: instead of using a long line of
windows, may group the windows and
introduce space between the groups.
 Monotony produced by vertical lines of
columns in buildings may be relieved
by transition lines.
 If the wall paper in room is figured, the
use of plain curtains will make it more
beautiful and restful.
 Artist must ne careful that the variety
he introduces does not destroy the
harmonious effect.

5. Balance
 All parts are equally distributed around
a central point.
 Weights are equally distributed on
each side of a center of fulcrum, as in
see-saw.
 Gives a feeling of stability and rest.
 Makes an object or room not only
interesting but also pleasant to look at.

6. Formal balance
 Symmetrical balance
 Achieved by making both sides
exactly alike.
 Objects of the same size and
shape, when arranged on two sides of
a center, will produce formal balance.
 Gives an atmosphere of dignity and
formality.

7. Informal or asymmetrical
balance
 Occult balance
 More difficult to achieve the formal
balance; however, the results are more
interesting.
 Achieved when objects of unequal
weights or unequal attractions are placed
at the correct distances from the center as
when a large object or an object of
stronger attraction is placed near the
center, while the smaller object or one
with less striking attraction is moved

8.  Generally used when we want to
attract the attention of observers and
set them thinking about the object
under observation.
◦ Active balance: suggests spontaneity and
movement.
◦ Gives an impression of casualness.

9. Proportion
 Determined by a comparison of the sizes
of different parts of an object or of an
arrangement.
 Achieved when one part of an object
does not seem too big or too small for
other parts.
 Painting: the principle of good proportion
is useful in combining colors successfully
and in determining the margins for
mounting.
◦ There should be more of one color than the
others.

10. Rhythm
 Achieved by the regular or
harmonious recurrence of lines, forms,
and colors.
 Organized movement, a beat, a
repetition.
 Through the repetition of lines or
forms, a pattern is produced, which
the eye follows as it moves from the
right to left.
 A series of units repeated one after

11.  Through the use of color, charming
patterns will be formed that will carry
the eye from one part of a room to
another.
 Repetition of color in different parts of
the room produces a rhythmical effect
which is not only charming but
pleasing.
 Rhythmical patterns help the aye to
move easily from one part of the room
to another or from one part of a design
to another.

12.  It is used as the most effective way of
creating aesthetic unity in
prose, music, dance, painting, architec
ture, and sculpture.
 Space arts: rhythm is used in
repetition, alternation, and gradation of
the elements of art, line, form, color
and texture.

13. Emphasis/ Subordination
 Some parts easily catch our attention
and interest while other parts are not
noticed at all.
 Produced by the design or form that
catches our attention while the rest
are subordinated.
 Pattern emphasized usually forms
the center of interest.
 Giving importance to the parts or to
the whole.