Form: 1. “The arbitrary organization or inventive arrangement of all the visual elements according to the principles that will develop unity in the artwork. 2. The total appearance or organization.”
principles of organization — An appropriate ratio between
harmony and variety producing:
balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economy.
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harmony — cohesiveness giving units a sameness or "relatedness"/pulling units together through repetition. Harmony is achieved by use of:
concept — Idea behind the work.
design — The underlying plan or organization of the elements (form).
pattern — An artistic design, compositions featuring repeating elements Usually varied.
motif — repeated design or patterned unit.
repetition — May cause pattern, rhythmic movement, or dominance.
allover pattern — repetition of a motif over an entire surface making a new pattern within larger area.
rhythm — flow or movement through repeated accents or visual units.
closure — Gestalt concept--groupings occur as incomplete information is seen as a complete-unified whole. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
factors in visual linking: creating harmony by
• shared edges relating shapes
• overlapping shared area–can cause spatial relation
• transparency harmony through shared layering of an area
• interpenetration images share same space and pass through each other
• extensions (implied or subjective) extended edges used in organization of composition
variety — Visual separation of units-dissimilarities produce interest and excitement. Variety is achieved by:
• contrast visual emphasis through difference of same or surrounding color, value, line, etc.
• elaboration addition of greater detail or embellishment/contradictory information making an area different than surrounding areas.
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unity — The result of bringing the elements of art into the proper ratio of harmony and variety.
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balance — an equilibrium achieved through the use of the elements.
symmetry — mirror-like repetition on both sides of a central axis.
approximate symmetry — SIMILAR (not exact) imagery on either side of a central axis.
radial — compositions emanating from a central point.
asymmetry — "felt" or implied equilibrium without any symmetry--occult.
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proportion — the comparative relationship between parts or units as to size. (The size of the Statue of Liberty's hand relates to the size of her head.)
scale — associations of size created relative to some standard of human dimensions. (The Statue of Liberty's scale is apparent when she is seen next to an automobile.)
golden mean/golden section — 1) "perfect" harmonious proportions-avoiding extremes; 2) a traditional system for harmonious proportions that divides a line or area into ratios of 1:1.6180 or roughly 3: 5, 5: 8, and so forth.
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dominance — Elements, areas, or images made by contrast to assume more importance than others.
movement — the use of visual pathways in a work.
economy — the elimination of everything not essential for greater clarity.
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position — the art work's organization or arrangement producing unity.
pattern — a design unit or an organization of the elements (value, color, etc.) in a specific relationship.
Gestalt, Gestalt psychology — a German word for "form." The theory that the total is greater than the sum of the parts.
academic — having rules and an established philosophy.
