Composing Balance

Have you been struggling with creating visual harmony in your painting compositions? Join Katie Liddiard as she discusses the different ways of utilizing balance in her paintings.

The first is A Symmetry. That’s when the composition is not completely symmetrical and generally has a visually heavy mass on one side of the composition and is balanced by a smaller object or objects on the other side. It is used to create a sense of movement and dynamism.

The next type of balance is Radial Balance. It’s less commonly used, but is a great way to create movement and stability because all of the elements in the composition radiate from a central point. Floral still lifes work really well with this type of balance.

Then the final, and most common type of balance that Katie uses in her compositions is Symmetry. That’s when all of the elements line up along a central axis- either vertically or horizontally- and mirror each other. This can lead to visual staleness, but there are ways of altering the lighting and format to create more interest in the piece. This type of balance creates simplicity and elegance that the other types might not offer.

While you are setting up your compositions, play around and see what works best for you. There are many different ways of balancing your composition depending on what sort of mood you want for your piece.