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the structural principles of creating These principles of organization The development of

visual order. Here, the term form refers are not laws, however, with only one Form
to the total arrangement of the composi- possible interpretation or application. involves media and techniques
tion and the organizing methods used Rather, they are flexible guides to orga- and uses

to achieve that arrangement. nizing the elements. Their use is highly

When we see images, we take an ac- intuitive and subjective for each work. The Elements of Art
Line
tive part in making sense of what we Although we will study the principles Shape
Value
see. Our minds are flooded with visual separately, they do not function sepa- Texture
information, so we instinctively and rately within the overall structure of a Color
which are organized according to
subconsciously look for visual connec- composition. Instead, they affect and
tions and relationships to create order influence each other (for example, an
out of the confusion. A group of hori- area’s degree of dominance affects the The Principles of Organization
zontal and vertical lines might be inter- whole composition’s sense of balance). Harmony and Variety
preted as a chair, a detailed shape might Principles can be combined or omitted
bringing the elements into an apporopriate
be recognized as a figure instead of the as necessary, as long as the artist under- ratio while establishing
background, and a series of shapes in stands what effect that choice may have
different positions might be seen as a on development of the other principles. Balance
Proportion
moving object. This instinct for order Incorporating any particular one may Dominance
is the basis of our appreciation of struc- not be enough to guarantee a successful Movement
ture, and it is only natural that an art- work, because principles are not ends Economy

ist should apply it to his or her creative in themselves. creating

process. The organizing process, which can Space

be variously termed composition or and
design, is usually a mix of intuition
and intellect. By applying the various Visual Unity
principles of organization, the visual
2.2 This diagram illustrates how the compo-
THE PRINCIPLES artist controls and integrates the art
nents of form relate to each other. Although the
elements—building relationships that
OF ORGANIZATION are harmonious and yet varied enough
process of composing artwork may sometimes
occur in this order, artists can begin their work
It is often said that an artist’s task is to to create excitement. He or she also by focusing on any of these items and can con-
bring order out of chaos. Whether the imparts a certain feeling of balance tinue in any sequence.
imagery is figurative or nonobjective, or visual equilibrium, appropriate
the artist’s intent is to develop an inte- relationships of size and scale, areas
grated and unified visual whole out of with varying degrees of dominance
diverse elements. This process is dia- or emphasis, and pictorial movement.
gramed in figure 2.2. Having selected This is done as efficiently as possible direction, provides pauses, and, in a
the appropriate media, the artist be- and establishes a spatial relation- sense, manipulates the volume (by
gins by organizing the elements of art ship between objects. The work may using loud or soft colors, clashing lines,
(line, shape, value, texture, and color) undergo much change as it progresses, or softly related shapes).
according to the seven principles of but the final arrangement (image) The individual elements of art are
organization—harmony, variety, bal- should effectively communicate the so integral to this organizational pro-
ance, proportion, dominance, move- artist’s feeling. cess that they really cannot be sepa-
ment, and economy. These principles To some extent, the structure of rated from it. However, for the sake of
guide the artist in developing the vari- visual elements leads the viewer’s clarity, we will first address the guid-
ous elements and creating a sense of experience much like a musical score ing principles and then discuss the
space. If the artist’s plan is successful, guides musicians. Just as a score indi- elements individually in the chapters
the result is visual unity—a sense of cates tempo (the speed or pace of the that follow, along with an explana-
visual oneness. The artist has created music), placement of notes, rests, and tion of how the principles of organiza-
an organization of parts that fits into the degree of sound to be produced, tion may be applied to each. In view of
an ordered visual whole where every so the visual composition controls this interconnectedness, the principles
element is vital. eye movements in both speed and should be reviewed repeatedly to fully

48 C HAPT ER 2 Form
2.3 Ai Weiwei, Bubble, 2008. The repetition in this work is very uniform, making for a piece with a high degree of harmony. To avoid
monotony, Weiwei constructed the bubbles from highly polished porcelain, which then reflect the constantly changing environment,
such as the city lights, the water, and the colors of the sky. Lynne Sladky/AP Photo.

understand how each element can be thought of as the factor of cohesion that creation of visual groupings through
used and developed to achieve har- relates the various parts of a composi- closure, visual linking, and linking
mony, variety, balance, proportion, tion to each other. through extensions.
dominance, movement, and economy. Even vastly different areas or
images will begin to harmonize if they Repetition
are treated in a similar manner. For A primary way of creating harmony
example, an artist can begin to relate or harmonious relationships in a
Harmony two different kinds of lines, verti- composition is through the use of
Harmony, the first of the principles of cal and horizontal, by making them repetition. As the term implies, rep-
organization, may be defined as a pleas- all straight. If they were all the same etition occurs when the same visual
ing relationship between different sec- length, they would harmonize even element or effect is used over and over
tions of a composition. It occurs when more, and if they were all drawn with (see fig. 2.3).
elements or independent parts have an ink pen on damp paper, their simi- Repetition does not require exact
characteristics in common—such as re- lar character would relate them even duplication—just similarity or near
peated colors, similar textures, shared further. We will look individually at likeness. Slight variations will add sub-
edges, and so forth. These areas be- the many ways an artist may create tle interest to an image that might oth-
come vitally linked; their commonality harmony, including the repetition of erwise be tiring (figs. 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5).
makes them visually related or “pulls an element, the creation of rhythm, the Repetitive similarities express relat-
them together.” Harmony, then, may be repetition of a pattern or motif, and the edness, much like family members

The Principles of Organization 49

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