Which principle of art refers to the use of visual elements to draw attention to a certain area?

The elements and principles of art and design are the foundation of the language we use to talk about art. The elements of art are the visual tools that the artist uses to create a composition. These are line, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space.

The principles of art represent how the artist uses the elements of art to create an effect and to help convey the artist's intent. The principles of art and design are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity/variety. The use of these principles can help determine whether a painting is successful, and whether or not the painting is finished.

The artist decides what principles of art he or she wants to use in a painting. While an artist might not use all the principles of design in one piece, the principles are intertwined and the use of one will often depend on another. For example, when creating emphasis, the artist might also be using contrast or vice versa. It is generally agreed that a successful painting is unified, while also having some variety created by areas of contrast and emphasis; is visually balanced; and moves the viewer's eye around the composition. Thus it is that one principle of art can influence the effect and impact of another. 

The 7 principles of art

Balance refers to the visual weight of the elements of the composition. It is a sense that the painting feels stable and "feels right." Imbalance causes a feeling of discomfort in the viewer.

Balance can be achieved in 3 different ways: 

1. Symmetry, in which both sides of a composition have the same elements in the same position, as in a mirror-image, or the two sides of a face.
2. Asymmetry, in which the composition is balanced due to the contrast of any of the elements of art. For example, a large circle on one side of a composition might be balanced by a small square on the other side
3. Radial symmetry, in which elements are equally spaced around a central point, as in the spokes coming out of the hub of a bicycle tire.

See the article, Balance, for some visual examples of how the elements of art can be used to achieve balance.

Contrastis the difference between elements of art in a composition, such that each element is made stronger in relation to the other. When placed next to each other, contrasting elements command the viewer's attention. Areas of contrast are among the first places that a viewer's eye is drawn. Contrast can be achieved by juxtapositions of any of the elements of art. Negative/Positive space is an example of contrast. Complementary colors placed side by side is an example of contrast. Notan is an example of contrast. 

Emphasis is when the artist creates an area of the composition that is visually dominant and commands the viewer's attention. This is often achieved by contrast.

Movement is the result of using the elements of art such that they move the viewer's eye around and within the image. A sense of movement can be created by diagonal or curvy lines, either real or implied, by edges, by the illusion of space, by repetition, by energetic mark-making. 

Pattern is the uniform repetition of any of the elements of art or any combination thereof. Anything can be turned into a pattern through repetition. Some classic patterns are spirals, grids, weaves. For examples of different pattern types see the Artlandia Glossary of Pattern Design. A popular drawing practice isZentangles, in which an abstract or representational outline is divided into different areas, each of which contains a unique pattern.

Rhythm is created by movement implied through the repetition of elements of art in a non-uniform but organized way. It is related to rhythm in music. Unlike pattern, which demands consistency, rhythm relies on variety.

Unity/Variety You want your painting to feel unified such that all the elements fit together comfortably. Too much unity creates monotony, too much variety creates chaos.You need both. Ideally, you want areas of interest in your composition along with places for your eye to rest. 

Understanding art can appear intimidating to the untrained eye. However, there are several simple key principles of art, and once you understand these, the vast pleasure of art-viewing art, understanding the functions of art and correlating the purpose and definition of art begins to open up before you.

Principals of Art Infographics

1) Balance

Balance refers to the weight of objects and their placement in relation to each other.

It’s a sense of stability you might feel from elements in alignment. This can take three forms: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.

Symmetrical balance refers to the exact mirroring of objects across an axis (i.e. an invisible line on the page).

Asymmetrical balance is the opposite of this – when objects do not mirror each other perfectly, shifting the balance to one side or the other of the axis.

This is often done to highlight an object in relation to another. Radial balance is when objects are distributed all around a central point.

2) Proportion

Proportion is the size of objects in relation to each other, or within a larger whole.

This could be natural (e.g. a nose which fits onto a face the way you would expect it), exaggerated (e.g. a nose that is vastly over or undersized), and idealized, in which parts have the kind of perfect proportion that you just don’t see occurring naturally.

One of the key characteristics of Renaissance Art that changed the world forever is the invention of linear perspective, and proportion is one of the inherent behaviors towards achieving perspective

3) Emphasis

Emphasis is an extension of these first two principles: it is when contrast, placement, size, color, or other features are used to highlight one object, area, or other elements of the artwork.

This is used to draw attention – a focal point – or accentuate a feature.

4) Variety

Variety is a sense of the difference between elements of an artwork – the opposite of unity, or harmony.

Variety adds a sense of chaos to a work, and this is often used to highlight certain powerful emotions. Salvador Dali is one of the artists who have experimented with chaos and variety in his paintings, yet achieved a great sense of perfection.

Who is Salvador Dali? and Which are the top paintings of Salvador Dali?

When unity is used instead, it immediately calms – though this can also lead to being boring!

5) Harmony

In follow on from variety, harmony is the use of related elements.

This might be similar colors, shapes, sizes of objects, etc. It’s about repetition and a relationship between elements. This creates a sense of connection between the objects, creating a sense of flow.

One of the great examples is Titian, the iconic artist often remembered as the Venetian Master of Colour. Titian Paintings Are Truly Stunning, Brings Brightness, and Lustre To His Works Through Brilliant Colors. And, if you look at it, he used the color as a tool to bring harmony to the subject

Harmony is one of the most important aspects when it comes to principles of art

6) Movement

This indicates the direction your eye takes as you view the work – in what order does your eye travel? If the emphasis is used, this often means you start with this element first and travel away from it.

The movement inherent in the image is important, as it tells you a story through the use of lines (whether they are literal or implied).

7) Rhythm

This can also be thought of as a kind of relationship between patterned objects.

Rhythm is often the use of regular, evenly distributed elements – they could occur in slow, fast, smooth or jerky intervals, and this tells you something about the feelings invoked.

Like listening to an upbeat pop song versus a slow ballad, the arrangement of notes creates a kind of pattern you naturally respond to. The important part is recognizing the relationship between the objects.

8) Scale

It might sound similar to proportion, but they differ slightly: scale is about the size of objects but in relation to what you’d expect them to be in reality.

If an object occurs in a natural scale, then the object is the size we would expect to find it.

Diminutive refers to an object being smaller than expected, and monumental is when the object is much larger.

9) Unity

Not to be confused with harmony, unity is the overall cohesion of the work.

You might achieve this through any kind of grouping of objects.

Any kind of similarity will help to strengthen the sense of unity you feel when looking at a series of objects.

10) Repetition

This is the pattern itself.

A combination of shapes, colors, or other elements recurring across the composition.

Objects might be repeated such that they slowly get smaller, or slowly change color – where the pattern starts and stops is important! Patterns usually evoke feelings of security and calm.

In all, these ten principles of art combine and contrast to create the effects we respond to visually. By breaking down the elements, we begin to understand more about the intention or meaning of art.

Is a principle of arts which refers to the use of visual elements?

What do you call the principle of art in which it refers to the visual elements in a work of art that create a sense of action or implied motion?

What principle of design is used by artist to draw our attention to an area or areas?

What principle of art is said to be the point of attention?