Aim:

• Create a visually balanced composition using

diverse elements
• Again apply theoretical knowledge directly to
a composition
FA 105 - Foundation Studio I • To understand better the idea of visual balance through
Fall Semester 2022 practicing composition
• Continue practicing an objective approach to
visual design

Background:
Project 13 This work is again a composition using a silhouette, text and
abstract shapes. The previous composition you created was

Sense of Balance focused on the design principle of unity. This composition

will be focused on the principle of visual balance.

In this work to help focus on visual balance as the key

design principle, you are required to reference Rudolf
Arnheim’s chapter Balance from Art and Visual Perception:
A Psychology of the Creative Eye.

One of the more difficult tasks with this is to find a way to

"The regular shape of simple geometrical figures makes them look heavier.
The effect can be observed in abstract paintings, notably some of
Kandinsky's works, in which circles or squares provide remarkably strong
accents within compositions of less definable shapes."
Rudolf Arnheim
Art and Visual Perception: A Psychology of the Creative Eye
p. 25
reconcile abstract shapes and a representational element,
the silhouette. How do we bring them together when they
seem so different in style and connotation? First and
foremost work with them according to their intrinsic, formal
characteristics. Secondly, resist the habit of thinking
abstraction and representation are so different. In other
words, don’t be distracted by “real life.” Instead imagine
your composition as a fragment from another world with its
own logic, laws and possibilities. It could be a visual idea for
theatre, a story, a poem, a music video, a dream, something
you imagined or even a still from the opening credits of a
film. Thirdly, just keep trying until you achieve something
satisfying.
You will work with the following:
• Text (the sentence "home is where the visual balance is")
• Your selected silhouette
• Four or five geometrical shapes

Classwork: A3 Worksheet
Sketch review: Thursday
Final Deadline: Monday

Stick Dance, 1928

Oskar Schlemmer
Representation and abstraction merge as a dancer
turns into a moving grid of geometric lines.

Project 13
page 1 of 2
Process:
Do rough sketches/studies → Select one or two sketches
and work up larger more refined studies → Decide on a final
composition → Produce final work
Like the Unity assignment we will work with a 12x12 grid on
A3 Bristol board. You can use the silhouette from previous
project or create a new one for this work. It is upto you.
There are two important differences from previous project.
The first is the text. Instead of one word you are given a
sentence of seven words "home is where the visual balance
is". The second is the number and variety of geometrical
shapes. For this work you must work with a minimum four or
five additional shapes. The shapes must be a circle, square
or equilateral triangle cut from black card. A minimum
of two types must be used. In other words, you can use
just squares and circles or just triangles and squares or
squares, circles and triangles. However, please don't use
just one kind of shape.
5. Select a final composition and produce it on the Bristol
board. The text you can cut out from the sheet provided.
For the silhouette once again please calculate the
size increase or decrease from your original and get a
photocopy from the stationery shop.* For the shapes
please measure and cut them from black card.
Design Elements:
• Text
• Silhouette
• Black geometrical shapes (4 or 5 in number and a
minimum of 2 kinds of shape)
• Negative space
Please note, overlapping of shapes and cropping is
permitted. However, with the text please keep it as a single
element.
---------------------------------------------------------

The steps you should now follow are: Materials provided:

1. Cut a piece of Bristol board into an A3 size. • Worksheet (A3 )
2. Draw up a 12x12 grid on the mat side of the Bristol board • Text samples
(rule very light lines with a sharp H, HB or B pencil and
refer to the table below). Materials required:
3. On the worksheet provided create pencil studies of a • HB pencil
composition that focuses on visual balance. Since the • Eraser
text is provided please sketch in the text according to • Black markers
the proportions on the text sheet (rectangular blocks • Scissors
are sufficient for the small studies). The sizes of the • Circular cutter
silhouette as well as the variety and number of shapes • Ruler
are up to you. • Glue
4. Select one or two strong compositions and produce • Bristol board
larger and more accurate versions on the right hand side • Black card
of the worksheet. • Silhouette from previous project
(or create a new one if you wish)
• Or Adobe Illustrator

Project 13
page 2 of 2