COMPOSITION: BALANCE (Part 6)
I have already touched on the notions of symmetry and asymmetry, since they are connected to contrast. However, I’ll touch on them in this context as well; namely, as referring to balance. While for the most part we discuss it more within the frame of art proper rather than comics, balance is an artistic property of things, whose importance cannot be understressed: “Art is an experience of balance, of the relationship of its parts to the whole. Perceiving it as anything else is missing its most fundamental component […], organized and gracefully balanced around a hidden sense of proportion.” (Priya Hemenway: The Secret Code: The Mysterious Formula That Rules Art, Nature, and Science (2008); pg. 91)
While this quote is related to the aspect of golden ratio that will be discussed in the next part, its essence applies to balance as well. Balance seems to be a key proponent in all art that stems from the basic human nature and can be connected to the formalistic arrangement and understanding of every aspect of said human nature. If our ancestors had somewhat similar traits as we do, we can say that we have always wanted to make sense of both ourselves and the world we inhabit. Balance is a measuring stick of our coconsciousness that can be actually traced from the seeming chaos and randomness of the universe on one hand and order within galaxies and solar systems on the other (again, part of the golden ratio).
Balance is an arrangement of elements within a picture that carries pictorial weight. Like gravity, every element within a picture carries “weight” and affects one-another, regardless of how insignificant one detail can be … and remoteness, isolation or smallness often gets stressed or contrasted by its very nature. Consequently, every element attracts the eye. In such a way, a snowflake displays a similar symmetrical balance as a vortex or even a black hole, everything stemming outward from a point or a singularity (obviously taking two and tree-dimensionality into account).
Balance in van Gogh’s Starry Night is evident becomes of the interplay of the “erupting” black cypress tree on the left, the subdued bottom scenery and the playfully stars in the sky. The “weight” of the picture gets distributed between these three features of the scenery and creates balance that may not be obvious at first glance.
Pictorially, symmetry is more eye-pleasing and functions more precise when we want to make things as clear as possible. Such instances can be found in the digital world, where icons, symbols for apps and avatars are for example placed in a central position of a given background. From such a perspective, aesthetic clarity is key and there is no room for complex, abstract artistic expression (of let’s say a Kandinsky), when wider acceptance is the goal.
We have different types of balances for different compositional takes. The easiest way to imagine (a type of) balance for me is through so called steelyard balance, which functions like a counterweight. If there are many close objects in the lower part of the picture, this can be balanced by a smaller, distant object in the upper part. If we go back to the Starry Night, the distant moon in the upper right corner of the picture displays steelyard balance in relation to the large cypress trees that looms in the bottom left side of the foreground of the picture. Essentially, a larger element on one side of the picture is balanced by a smaller isolated one on the other side.
On the other hand, just as much as art in general is subject to symmetry, it depends heavily on asymmetry as well. The human body itself is a physical example of bilateral symmetry, while we express what we see in ourselves and the world around us. Asymmetrical balance may be less easily understood and observed, but it adds vibrancy, freedom and feels more “real”.
What symmetry does for the concepts of aesthetic appeal and mathematical unity, asymmetry extends towards differentiations and even biological mutations. In other words, both concepts are equally important, keeping structural and ideological balance in a yang-yin-type interplay.
Even the seemingly least balanced, random or abstract works of Kandinsky, Rothko, Mondrian and Pollock inherently follow their own respective art fields. It can be claimed that it is much harder (if even possible) to create a random, disorganized work than a realistic, balancing and pleasing one. This can be applied further. Even random thoughts are anything but random in the sense that they are governed either by the interplay of our subconscious and predisposition (aka. the personal) and the world that allows us to function as such (aka. the social). That’s why this can be consequently applied to all fields of human expression … meditation to boot, where suppression of random thoughts is akin to creating a disorganized canvas.
Some more examples. The first panel in Picture 1 creates partial balance. Hellboy occupies the bottom part of the panel, while the hanging rope counterbalances his position. It needs to be stressed once again that such principles that are central to great works of art are displayed differently or at least for the most part on a smaller scale in comics, because the focus is more on the interplay of verbal and pictorial elements. The verbal elements in a panel, sequentiality, economy of space and strict deadlines all play a major factor, whether each and every panel can be a small masterpiece in itself, or the panel arrangement on a given page can display balance, symmetry, etc. Superb artistry of Picture 1 captures both the balance of the while comic page as well the cyclical/clockwise storytelling technique. All in all, understanding the basic principles of art in general and especially their consequent mastery and use within comics themselves, adds volumes to the admiration of the much underappreciated comics artists.
Comprehension of centrality and the fringes of a picture may be conflicting, but I would argue that this functions more on a theoretical level. While Molly Bang (in Picture This: How Pictures Work) argues that central position means centrality of attention and the outskirts its fringe, Henry Rankin Poore (in Composition in Art) stresses the opposite by claiming that an element near the edge of a picture has more attraction. They are in fact both right; however, their point of reference is different.
Bang’s position stems from the natural fact that elements at the edges function less important in a similar way like audience in a theater, where the actor on center stage is the one in the (quite literal) limelight. Further, since human peripheral vision is of relatively low resolution, we see clearly only what is directly “stressed” in front of us. In terms of “clarity”, the use of blurring and motion lines in comics is for example not merely a neat pictorial device, but resembles the natural human visual (in)ability.
Rankin Poore’s position is that of balance and contrast (in paintings), where an element at the edge gains attention by proxy, since it is in sharp contrast to its counterparts. Also, centrality loses its power, since the greatest works of art tend to imply movement, have balance and lead the eyes away from the center of gaze towards the equally important elements on the outskirts, essentially visually completing the image. Movement is of course one of the staples of comics … i.e. the cyclical nature of the first five panels in Picture 1.
Again, this seeming paradox of two equally valid theoretical points of view is in fact not confusing at all when viewing any work in question from a particular position (echoing the previous statement of multiple types of balances). And we do that all the time and in any endeavor. References, general comprehension and background information play a vital role both in understanding different positions in art as well as understanding myths that offer a multitude of meanings (with paradoxes galore to boot). Of course, there are just two general examples of theoretical divergence that is essentially a matter of perspective. Through a similar approach, different art styles and techniques offer both distinction as well as interplay of artistic traditions within cultural evolution.
I hope it’s clear by now that all these principles of composition may have a powerful individual role, but for the most part appear united and thus affect one-another. This interplay can lead towards strengthening of a particular element and can provide a new, unique experience, or can lead to conflicting situations (either intentional or unintentional). Strengthening can be observed in Picture 2, where the darker tones, sharper lines, higher position of the creature and its attack from behind all strengthen the notion of danger, despite the fact that the protagonist is Lucifer … a splendid little ironic leitmotif in the whole Lucifer series.
On the other hand, Picture 3 exhibits a unique experience, where the visually-enclosed position of Hellboy creates an uneasy atmosphere, yet his nonchalant answer reassures the reader that he has had numerous experiences of danger, creating a dichotomy of meanings. Plus, not the balance of the balloons in relation to the weight of the characters.
Again, I know it’s visually more appealing to give fresher examples, but I just love reusing these examples over and over again, because you can clearly see the genius in their creation and just how much theory and application can work hand in hand. And I will always argue that comics is the best medium for linear visual expression. Honestly, I’ve seen too many examples of comics (meta)greatness that it’s hard to argue otherwise. Gotta love it!
NEXT: GOLDEN RATIO
For reasons of extreme prejudice, the author of this blog wishes to remain anonymous …