Reading from October 1st Lecture

I. Form and Visual Ordering

A. 3 essential components

1. subject
2. form
   1. The total arrangement of the composition and to the very act of organizing and composing it.
3. content

II. The Principles of Organization

A. Artist begins with the elements and applies to the seven principles of organization

1. Principles of organization: harmony, variety, balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economy
2. If successful then the artist has created visual unity

3. Harmony
   1. May be defined as a pleasing relationship between different sections of a composition
   2. Occurs when elements or independent parts have characteristics in common
   3. Thought as a factor of cohesion
   4. Vastly different areas or images will begin to harmonize if they are treated in a similar manner
      A. Repetition
      1. certain things are repeated or used more than once in the composition
      2. does not require exact duplication, just similarity
      3. Resemblances give a work a degree of harmony

B. Rhythm

1. a continuance, a flow, or a sense of movement that results from repeated beats
2. can be affected by the likeness of their character, their direction, their type, their value, their size, and so forth
3. creation of rhythm also relies on the repetition of pauses between repeating units.
4. Variation and the negative spaces, or intervals, helps create the rhythmic pattern
5. Added emphasis on certain beats adds to rhythm
6. In visual arts, the “pause” is a negative visual space or less-accented visual unit
7. Spacing (visual silence)

C. Pattern

1. a basic pattern is a motif

2. the motifs can then come together and create the allover pattern
3. motifs don't have to be just patterns and shapes, it can be a theme
4. motifs don't have to be exactly the same

D. Closure

1. mental process of assembling to create pattern

E. Visual Linking

1. closure unifies shapes that share an implied group relationship
2. shared space itself becomes the cohesive factor
   1) Shared Edges
   1. shapes that share a common edge

2) Overlapping

1. becomes a shared area

3) Transparency

1. shape or image is seen through another

4) Interpenetration

1. When several images not only share the same area but also appear to pass through each other

F. Linking through Extensions (Implied and Subjective Edges/Lines/Shapes)

G. Excessive Use of Harmony

IV. Variety

A. the counterweight to harmony, the other side of organization essential to unity.

B. Contrast

1. “opposition or dissimilarity” and occurs wherever elements with opposing characteristics are placed in the same area.
2. When artists repeat elements in a way that makes them appear unrelated- such as a few wide lines in a group of narrow ones- the differences, or contrasts, stand out.
3. Through the introduction of contrasts that an area, image, or shape is made to become emphasized or more dominant

100. Elaboration
     1. embellishment, or the enhancement of the surface with subtle information, minute details, and pattern.

D. The Dualism of Harmony and Variety

1. One can't exist without the other.

V. Balance

A. has gravitational influence

B. Symmetrical Balance (Formal Balance)

1. visual units are exactly the same on both sides

C. Approximate Symmetrical Balance

1. potential monotony of pure symmetry can be reduced by subtly varying the

nature of the repetition to achieve

D. Radial Balance

1. visual forces are distributed around a central point and often radiate from it.

E. Asymmetrical Balance (Informal/Occult Balance)

VI. Proportion

1. deals with the ratio of individual parts to one another or the the whole
2. scale is used when proportion is related to size and refers to a standard gauge or “norm” in order to judge the relationship between objects

VII. Dominance

A. to achieve dominance:

1. isolation- a separation of one part from the others
2. placement- “center stage” is most often used, but another position can be dominant, depending on the surroundings
3. direction- a movement that contrasts with others draws focus
4. scale or proportion- larger sizes normally dominate, but unusual scale or proportion also attracts attention
5. character- a significant difference in general appearance is striking

VIII. Movement

A. lets the eye wander around the artists work and go on a “tour”

IX. Economy

A. Requires to see what works in a piece and what doesn't so that you can remove or add

X. Space: Result of Elements and Principles

XI. Three-Dimensional Form and the Principles of Organization

A.can be tectonic-closed, massive, and simple

B. or atectonic – open, to a large degree

C. Harmony and Varitey

D. Balance

E. Proportion

F. Dominance

G. Movement

1. Illusionary
2. Kinetic- involves the physical movement of the work itself

E. Economy