Visual Unity/Harmony

Visual Unity/Harmony

No organization: Chaotic

No organization: a mess

No organization: no part of the image is more important the any other. It is an ‘all-over’ image, allowing the viewer to scan the entirety rather than zoom in

on any one part.

Jackson Pollock, There were seven in eight

Gestalt: A Unified Whole• Gestalt theory: Visual imagery is understood

holistically before it is examined separately. We look at the whole puzzle before individual pieces.

• A succesful composition feels unified, but on analysis can be broken down into: – Grouping– Containment– Proximity– Repetition– Continuity– ClosureThese elements work together to create a unified whole.

Jennifer Bartlet, Alphabet

GROUPING organizing a composition based on similarities, based on location, type, color, etc

Indian Miniature Painting, watercolor on paper

Bruegel, Dutch Proverbs

Bruegel, The Harvesters

October, Janet Fish

Containment and Grouping: edges around objects help us further group them

Proximity- nearby objects are read as being together

Andy Warhol, Scandinavian Airlines

Fusion-shapes share edges, so that new shapes are formed

Frank Stella

Repetition: we see the same visual effect over and over

Edgar Degas, the Millinery shop

Repetition Creating a diagonal orientation

Edgar Degas, Ballet Dancers

Kitagawa Unamaro, Enjoying the cool evening breeze on and under the bridge

Jennifer Bartlett, AIR 24 hours, 11

Continuation: a fluid connection between parts

Balthus, the Living Room

This can lead to a sense of movement

Rosenquist, Women’s Intuition

Continuity creating movement

Thomas Eakins, Swimming

Closure: a mind’s inclination to connect fragmentary information to create a

complete form.

Chuck Close, Phil

Wassily Kandinsky, Circles in a Circle

What principles of Gestalt Theory are present?

Variety

• DIFFERENCEUnity and variety are the basis of good

compositions—a piece should feel unified so that all elements are working together and nothing seems ‘out of place’,

BUTWe Varied enough so that there are elements of

interest, we don’t get bored.

How is variety presented in this piece?

Marilyn Minter, M & E

Alexander Calder, Spirals

Are both unity and variety present?

Ryan McGinness, Aesthetic Comfort