Principles of art The principles of visual art are the set of rules or guidelines of visual art th at are to be considered

when considering the impact of a Western piece of artwor k. They are combined with the elements of art in the production of art.[1][2] Th e principles are movement, unity, harmony, variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, proportion, and pattern. Contents [hide] 1 Movement 2 Emphasis 3 Unity 4 Harmony 5 Variety 6 Balance 7 Contrast 8 Proportion 9 Pattern/Rhythm 10 References Movement Movement shows actions, or alternatively, the path the viewer's eye follows thro ughout an artwork. Movement is caused by using elements under the rules of the p rinciples in picture to give the feeling of tion and to guide the viewer's eyes throughout the artwork. In movement an art should flow, because the artist has t he ability to control the viewer's eye. The artists control what the viewers see and how they see it, like a path leading across the page to the item the artist wants the viewer's attention focused on. Emphasis Emphasis is the point of attraction in a piece of art that draws the viewers eye . If something in a piece of art has emphasis it stands out among other shapes, lines, and viewing points of the painting/drawing Unity Unity is the wholeness that is achieved through the effective use of the element s and principles of art. The arrangement of elements and principles to create a feeling of completeness.[2] Harmony Harmony is achieved in a body of work by using similar elements throughout the w ork, harmony gives an uncomplicated look to a piece of artwork or sculpture. Color Harmony or Color Theory is also considered a principle through the applica tion of the design element of color. Variety Variety (also known as alternation) is the quality or state of having different forms or types. The differences which give a design visual and conceptual intere st: notable use of contrast, emphasis, difference in size and color.[2] Balance Balance is arranging elements so that no one part of a work overpowers, or seems heavier than any other part. The three different kinds of balance are symmetric al, asymmetrical, and radial. Symmetrical (or formal) balance is when both sides of an artwork, if split down the middle, appear to be the same. The asymmetrica l balance is the balance that does not weigh equally on both sides. Radial balan ce is equal in length from the middle. Radial balance also is very difficult at times and if not at the same equal lengths it might be untidy so one must be car eful when doing radial balance. Contrast Contrast is created by using elements that conflict with one another. Often, con trast is created using complementary colors or extremely light and dark values. Contrast creates interest in a piece and often draws the eye to certain areas. I t is used to make a painting look interesting ...[2] Proportion

Proportion is a measurement of the size and quantity of elements within a compos ition. In ancient arts, proportions of forms were enlarged to show importance. T his is why Egyptian gods and political figures appear so much larger than common people. The ancient Greeks found fame with their accurately-proportioned sculpt ures of the human form. Beginning with the Renaissance, artists recognized the c onnection between proportion and the illusion of 3-dimensional space. Pattern/Rhythm Pattern and rhythm (also known as repetition) is showing consistency with colors or lines. Putting a red spiral at the bottom left and top right, for example, w ill cause the eye to move from one spiral, to the other, and everything in betwe en. It is indicating movement by the repetition of elements. Rhythm can make an artwork seem active.[2]