Balance and symmetry
05-06-2017, 10:06 AM
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Upstate NY, north of Syracuse Area
Posts: 6,003
While I have a fondness for balance, I have an equal dislike for square quilts in general, so I am forced to deal with the even by odd, or go with something like 4x6 or 5x7. Depending on the size of the blocks, that can lead to a long and narrow quilt, which I also do not prefer. LOL Most of my quilts do end up 4x5 or 5x6.
05-06-2017, 10:36 AM
#26
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Between the dashes of a tombstone
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First of all I tend to appreciate things in symmetrical balance and have tried to step out of my box once in a while.
There are 3 types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. The C example is symmetrical. Symmetrical exhibits even objects..a wall grouping with 3 equal sized pictures in a row....9P blocks. Asymmetrical..a wall grouping of 3 pictures but one is larger and 2 smaller ones that fit in the same area of the larger one...a 2x4 rectangle and 2 2x2 squares.. Radial is circular, like a clock or wagon wheel..kaleidoscope blocks...the center of a triangle frenzy runner is radial, but combines with symmetrical balance with the 2 similar ends.
Not all things are balanced visually, and give you a lopsided feeling. Balance can be affected by colors as well.
Check this website....I learned something new...the 4th type of balance...going to check it out myself
https://kathykwylie.com/2011/03/art-...alance-part-1/
There are 3 types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. The C example is symmetrical. Symmetrical exhibits even objects..a wall grouping with 3 equal sized pictures in a row....9P blocks. Asymmetrical..a wall grouping of 3 pictures but one is larger and 2 smaller ones that fit in the same area of the larger one...a 2x4 rectangle and 2 2x2 squares.. Radial is circular, like a clock or wagon wheel..kaleidoscope blocks...the center of a triangle frenzy runner is radial, but combines with symmetrical balance with the 2 similar ends.
Not all things are balanced visually, and give you a lopsided feeling. Balance can be affected by colors as well.
Check this website....I learned something new...the 4th type of balance...going to check it out myself
https://kathykwylie.com/2011/03/art-...alance-part-1/
Last edited by oksewglad; 05-06-2017 at 10:39 AM.
05-06-2017, 01:42 PM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
Without checking that website, I believe the fourth type of balance is Approximate Balance. It's where minor differences in color, shape, and form create a nearly mirror image on either side of an imaginary line.
Artistic balance can be found in many ways.
Some examples:
A large simple dark shape is balanced by a smaller complex shape of brighter color.
Large empty spaces can be balanced by areas of textural interest and detail.
A large heavy shape is balanced by floating smaller ones.
Even the colors, values and visual textures of the fabrics can change the balance for better or worse.
Balance is just one of the design principles that should be found in quilts. Movement is another big one.
Artistic balance can be found in many ways.
Some examples:
A large simple dark shape is balanced by a smaller complex shape of brighter color.
Large empty spaces can be balanced by areas of textural interest and detail.
A large heavy shape is balanced by floating smaller ones.
Even the colors, values and visual textures of the fabrics can change the balance for better or worse.
Balance is just one of the design principles that should be found in quilts. Movement is another big one.
05-06-2017, 07:29 PM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,859
Originally Posted by bearisgray
This may be just a quirk of mine - but when using blocks that are of the "alternate" type - I much prefer using a checkerboard setting or even rows x even rows or odd rows x odd rows setting.
It just feels "wrong" and "uncomfortable" to me to use an even x odd setting (like B).
A is a checkerboard type setting - even x even setting
C is an odd row x odd row setting.
D and E are just extremes. D is odd x odd - but unbalanced.
E is odd x even and unbalanced.
Do any of you also have these preferences?
It just feels "wrong" and "uncomfortable" to me to use an even x odd setting (like B).
A is a checkerboard type setting - even x even setting
C is an odd row x odd row setting.
D and E are just extremes. D is odd x odd - but unbalanced.
E is odd x even and unbalanced.
Do any of you also have these preferences?
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