Achieving Balance in Graphic Design

In order to stay healthy, people need to eat a balanced diet. We balance our cheque books, our bank accounts and we also attempt to establish a balance between work and family. Balance is a fundamental part of everyday life, especially when you’re a graphic and website designer. Visual balance is a major aspect of graphic design, and something that requires close attention to get it right.

Understanding Balance Basics

A simple way to illustrate the basic principles of visual balance is to think of a balance beam. In order to stay atop the beam, you must maintain your centre of gravity. Shift too much weight to one side of your body and you’ll quickly tumble to the ground. Visual balance works much the same way. Place several graphical elements on only one side of a layout and it will look off. Counterbalance is needed in order to bring stability to the design.

Achieving Balance Isn’t Easy

There are many variables to consider when trying to achieve balance in a graphic design. “Visual interest, unity and variety, figure and ground, realism and abstraction - these are all things that a graphic designer must consider when creating a balanced layout,” says Sandra Dugas, Partner and Creative Director at ZOO Media Group. “Balance is especially important from a marketing and web design perspective, as consumers are naturally drawn to pieces that exhibit visual balance and symmetry.”

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Equilibrium vs. Balance

While balance is a desirable characteristic in good graphic design, equilibrium is not. Graphic and website designers rarely strive to make a layout completely equal and exact in elemental composition. This approach can often result in a visually boring finished product. It is better to focus on creating a design that is balanced - either symmetrically or asymmetrically - depending on the look that you’re trying to achieve.

Symmetry in Graphic Design

Symmetry is a commonly used style in graphic design to achieve visual balance from a shape relationship standpoint. Take a look around your home or office and see how many consumer products use symmetrical design on the packaging. People automatically gravitate towards symmetrical layouts. Studies have shown that humans find symmetrical faces to be very visually appealing and a sign of beauty. Balance and symmetry can be achieved using a variety of objects, colors, or shapes that work together to create visual unity.

Symmetry is also useful in graphic design because you can establish a left to right flow, which is essential to visual balance and is consistent with how the human brain processes information. Symmetry can also be used to create top to bottom balance in a layout. “Most images appear to be more stable and visually attractive if they have a more substantial bottom half,” notes Dugas. “If the top of an image or graphical element is too heavy, it may appear precarious or ungrounded.”

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Creating Balance with Asymmetry

If you are trying to create a more fun or edgy look for a graphic design or new website project, asymmetrical balance just might do the trick. Asymmetrical balance occurs for example, when several smaller items are balanced by a larger item on the opposite side. Colour can also be used effectively to create an asymmetrical look. If you have a dark graphic on one side of the layout, your may decide to use numerous lighter images on the opposite side to counterbalance the visual impact.

Creating a visually appealing layout is essential when designing effective marketing materials and user-friendly websites. An unbalanced composition can often illicit a subconscious feeling of tension and unease when viewed – in most cases, emotions you don’t want connected to your business. For expert advice on your next graphic design or website project, contact the team at ZOO Media Group today!