For almost an entire century, America's magazine and book illustrators were shunned by the mainstream visual arts world, especially in academics.
To refer to Norman Rockwell as an artist certainly would have raise eyebrows in those circles. Thankfully, today the merits of many of these illustrators' works are being given long deserved credence.
20th century illustrators gradually are being recognized as brilliant visual composers. They had to be, else their message would not
have come across. That's right: It's not the only the skill of drawing and painting--something every good illustrator possesses. It is how they use the composing principles as tools.
THE BALANCE PRINCIPLE AS A TOOL
Rockwell, for example, was a master of the principle of balance. His painting from 1964, entitled The Problem We All
Live With, beautifully illustrates his adroit use of this tool.
Not unlike physical balance, in visual balance there is an axis with weights on either side. If the weights are
equal, they balance to an equilibrium; if not, the heavier one overpowers the lighter one.
In the same way of the mechanics of a seesaw, if the axis is in the middle, the weights on either side must be
identical to be balanced, but if the axis changes, more weight is required on the short side to balance a lighter weight on the longer side. This principle applies in painting, too
In this Rockwell painting, the axis is shifted to the left, the location of the little girl. That's the vertical movement
that the eye goes to first--in this case (as it often is), the area of emphasis.
Let's take away the guys on the right and notice how the overall piece feels.
We get the message. We see what's happening, but it feels that it's tilting a bit to the left. A diagram of that might
look something like this:
A balance diagram of the actual piece might look something like this:
Oooo. That resembles a minimalist painting, doesn't it. Think: Mondrian.
Enjoy a well-balanced, fun weekend!
P.S. (Shameless ad) Watch for the Creating Visual Balance workshop coming up September 9. Details will
arrive in your inbox on September 1.
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