Balance & Symmetry: A Look in the Mirror

“Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD , do not delay.” ~Psalm 70:5

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Balance

There are seven Principles of Art and Design: balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity/variety. [1] Balance is the first principle. “Balance refers to how the elements of art (line, shape, color, value, space, form, texture) relate to each other within the composition in terms of their visual weight to create visual equilibrium.” [2]

If an artwork is imbalanced, the viewer will experience discomfort. [3] Thus, Artists and designers endeavor to create a visually balanced composition or space.

“A balanced work, in which the visual weight is distributed evenly across the composition, seems stable, makes the viewer feel comfortable, and is pleasing to the eye. A work that is unbalanced appears unstable, creates tension, and makes the viewer uneasy. [4]

Symmetry

Symmetry is one method by which an artist may achieve balance in a composition.

Human beings are bilaterally symmetrical.

“Bilateral symmetry is the arrangement of an organism’s body parts into left and right halves on either side of a central axis, or plane. Essentially, if you draw a line from the head to the tail of an organism — or a plane — both sides are mirror images. In that case, the organism exhibits bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is also known as plane symmetry as one plane divides an organism into mirrored halves.

The term “bilateral” has roots in Latin with bis (“two”) and latus (“side”). The word “symmetry” is derived from the Greek words syn (“together”) and metron (“meter”).

Most animals on the planet exhibit bilateral symmetry. This includes human beings, as our bodies can be cut down the middle and have mirrored sides. In the marine biology field, many students will study this when they begin learning about classifying marine life.” [5]

It has been suggested that “perhaps because we are bilaterally symmetrical,” we humans “have a natural desire to seek balance and equilibrium. [6]

In art and design, “Symmetrical balance… is when each half of the artwork is identical or very similar. Draw a line through the artwork and compare each side.” [7]

“Symmetrical balance can be established by drawing an imaginary line through the center of the work, either horizontally or vertically, and making each half identically or very visually similar. This kind of balance creates a sense of order, stability, rationality, solemnity, and formality. Symmetrical balance is often used in institutional architecture (government buildings, libraries, colleges, and universities) and religious art.

Symmetrical balance may be a mirror image (an exact copy of the other side) or it may be approximate, with the two sides having slight variations but being quite similar.” [8]

Below are examples of symmetry and symmetrical balance in art.

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Asymmetry and Reflection

Asymmetry is another type of symmetry which may be utilized by an artist to create a balanced composition.

“Asymmetrical balance in art is when each half is different but has equal visual weight. The artwork is still balanced.” [9]

Notice the way in which various objects’ reflections are utilized in the below pieces to create balance.

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The Two Great Commandments

The liturgy of each Sunday service in the Anglican tradition includes a summary of The Law:

Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

The first commandment is this:

‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

with all your soul, with all your mind,

and with all your strength.’

The second is this:

‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

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If the Bible were your mirror…

The Gospel reading for Sunday, September 30, 2019, was Luke 16:19-31.

Poor Lazarus and the rich man

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

In the above Gospel reading, the rich man’s sin was not that of being rich. Nor was it his enjoyment of the material blessings given to him from the Lord.

Rather, the rich man’s sin was his failure to abide by the second great commandment:

“Love your neighbour as yourself.”

There, on the rich man’s doorstep, sat poor Lazarus. Day by day, the rich man passed Lazarus by, failing to notice the needy human being on his stoop. Day after day, the rich man not only passed Lazarus by without concern, but he also passed by countless opportunities to love poor Lazarus as he loved himself.  

After the Gospel reading that Sunday, the priest posed as a thought-provoking question (paraphrased):

“Each morning, before leaving the house, we look at ourselves in the bathroom mirror. We tidy ourselves, making ourselves presentable to others. The Bible is the best mirror of all. When you look into the Bible, what is your reflection?”

When you and I look into the mirror that is God’s Word, what do we see about ourselves? What does out reflection speak about who we are and about our own adherence to the Lord’s two great commandments?

Every one of us is “rich” in some way or t’other. Everything we have comes from God. God expects us to give of ourselves to those on our own doorsteps who may be experiencing some type of need, to share that which He has gifted us.

Just as art should be balanced, we too should be balanced – reflecting both of God’s two great commandments. Our reflections should have symmetry with God’s desires for our lives (in actions) and for our souls (spiritually).

Just as you and I tidy ourselves in the mornings before leaving the house, we should also tidy ourselves – metaphorically speaking – so that we are presentable to the Lord.

As such, our reflections in the mirror of is God’s Word should lead us to ask ourselves two questions:

• Is my image in the biblical mirror imbalanced, because it is weighted heavily toward adherence to loving God, thus reflecting an absence of active love towards my neighbors?

OR…

• Is my image in the biblical mirror imbalanced, because it is weighted heavily towards my active love of my neighbors, but woefully lacking regarding the loving  of my Lord?

After reading the following few Scriptures, ask yourself, “What does my biblical reflection say about me?”

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” ~John 14:15

“For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me. “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You? “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’” ~Matthew 25:35-40

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.” ~Leviticus 23:22

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.” ~Deuteronomy 15:11

For a more extensive list click HERE.

Citations:

[1] Marder, L. (2019, May 22). 7 Principles of Art and Design. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.liveabout.com/principles-of-art-and-design-2578740.

[2] Esaak, S. (2019, May 6). What is balance in art and why does it matter? Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-balance-in-art-182423.

[3] Marder, L. (2019, May 22). 7 Principles of Art and Design. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.liveabout.com/principles-of-art-and-design-2578740.

[4] Esaak, S. (2019, May 6). What is balance in art and why does it matter? Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-balance-in-art-182423.

[5] Esaak, S. (2019, May 6). What is bilateral symmetry? Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-balance-in-art-182423.

[6] Esaak, S. (2019, May 6). What is balance in art and why does it matter? Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-balance-in-art-182423.

[7] Ingrahm, C. (2019, May 21). The Best Examples of Balance in Art: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://artclasscurator.com/artworks-that-show-balance/.

[8] Esaak, S. (2019, May 6). What is balance in art and why does it matter? Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-balance-in-art-182423.

[9] Ingrahm, C. (2019, May 21). The Best Examples of Balance in Art: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://artclasscurator.com/artworks-that-show-balance/.