Chapter II
Correlation of Balance and Internal Diversity
Visual harmony
This thought experiment with sand and various objects can be easily adapted to imagined or actual experiences with representational or abstract compositions. It demonstrates that creating a harmonious composition is a game of differences or contrasts, which catch our eyes and elicit pleasurable emotions. Initially, you might think that virtually any part of any painting looks different to its other parts and should thus fulfil these criteria. However, the essence of and difficulty in achieving perfect visual harmony lies in ensuring that all parts are maximally dissimilar, but do not cross the pre-conceived threshold of the entire composition. This threshold is determined by the artist at their desired level. It will be different for a delicate black-and-white sketch and a colour oil painting – and not necessarily higher for the latter.
Below is a simple five-element composition which, through adjusting the level of contrast, exemplifies changes in the perception of the relationships between its elements:
All elements of this composition are maximally contrasted with one another. The contrast is the same between the cherry, the cake and the sky. Similarly, the cloud contrasts with the complex form of the sky-cherry-cake group, and the table contrasts with all the other elements.
If we increase the impact of the cloud by adding more contrast, it draws our attention away from the other elements and lessens the impact of the cake with the cherry.
If we reduce the impact of the cloud, the cake with the cherry becomes the only element that draws our attention. The cloud is now below the pre-conceived level of maximum contrast established for the entire composition.
If we also reduce the impact of the cherry, the cake becomes dominant, as the contrast between the cake and the sky is stronger than between the sky and the cloud or the cherry.
We can achieve equilibrium again by decreasing the saturation of the sky and making the black table somewhat brighter. The level of maximum contrast for the entire composition is now lower than it was in the first image. There is no need to decrease the colour intensity of the cake, as the reduced impact of its surroundings has done so automatically.
Finally, we can brighten the sky without changing its saturation. All that stands out now is the cherry and the cake, contrasting with the table.
The notion of the level of contrast is relatively simple to comprehend when dealing with two elements – for example, when comparing the contrast between a circle and an ellipse, or between a circle and some scissors. It is infinitely harder to imagine contrasts between complex forms composed of multiple elements. However, this becomes considerably easier once we look at a complete painting.
Exceeding the pre-conceived level of maximum contrast for the composition in one place will divert our eyes from other areas of the painting. Likewise, not reaching this level in another section of the composition will decrease its ability to attract our attention. Logically, there is only one path to follow: we need to ensure that the level of contrast between all elements in a painting is equal. We must add, remove or change elements in such a way that each area looks different, while simultaneously not differing significantly from the whole. We must also ensure that no section contrasts too little with the others, so that there is no space for improvements.
This is a difficult and challenging task – every element in a harmonious, unimprovable composition must be contrasted with all the others to both the same and maximum degree. We can refer to this as evenly-distributed maximum diversity; I also call it dynamic equilibrium, or the perfect equilibrium of extreme differences.
This mechanism underlines the construction of works as complex as Bruegel’s Procession to Calvary and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. It can be expressed in the form of an algorithm, the assumptions of which are empirically verifiable.
Peter Bruegel the Elder Procession to Calvary
Picasso Les Demoiselles d’Avignon