Principles of Art For Every Style

1  Balance - ensure balance of elements. A painting cannot be too busy on one side and too quiet on the other.

2  Harmony  - ensure there is harmony of colour, texture and light to create a sense of cohesion throughout. 

3  Contrast - a painting needs variety in perfect balance with harmony - not too much, not too little. Be consistent throughout the artwork with the right amount of contrast to make it look interesting.

4  Movement - imagine the viewer's eye travelling around the painting. If your eye lands on the focal point and doesn’t travel, you need to add a second focal point or some leading lines to draw the eye around the painting.

5  A little something extra. There needs to be some element in the work that makes it stand out. Some sparkle that catches the viewer's eye, otherwise it will be another bland painting. Once you have achieved this - you will instinctively understand it.

A painting must have the perfect amount of balance and contrast. Too much balance will make for a boring painting, too much contrast will be jarring.

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