unity & harmony

Unity and Harmony

Harmony can best be described as the painting being in tune and is often achieved through the correct use of colour.

A quote attributed to Cezanne states “When paintings are done right, harmony appears by itself. The more numerous and varied they are, the more the effect is obtained and agreeable to the eye”

To me that statement is saying that harmony is achieved through the artist’s skill and knowledge, to achieve the desired effect there also has to be variety – not only in colour but also in differing elements – to prevent the painting becoming monotonous, but as a whole it must make sense.

The line between Harmony and Unity is quite blurred; unity can be achieved through repetition of brush stroke, colour value, I think it is about ensuring there is no conflict in the work as a whole. This would also extend to poster design, web design and, advertising campaigns where fonts, colours and graphics would have to relate not only to be visually pleasing but also to ensure the correct message is being given. I would also say that use of conflicting elements could be used to create a powerful visual impact, depicting a lion in the Serengeti would be the norm, putting the same lion on a swing in Hyde Park would draw more attention.

A great example of unity and harmony can be seen in the painting Starry Night by Vincent van Gough, created through colour, brush stroke and shape.

Van Gough, V. 1889. Starry Night. [online image]. Van Gough Gallery. Available from: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/508/Starry-Night.html [Accessed 2 April 2012]