When A Piece Of Art Looks Perfect Unity In Design Must Be Encompassing

Unity in design is really hard to achieve, but easy to distinguish. Working on a piece of art to promote unity may take eons to complete. Only a glance at the finished work can confirm if unity has been reached.


Unity around us: When unity is not applied in design or art, it is easy to understand. Abraham Lincoln gave unity to the entire American nation after the civil war. When a man and woman tied the knot in marriage, unity happens. When a bridge or any structure holds, unity is achieved because all the structural members worked in cadence to achieve a common front. Unity is like a puzzle, where all parts must fit together. This is similar to words placed just anywhere on a flat surface that do not convey anything. But when words are arranged into a sentence, it delivers a message. That is design unity.

Principle of design: Unity is supporting each other: Art pieces create unity in the design when all the elements support each other. Meaning one element is placed to support other elements. In a room for instance, where rectangle is the dominant element, all other things must have similar characteristics to support the dominant element. Unity in design is achieved in a painting that depicts the bed as rectangular, the floor pattern, the night table, the windows and even the prints on the curtain or the bed sheets. The elements blend and support a unifying visual rendition.

Unity is communicating: Visual art starts with a subject aimed to be imparted to the audience. Unity must be expressed forcefully so viewers can experience the depth of the message on the canvas. Michaelangelo’s ‘Madonna and Child’ for instance communicates to the viewer’s agony and suffering. The convoluted mass of torso and body parts are all made in support of the subject. Or the way the suffering as expressed by the mother lead viewers to experience the subject of the art. All the projected elements belong to each other.

Unity is order in the design: When all the elements are in order, the result is unity. As each element supports each other, all belongs to each other. It creates a visual image of perfection where one part exists only because of the other. The human body for example is design unity. You take out the eye and the vision is impaired. When the ears are sacrificed, hearing suffers. Or when the feet are taken out mobility becomes a problem. All parts support each other. Similar to the unity expressed in a piece of art. Not a part must be taken off because it will be impossible to redo what is left of the work.

Remember, when you understand the message the designer wants to convey, unity of design must be astonishing.