Introducing Variety Into A Design - Enhance The Feel Of The Visual Image

To increase interest in a visual image, variety must be added into the design. Variety is the final dash to complete the artwork.

Variety captivates viewer’s attention. Artwork that solicits so much (viewers) attention is never remiss in the elements of design. In fact, it must be blessed with the thorough application of the elements so that interest is sustained. The degree of interest is dependent on how variety in design is applied. The artwork that nearly perfected the infusion of this element gets the attention. Again, perfection is dependent on the artist’s perception. It comes with years of experience, training and understanding of the principles of design variety.  Thus, no two artworks even with similar subjects will deliver the same degree of interest.
  
Unity and harmony in a design is still dull without variety. Through it all, artworks are products of design ideas and principles. Even with everything on it, an artwork will still not achieve the degree of interest. Unity of the subjects is important for the composition. This in effect achieves total harmony in design. However, even if the treatment is considered perfect, it will not guarantee that the effort will result in heightened interest in the design. There must be a balance in the elements and variety must be introduced to raise awareness and gain visual interest. Anything less can make an artwork monotonous, dull and uninteresting.

Add variety to heighten interest in a design. There are ways to introduce variety in a design. For instance, if the subject is about lines, variety can be had by simply thickening a thin line. Or if it is a shape, alter the size, the color, the orientation, and possibly introduce texture. There are lots of options at the artisan’s disposal. This includes varying color intensities to repeated subjects or perhaps by applying value gradients - from dark to light and even contrast. The idea is to create a deviation from what is typical and push for the opposite. It relieves monotony and raise interest to the visual image.

Variety in design is the last element. It is the last straw or the ‘final nail in the coffin’. Without variety, the artwork will never be as interesting as one hopes to be. It is necessary that the elements flawlessly jibe and belong together or chaos can result. Variety therefore can make or unmake an artwork - too much or too little will not help in any way.  The artist must be able to perceive what is sufficient to raise visual awareness. Because how can an artwork communicate if it fails in the last important element.

Next time the feel of a visual image captivates, look more closely the elements of design (variety) must have been properly organized.