Chapter 2. Unity

Boulian, Tracy. "Cleveland Browns".  Plain Dealer.  Cleveland.Com
10 Oct. 2009.  Web.  <http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.
ssf/2009/10/with_braylon_edwards_gone_clev.html

Chapter 2. Unity        



If you were to even think about making a rule book for Art, Unity would contend for the top spot.  Unity can turn chaos into harmony.  Unity can take shapes, colors, lines, and objects and turn them into works of art when placed in the right composition.  Unity can be a design idea based on the fact that all used items are related, but we want to acknowledge the visual aspect.  The design that reaches deep into the depths of our subconscious and sends signals telling us that without even thinking we piece together the visual unity and it looks good.  There are five main ways to create visual unity: proximity, repetition, continuation, using a grid,and unity with variety.  Now, let's see a couple of examples...

1            Fondren, Rebecca. "Sweet Corn Sorbet". Chef Philip Speer.  Uchiko.  Web.  29 July, 2010.
                                   <http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/national/1885/Sweet_corn_takes_the_cake.htm>

In the dessert above (1) by Chef Philip Speer at Uchiko in Austin, shares common themes of Unity.  Visual unity is undeniable in the color pallet, using shades of yellow to express the corn theme throughout.  We see other aspects of Unity in the way the chef has laid out the plate using a grid for the placement of the two main components.  We also recognize continuity as the polenta tuile is a continuation of the corn sorbet portion, sharing the rounded edge in the oval shape.  Just for kicks, I will let you know that every aspect of this dessert is unified with the ingredient corn; Corn polenta and polenta tuile, corn sorbet, caramel and buttered corn salt, corn bread soil, all places on a serving of corn milk.

2             van Gogh, Vincent.  "Starry Night" 1889

More examples of Unity can be found in the painting "starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh.  (2)  Here we see examples of proximity, with the stars and repetition with the swirling brush strokes.  The dark blue pallet chosen by van Gogh also leads to the undeniable unifying properties of his masterpiece.

Cemsoffit panal from Cemboard                      3

The last example we see is a standard paint color chart.  (3)  Set up on a grid and using the same shape as well as wood grain, the image shares an overwhelming sense of unity.  However the fact that we see colors from all over the spectrum allows for variety, while leaving our theme untouched.

                                                                       


                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                       
                                                           
Unity brings all of the elements of design together in exciting and creative ways.  As art progresses in this modern world always remember the great words of the 80's punk band Operation Ivy "Unity as one stand together, Unity evolutions gonna come".