What is Unity in art? 5 Ways to Use it + Examples

What does unity mean in art? Let’s break things down by looking at the unity in art definition, examples of unity in master artworks, and the 5 types of unity you can use.

In Gestalt psychology, unity is a factor that arouses your mind through the redundancy of information. This applies to visual arts as well – the related parts that seem to form unity can be close to one another in shape, hue, texture, etc.

Let’s dive in.

What is Unity in art?

Unity in art is one of the seven principles of art and is responsible for the harmonious arrangement of art elements within a design. It organizes all the elements so they can work together to convey a single, cohesive message or visual experience and gives a composition a sense of wholeness and completeness.

Unity in art is meant to create a sense of order and consistency, as well as give the compositional components an appearance of belonging together. It represents their sum, and its simple definition can be explained as – the arrangement of different pieces that create a balanced and complete whole.

The Unity Principle is achieved when other principles of art have been applied together properly. Unity is the reason why viewers perceive an artwork as a complete one piece and not its separate parts.

It may not necessarily apply to the entire work but to one or a few different visual elements.

Sometimes, the lack of unity in the artwork can be used to convey a different message: to instill a feeling of unease or incompleteness. Unified composition thatis too similar may seem boring to the viewer, and to avoid that, variety is added to the artwork.

After all, unity is a tool in the hands of the artist and can be achieved through subtle details or large noticeable visual elements. Next, let’s talk about how to achieve unity.

7 Principles of art

You can learn more about the other principles and elements of art in the linked articles below.

1. Balance
2. Contrast and Emphasis
3. Movement and Rhythm
4. Unity and Variety
5. Harmony
6. Pattern
7. Proportions and Scale

The 7 Elements of Art

1. Line
2. Color
3. Form
4. Shape
5. Value
6. Texture
7. Space

How to achieve unity in art?

As a general rule, to achieve unity in art, you could use one of the 5 ways to express unity in art: simplicity, proximity, repetition, alignment and continuation.

Also, you must train your artistic intuition. Unity is more like a concept than a set of rules that can be checked off. Yet, it is a feeling that all aspects within an artwork work together in balance – and, therefore, an important principle to use.

There’s no strict method or set of tools to use in every artwork for every artist. In fact, the tools different artists choose for achieving unity can become a part of their unique trademark art style.

To describe unity, let’s discuss the 5 ways, or compositional tools, to create unity in an artwork.

Simplicity

Simplicity unity in art refers to excluding or limiting one or multiple art elements (line, shape, color, etc.) from your artwork. By doing so, you purposefully limit your work’s potential for variety.

For example, using only straight lines that go in the same direction; having a limited color palette, going monochrome; having just a couple of textures throughout the artwork; only using variations of the same element, etc.

Simplicity helps tie in the composition together and create unity in art.

Ellsworth Kelly is an insanely talented minimalist abstract artist, many of whose paintings and designs follow this type of unity. You can watch him talk about abstract art and see some of his great works below:

Proximity

Proximity unity in art refers to grouping objects or figures by placing them close to one another in composition. This prompts viewers to perceive them as one group rather than separate elements.

The closer the objects are to one another in a composition, the more connected and united they feel. A third element, such as a road, a river, or just a line, can be used to connect the two distant elements and create a sense of unity between them.

Limiting the negative space in the artwork (with the use of proximity) can also add to the feeling of unity.

Repetition

Similarity or Repetition unity in art refers to repeating shapes, values, textures, or colors to create a visual relationship between the compositional elements. Repeating similar elements creates a sense of consistency and completeness.

This type of unity is most clearly seen in patterns or designs, especially in branding. Think about how brands have “brand colors” and logos and then they use the same color variety and logos in all their materials.

Alignment

Alignment unity in art refers to arranging shapes or elements in a way that makes lines or edges of the elements lead into other elements. This allows the eye to group these elements together, which creates a sense of unity.

Abstract artists often use this method while aligning the elements in their paintings.

Or, my favorite alignment examples of unity are magazine pages and websites that follow a grid or structure that makes your eyes follow a specific path.

Continuation

Continuation (or continuity) unity is achieved by using continuing edges, shapes, and lines, that connect different objects or areas to one another, making them “flow” into each other.

Continuity treats different visual elements in the same manner, creating an uninterrupted connection.

Implied lines are a great example of continuity and a powerful technique for guiding viewers’ attention throughout an image. (learn about implied lines here)

Examples of unity in art

Let’s look at how some master artists of the past achieved unity in art through different techniques.

Vanitas Still Life, created by Jacques de Claeuw in 1650, is a still-life oil painting that clearly exhibits art unity. The composition is tied together, looks complete and stable, and all the objects feel connected despite the lighting emphasizing some of them.

Some of the tools used to convey unity in this painting are:

• Proximity – all objects are placed close to one another, which unites them into a group, and helps the viewer perceive it as a whole;
• Simplicity – the painting has a limited color palette.
• Repetition – the table cloth and the cloth material above are very similar in texture; the red stamp similar shapes repeat 4 times; the wooden texture of the cloth, the cross, and the violin, etc.
• Continuity – you can draw an imaginary line from the top cloth on the right to the table, violin to flower

Every art piece can be broken down into many features of unity, so for this painting example, as well as the following ones, I’ll only be mentioning a few.

The Triumph of Venus, painted by François Boucher in 1740, is a painting that feels united and balanced.

Some of the tools used to convey unity in this painting are:

• Proximity – the figures at the front are close to each other and are viewed as one group.
• Continuity – an implied line created by the flying fabric connects more distant cherub figures to the close ones and makes them a part of the composition.
• Simplicity – red, green and blue palette adds more unity.
• Repetition – skin colors, fabric design.

Maesta of Santa Trinita by Cenni di Pepo Cimabue uses proximity and repetition, as many religion-based artworks often do.

• Proximity – the angels are in very close proximity to one another and to the central figure of Mary, and the 4 prophets are grouped together.
• Alignment – the throne lines follow from the top all the way to the wide opening base.
• Simplicity – limited color palette, repeating carvings and marquetry.
• Repetition – halos, carvings and structural lines, angels are very similar to one another.
• Continuity – you can imagine an implied line throughout all of the faces that make the viewer’s eyes loop throughout the image.

The Two Statues is a print made by Abraham Genoels II.

In this painting, the artist uses unity in:

• Simplicity – it’s monochrome, and all lines have the same visual weight.
• Alignment – the two statues are placed on the same base level, which forms a line that leads one to the other; most elements are parallel and perpendicular to each other;
• Proximity – trees and plants are grouped into a few groups throughout the drawing.
• Repetition – repeating hatching techniques throughout.
• Continuity – the statue on the left creates an implied line with its right hand towards the statue on the right.

How to Create unity in your own art?

Now that we’ve seen some examples from amazing artists and know how to achieve unity in theory – let’s create unity in your own art.

1) Form an idea in your mind. You’ll need to know what exactly you want to create, approximately how it will look, and what techniques, principles, and elements of art you will use. (Will it be an abstract piece or a realistic landscape?)

2) Draw some sketches. This is a necessary step to determine your initial composition and work out some methods of applying unity to your work. Try out different options and decide what looks best.

3) Create! Make adjustments to your initial idea if you come up with better solutions. Unity is best evaluated by looking at and organizing. So pay attention to how it develops throughout the creative process.

4) Remember that achieving unity in your art can only result from practicing and selecting the right elements and principles to tie your image together. Your intuition will lead you there pretty soon, but first, you’ll need to practice creating art and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Summary of Unity Principle

Unity in visual art is the relationship between the different elements of composition that ties them together and makes them feel like a whole. It’s achieved when the elements and principles of art are applied properly and creates a sense of completeness and order.

Unity principle can be reached in multiple different ways, and each artist’s choice is unique and can form their trademark style. Some of the most common methods are simplicity, alignment, proximity, continuation, and repetition.

You know the unity is accomplished when none of the parts are competing for attention, when the key theme is clear, and the image evokes a sense of completeness.

To imply unity in your own art, you’ll have to decide on the idea and composition, then make a few sketches to try out different methods. After that, evaluate how the artwork feels during the creative process and reorganize components if necessary. The more you practice, the more unified your art will get.

Unity in Art Infographic

Frequently Asked Questions?

Why is Unity in Art Important?

Unity in art is important because it brings all seven principles of art together into a harmonious and cohesive artwork. It is responsible for clearly conveying the message behind an art piece, disallowing confusion.

What is unity and variety in art?

Unity and variety in art is one of the seven principles of art that are responsible for the harmonious arrangement of art elements within a design while using the seven visual art elements to create interest, contrast, and complexity in the artwork . Unity and variety in art are sometimes considered one principle, and sometimes as separate principles.

What is the difference between unity and variety?

Unity and variety are two important design principles. Unity refers to the sense of wholeness in a work of art, meaning that everything looks like it belongs together. Variety, on the other hand, refers to using different elements to create variety and diversity. The best art uses both and finds a happy balance between the two.

Is Harmony the same as Unity in art?

Harmony and unity are often used as interchangeable terms, however in art, they mean different things. Unity refers to the wholeness of composition, and harmony to the components within it.

Harmony refers to the pleasing combination of pieces in a work of art, such as colors, shapes, and textures. While harmony focuses on the relationship between individual parts of the image, unity considers how those elements work together to create a single, cohesive whole.