Visual tension can be defined as asymmetry in a design. This prevents the design from becoming static and attaining a superficial appearance.

Is visual tension improtant?

This is the most important aspect of designing, since the designer would like to convey or communicate some important message or a point to a visitor or the client.  If the designer wants to convey a series of messages to his visitors or clients, he needs to stress or create an intense asymmetry in a particular layout.

By doing so, he can create a series of secondary designs in a particular hierarchy of message which he wants to convey. The designer can add visual interest to his art work through asymmetry. He can also evoke energy, vitality, forcefulness, and modernism to his work of art. It adds weight to the visual art work. Tension always attracts attention. It therefore becomes important to learn how to create Visual Tension.

Creating a visual tension:

Since symmetry would be dull and formal, asymmetry is an energetic way of presenting any art work to the target audience or a visitor. Some of the ways to bring asymmetry to design is as follows:

• Asymmetry in Landscaping:

If you want to really associate asymmetry with a wild angle, then the best way is to consider a natural landscape where there are mountains and valleys, streams, springs, basically, all the works of nature. The perfect landscape is further flickered with neatly spruced up trees in different colors depicting the onset of different seasons. In other words, too much of superficiality ends up in chaos, but is also gives way to immense scenic beauty. This is a natural way of thinking asymmetry.

• Asymmetry in Shapes:

Take a large square box. Place a ball exactly at the center of the box; make sure there is absolutely no stress created and everything seems visually balanced. Now slowly move the ball towards the right wall of the square box. Since there is more space to the left of the box a lot of visual stress is created. It would seem that the ball wants to regain symmetry by moving to the center or perhaps to the right side of the square box. This tension continues till there is no space left between the ball and the right wall of the square box. This stress thus created makes the ball move from the center to the right wall of the box.

• Asymmetry in Print:

Another beautiful way of presenting Visual Tension would be by just going through this simple phrase: “Every DOG has HIS day”.  Now by highlighting and underlining two words in this simple sentence there is a visual imbalance, thus conveying a message by the author of a book to the target audience.

• Asymmetry in Painting:

Visual asymmetry through colors is another way of conveying a message to the audience. When a painter wants to convey a message or present a setting sun in an ocean, he lays emphasis on the color of the setting sun rather than the ocean itself. Who does not understand the beauty of such a wonderful painting?

Audiences always respond positively to Visual Tension technique whether it is on a web page, in a painting, print media or any other mode of design work. After all, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.