Unity is the harmony or agreement between all the parts of the composition that is apparent to the eye. The whole is predominant over the parts. An artist creates unity through proximity by simply placing the components close together.

Artists create unity by repetition. They repeat an element, a size, a shape, a texture, a color or a motif throughout the composition.

Artists create unity by continuation. When the artist continues something, usually a line, an edge, or a direction from one object to another the viewer’s eye is carried smoothly from one thing to the next. Because of the way objects are placed, the viewer’s eye movement connects the objects.

When the artist repeats the same elements but in varied colors, sizes, or values, the result is unity with variety. This prevents the composition from being boring.

1e. Sometimes parts of a composition don’t look unified at all because there is no repetition, continuation or proximity. We recognize that the objects go together because of what we know about them. This is called intellectual unity.