In another attempt to polarize your cast of characters in a story, let’s consider the other aspect of art identification- the principles of design. Previously we looked into the elements of art. Remember the key to polarizing is to be consciously aware that your characters should react uniquely to different situations in your story. Here are the eight principles.

Balance: The balance in a piece of art refers to the distribution of weight or the apparent weight of the piece. Whether it is through neutrality or an understanding of the order of the universe Balance Personalities seek a kind of equilibrium in their world. If there are an abundance of law, a Balance might want to spread a little chaos. If a land is erupting in violence, peace must be established, but not too much. Too much quiet is as bad to a Balance as too much noise. The human experience abhors a vacuum.

Contrast: Contrast is defined as the difference in colours to create a piece of visual art. My parents had a name for the people who are Contrast Personalities and that was “Agin”. Whatever you’re for, they’re agin. They don’t care about Balance, they want to be contrary. They are the fly in the ointment the Browncoat to the Purplebellies, the science deniers to the science believers. Be careful what you ask a Contrast, you may very well get the opposite result. They hate being pegged and will go out of their way to escape your classification of them.

Emphasis: Emphasis can be colour, unity, balance, or any other principle or element of art used to create a focal point. The Emphasis Personalities love fads. They will find what is hot in culture or what is hot in counter-culture and represent it, taking on the values, beliefs and dress as their own. Who is the Emphasis? They are best described as who they are not at the moment. Emphasis characters could be steadfast and true to their fandom choices till death or quixotic and changing as they grow disaffected with their previous choices. Emphasis need a direction and they’ll find it.

Rhythm/Movement: Rhythm in a piece of art denotes a type of repetition used to either demonstrate movement or expanse. Rhythm Personalities get into the groove of the moment. Unlike Emphasis, Rhythm likes to pick up on the vibe of the immediate space around them. Emotional sponges, Rhythm can be the life of the party or in the depths of despair and everywhere between as they find themselves empathising with everyone in the room. Be careful of what you say around them, as they will take it to heart- even for the moment. Because, unlike others, their shifting nature can just as easily forget hurts as much as praise in their ever-moving dance with life.

Proportion/Scale: Proportion is the relationship between items in a painting, for example, between the sky and mountains. Proportion Personalities despise the small and what they see as inane aspects of human interactions. Don’t bother them with the small stuff. They are easily confused by emotional entanglements but are excellent at understanding where such socializations will lead. The long view is all they care about. Setting things in motion that will ripple through the ages and create long-term answers to problems. No one is more project-based than a Proportion, and they will identify your part in their plans, sometimes curtly.

UnityVariety: In art, unity conveys a sense of completeness, pleasure when viewing the art, and cohesiveness to the art, and how the patterns work together brings unity to the picture or object. Polar opposites sometimes the Unity/Variety Personalities either demand a unity of purpose and beliefs or an imposed variety. They are not concerned with Balance, or Contrast. It’s either/or with this personality. Either everyone has to follow along and believe what you believe or nobody has a leash on the truth and variety is the spice of life. Sometimes both of these are contained in the same individual where, for example, everything could be about sex, but no particular gender or experience alone would properly encapsulate the meaning of sex- everything needs to be tried. Usually, Unity/Variety get the most out of life of all the personalities because they demand the most out of everyone and everything around them.

Pattern: Pattern is the way something is organized and repeated in its shape or form and can flow without much structure in some random repetition. Pattern Personalities are great companions of the Proportion as they compliment each other so well. But as Proportion focuses on the large-scale problems, the Pattern focuses on something specific they do and finds a universe in their specialized skill. Talk to a Pattern about their quilting and they’ll connect the fall of the Roman Empire and the tapestries of existence to the proper care and treatment of quilts. A Pattern archer can tell you everything about his weapon of choice including all the physics of falling arrows, or how it would apply to trebuchet bolts. Patterns are not interested in learning new skills unless they somehow fit in with their chosen passion. A passion they maintain throughout their lives.