Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated
by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, Jill Butler
Symmetry
A property of visual equivalence among elements in a form.
Symmetry has long been associated with beauty, and is a property found in virtually all forms in nature. It can be seen in the human body (e.g., two eyes, two ears, two arms and legs), as well as in animals and plants. Symmetry in natural forms is largely a function of the influence of gravity, and the kind of averaging of form that occurs from merging genetic information in reproduction. There are three basic types of symmetry: reflection, rotation, and translation.1
Reflection symmetry refers to the mirroring of an equivalent element around a central axis or mirror line. Reflection symmetry can occur in any orientation as long as the element is the same on both sides of the ...
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