Which concept closely relates to balance but concerns relationships among design elements that are pleasing and work well together?

• A. Proportion
• B. Rhythm
• C. Valance
• D. Harmony

Answer: (D)

Harmony concerns how design elements relate to one another to create a cohesive, pleasing whole. It plays off balance by ensuring the elements not only sit well in relation to each other in terms of weight and position, but also share a unifying look or feel—color, typography, shapes, textures, and spacing all work together so nothing clashes. Proportion focuses on the size relationships between elements, rhythm on patterns and movement created by repetition, and valance is not a core principle for organizing relationships among elements. Because harmony directly addresses the pleasing, unified relationships among all parts of a design, it best matches the description.