Balance and Unity

When planning out a painting like this one, I tend to start with the layout of the houses.Then I look at it, and visualize it sitting on a set of scales to see whch way it is inclined to tip towards.
Forgetting the figures for a moment, you can see it would tilt down to the left due to a bigger mass of buildings.
This means it needs counteracting.
The figures I now needed, had to stay predominantly to the right of the middle,whilst still relating to each other and to the painting as a whole, with the balloon heart on a higher plane to weight it further.
My signature further added to the right makes me feel a balance has been achieved.
I never quite understood this concept when I first started out, but it becomes more second nature as the years and experience progress.
Again, using a fairly limited palette, with a dominant purple hue I also feel unity has been achieved, and add the balance of tones to be found here, I am quietly satisfied.
Majoring with colour ,warmth,direction,line, shape or tone are very powerful ways to instill unity in a painting, and to refrain from a disjointed or jarring piece.It's importance can never be overstated.
However, with another week or so, I will come back to look at this again, and note many other tweaks I could have done for a higher impact painting.
All par for the course, and all to be taken onboard to the next one.
The joys of learning one's craft.!