Final answer:
African masks achieve formal balance through symmetrical designs, the use of complementary materials, and depth-creating elements such as protruding features.
Step-by-step explanation:
African masks often achieve formal balance in their designs through symmetry, repetition, and the use of complementary materials and textures. Many African masks, such as those from the Bwa and Kuba peoples, demonstrate a symmetrical design that creates visual harmony. The mask's features and decorations, like those in the Kanaga Mask from Mali, can be arranged in a way so that they are balanced on either side of a central axis, using portions of woven fibers, animal hide, pigments, and sometimes unexpected materials such as bullet casings or scrap metal. These masks may convey depth and dimension with protruding elements, as seen in Mabunda's work, where scrap metal and bullet casings add depth while also providing a commentary on war and peace.