In my art classes in the past, my teachers have always stressed the expression: "Unity with Variety"! At first I would question this, not having a clue what they meant. As the years went on I understood this expression that they always mentioned. Unity in art means that the sum of the parts ultimately becomes the whole.
A great example of 'unity with variety' is Van Gogh's Starry Night. This piece is constructed of lines. If you look closely, lines are the only mark that is used. It is because of the variety of the lines that make the shapes seen in the piece. The variety of long lines, curved lines, thick lines and thin lines that create the movement we see in the painting. The use of color throughout the painting gives variety to the lines as well.
By using the same mark throughout the whole painting, there is a great sense of unity throughout the piece. The line is repeated, but it is repeated differently creating a great sense of variety with the piece.
Because of the different layers of the marks, there is a great sense of depth in the piece and the thickness of the paint creates the dark mood of the piece as well.
When thinking of unity, the marks do not always have to be the same for a piece to be unified. The variety of the marks makes the piece interesting and unique to itself.
Image: Vinvent Van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889, http://www.vangoghgallery.com
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