Gerald Brommer. Mendocino Morning. Watercolor, 15 x 22 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Movement
Artists use visual movement to take viewers on a
trip through their work. When we look at art, our
eyes move along edges and lines, and also on paths
made of connecting shapes of similar value or color.
Such movement often leads us to the focal area and
gives our work a sense of unity and organization.
Roberta Carter Clark. Roses and Blue. Watercolor, 11 x 15 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Consultant: Gerald F. Brommer
Principles of Design
Principles of Design
Your eye moves along elongated shapes toward the focus
or center of interest. Can you find such directional shapes
and movement in realistic and abstract paintings?
You cannot
get lost in this
painting. Your
eye must follow
the lines from
the outer edges
of the painting
to the focus —
the erupting
volcano. This
is linear movement.
Al Porter. Magna Force 2. Watercolor, 22 x 30 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Michelangelo. Moses. Marble, 8 feet, 4 inches high. St. Peters in Chains, Rome.
Movement to the focal area is felt when the
outer shapes of a painting
are simple and large, and
the focal area is detailed
and busy. Our eye naturally moves from simple to
complex areas.
The outer edges
(contours) of this
bottle and flowers
were emphasized by
a student artist. Your
eye moves along the
edges toward the top
flower which is the
focal area.
Painters direct movement in their work by making
paths of similar values or colors leading to the focus.
How many such paths can you find in this painting?
Light often emphasizes the edges and forms of a
sculpture. Note how the artist carved the marble so the
lit edges lead your eye upward to the head, which is
the focus.
CrystalProductions
The main visual
movement in this
painting is on the
zig-zag white shape,
but movement is
also seen on other
edges and shapes
to the focal area.
A road map helps us
find our way to our
destination. In art,
lines, edges, shapes,
and colors help us
move from outer edges
to the focus of our
work — just like a road
map.
© Copyright 2004 Crystal Productions Co.