MOVEMENT
• Used by artists to direct viewers through
their work, often to focal areas
• Movement can be directed along lines,
edges, shapes, and colors within the
works, but moves the eye most easily on
paths of equal value
• Variations of movement are: Actual
movement (KINETIC), Recorded action,
Compositional movement
Kinetic: work that actually moves and changes over
time; form changes from moment to moment
Alexander Calder
Theo Jansen Walking Sculpture
(powered by wind)
Recorded Action-action that is recorded
in still photography or movies
Eadweard Muybridge
Thomas Edgeron
“Densmore Shute Bends the Shaft” 1938
This type of movement can
also be implied in drawings
and paintings…
Fuzzy outlines:
when figures move past us at very high speeds, we
perceive that figure as somewhat blurry or
indinstinct outlines as conveying motion
Giacoma Balla
“Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash”
Multiple Image: showing multiple overlapping images
gives us the impression of motion. We can see that the
person or figure has moved through a series of poses
Duchamp “Nude Descending a Staircase” 1912
Anticipated movement: live figures portrayed in unstable
body positions cause us to feel that motion is imminent.
We know that from past experience with these positions
that some kind of movement will occur. This heightens the
feeling of motion.
Optical Illusions: the repetition of geometric
shapes or the varying thickness of lines will
cause the eye to produce motion where
none is present
“Movement in Squares” 1961
Bridget Riley
Compositional Movement
• Is neither action nor a record of action
• Experienced by comparing the positions of
stationary objects or spaces within a
design
• Present in both 2D and 3D art
2-D Art: movement occurs through the
manipulation of the objects, lines, textures,
shapes, etc…within a design to lead your
eye to a particular area
“Tribute Money”
Masaccio 1424
“The Raft of Medusa”
Gericault 1818-1819
“Still Life with Fruit Basket”
Cezanne 1880
“The Terrace of Sainte Adresse”
Monet 1867
“The Dance Class”
Degas 1874
RHYTHM
• Visual rhythm, which is similar to pattern,
may be produced by repeating one or
more motifs in a recognizable or
predictable order. An artist will use rhythm
to help organize a composition, and also
to create interest, emphasis, or unity.
• There are 5 types of rhythm-Regular,
Alternating, Flowing, Progressive, Random
Regular: a repeated pattern that is both
predictable and continuous; intervals
between elements and often elements
themselves are similar in size and length
“Real Materials Existing in Real Space”
Donald Judd
Alternating: 2,3 or 4 patterns or images that repeat
alternately. These patterns or images may vary
slightly
MC Escher
“Candied Apples”
Wayne Thiebaud 1987
Flowing: movements of swells and curves that
flow up, down, or side to side
Gustav Klimt
“Bush Medicine Dreaming”
Gloria Petyarre 2008
Minoan Vase
Progressive: a motif that changes in a subtle or
predictable way each time it is repeated
“Shotgun”
John Biggers 1987
“Sky and Water”
MC Escher
Random: an un-orderly fashion of a motif
“Golconde”
Rene Magritte 1953
“Umbrellas”
Jean Claude and Christo 1984-91
“Maybe Babies”
Sandy Skoglund 1983
What rhythm do the artist’s use in
the following images? Keep in
mind, there may be more than
one…
“Cookies on a Plate”
Sandy Skoglund 1978
“Around the Cake”
Wayne Thiebaud 1962
Sol LeWitt
Andy Warhol