Movement

Repetition can also be used to create movement, and in this sense it is often paired with rhythm. Movement is the component or components of an artwork the give the sensation of action. Looking again at figure 5.1, the repetition causes the image to appear to have movement on a diagonal. A painting or image does not move, but artists use certain techniques to make it appear that the waves in a scene are crashing, or that the people are running.

Fig 5.3. Movement.

Image courtesy of Daniel B. Chapman.

There are three main techniques used to achieve movement in artwork that does not actually move. One is optical movement, which involves tricking the eye into seeing movement. Repetition, as mentioned above, is a second technique. The third technique is called suggested movement. This relies on the viewer's knowledge of the subject to communicate the idea of movement. If you look at an image of a baseball player mid-swing (figure 5.2), the mind automatically expects the figure to be in motion. This is an example of suggested movement.

The term movement is also used to describe how an artwork leads the viewer's eye. A long, curving line, for example, can lead the viewer's eye around a canvas, creating movement. The lines in figure 5.3 create a curving implied line that suggests movement. The implied movement seems to be moving into the background.

Reflection Question

Where do you see movement, repetition, and rhythm in this artwork? What part of the picture draws your eye first, and where does it go from there?

Header Art Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.