Rhythm - a Principle of Design |
Rhythm:
–noun
A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to produce the look and feel of movement.
Delahunt, Michael R. "Rhythm." ArtLex Art Dictionary. 25 March 2011. <http://www.artlex.com>.
Regular rhythm is the repetition of similar elements in regular sequences, like a regular beat on a drum.
Artist Unknown; Borgia Codex; c. 1497; deer skin, stucco and paint; 27 x 27 cm; Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rome.
Staccato rhythm is a random and chaotic repetition of elements, like a wild drum solo.
Wassily Kandinsky; Fragment 2 for Composition VII; 1913; oil on canvas; 87.5 x 99.5 cm; Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
Progressive rhythm increases or decreases in size, color, or other elements to show movement in the art work.
Edgar Degas; The Rehearsal; 1873-78; oil on canvas; 41 x 61.7 cm; Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
The artworks above are in the public domain.
Web sites about Rhythm:
Art, Design and Visual Thinking - Rhythm
Artisan Design Studio - Rhythm
The Artist's Toolkit - Rhythm