Art Principles - Movement (P.2)

Source: http://www.artapprenticeonline.com/artstudies/learnctr/artisticprin/edlearnctrapmov.html

Movement in Stroke Work

Movement in Stroke work points the way for the artist to appreciate the painting as a whole...

In Historical Decorative painting, the viewer may be moved through the directional pull of the rhythmic stroke work and the scrolls. Visit the Historical Decorative art section of this web site to view the rhythmic movement of these strokes and scrolls as they are used to create a musical rhythmic style of art.

Why does the Artist create Movement in a Painting?

There are many ways and reasons to create movement in a painting...

• Rhythm creates predictability and order in the composition.
• Rhythm is used to create order and thus serves as a way to create an organized movement of the eye. Either gentle, graceful, rambling quick, or a fluid and rambling movement, etc.
• Rhythm creates a mood or tempo in very similar ways to how we relate to the tempo of music. Think of the differences between dance movements - the slow and fluid waltz and the fast upbeat cha-cha.
• Rhythm and movement is used by the artist to direct the viewer or to point the way.

Movement from one Element to Another

	In this image the ducks are lined up in perfect order. The eye naturally 'flows' from one sleeping duck to the next. This is 'pure harmonic' movement or flow without any interruption. This positioning of the elements also help create depth in the composition.
	In this image, the position of the elements leads the eye from one area to the next. The horizontal position of the duck in the foreground eventually leads to the duck in the rear of the composition and creates a quiet pause or slows the viewer down just a little.

'Give what you have. To someone it may be better than you dare to think' ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow