Art Appreciation - Formal Analysis of an artwork

1.9 Pattern and Rhythm Artists frequently rely on patterns and rhythms to ground their work. Just like a great theater production, a blockbuster movie, a brilliant ballet, or a catchy tune, a well-composed work of art with visually exciting patterns and rhythms can thrill an audience.

Because the visual rhythm of pattern is predictable, it often tends to unify an artwork. By alternating the rhythm, the artist can reinforce the visual emphases of a work and make its composition visually stronger. The repetition of motifs, such as those found in certain pottery or carpets, can add the richness we associate with the finer things in life.

Good works of art, like Elvis as he gyrated on stage, have rhythm “all over.” It is the relationships between visual elements that make up a work’s composition, and rhythm that gives structure to our experience of looking at the work.

Simple repetitions can give a work a welcome predictability that feels comfortable. Progressive rhythm builds like a musical crescendo or diminishes like a fading echo, and can suggest growth or ebbing power. Alternating rhythm can create a dynamic sense of energy and add visual interest, because we may not be able to predict what the rhythm will do next. Irregular rhythm can make a work seem unpredictable or make us feel uneasy. If the elements of art are its life’s blood, rhythm is the beating of its heart.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER:

• PATTERN • RHYTHM