The Beat of Your Art
Rhythm and repetition are integral parts of artistic design. Although I pair them together, they are not simply variations of the same thing or two sides of the same coin. They are two aspects of design that work together.
Repetition in art is the repeated use of a specific element. The element doesn’t have to be exactly the same each time it is repeated but it should be recognized as essentially the same even if there is a change to its size, color, shape, or texture.
The principle of repetition is used to emphasize, adorn, and lead the eye as well as being a tool to create rhythm and movement. Design elements commonly used to create repetition include marks, lines, shapes, forms and even color.
Rhythm is the regularity and perceived tempo of repetition. Is commonly employed to suggest movement and evoke atmosphere or emotion. Rhythm helps to define the energy in a piece by setting the pace of its perceived motion while leading the eye around the composition.
Rhythm can’t be established without repetition and repetition is going to define some kind of rhythm so, you see, they are quite the design duo. Let’s look at what you can do with them to support the intention of the work you’re creating.
(Opening image: Martina Buriánová employs repetition to create a random as well as a regular rhythm in this intriguing pendant. She also displays examples of both a fast tempo (in the white dots down to the middle) and a slow tempo (in the black dots dropping away from the grid of dots) in the rhythm created.)
Types of Rhythm
Regular rhythm
This is established when an element is repeated at a regular distance and usually in a straight or predictable path. Classic pearl necklaces have a regular rhythm as do, white picket fences, and those dashed lines down the middle of the highway. Regular rhythms support the concept of order and predictability.
Laura Timmins’ necklace is an example of some pretty dense random rhythm. She uses a set of, what looks to be, six different types of elements, each used numerous times, some with varying colors while others vary in size, all crowded together in a random and crowded composition that speaks to an undersea world teeming with life.
Random rhythm
When elements are repeated without a recognizable order, that would be considered random. Nature is, of course, big on random rhythm such as a line of trees at the edge of a forest, the scattering of seashells on a beach, or the blooms of flowers on a bush. Random rhythm support concepts that are frenetic, organic, or involve a high energy emotion, among other things.
Progressive rhythm
DDee Wilder’s carved ring uses a progressive rhythm in the enlarging of the shapes revealed through its carving that makes it almost pulse with energy.
This describes the use of a repeated element that progressively changes as it moves through the composition. Changes in size, color, shape, or value are common changes that can create progression in rhythm. Examples include the chambers of a Nautilus shell, the scales of a pinecone, and even those dashed lines on the highway getting smaller as they run towards the horizon. A rainbow Skinner blend is also a type of progressive rhythm as the lines of color change hue. These all speak to concepts like growth, progression, and movement through space.
Flowing rhythm
This can be about the arrangement of the repeated elements or the type of element used to create that repetition but it always involves curved or circular elements or formations. The reason it is discussed separately from other types of rhythm is because it’s specifically used to create flowing movements. Examples in nature include waves, masses of climbing vines, or the rippled layers in sandstone. These support concepts such as comfort, calm, and acceptance.
Alternating rhythm
Małgorzata Wawrzyńczak’s silk screen bracelet has an alternating rhythm in color (black-orange-red-turquoise) but she changes up the width of each line as well as the pattern.
This type of rhythm uses two or more elements, alternately repeated. You can usually identify a second type of rhythm within an alternating rhythm such as regular, progressive, or flowing rhythms. Alternating the repeated elements is a common way to take a regular rhythm up a notch in a beaded necklace, particularly through the use of spacer beads or changing the color or pattern of every other or every third bead. This rhythm increases energy and adds interest.
Creating tempo
The type of rhythm you choose will be the first step in creating tempo but your size, placement, and proximity of the elements will also affect the perceived speed and weight of that rhythm. For example:
- Small elements repeated lean towards feeling light and staccato.
- Large, repeated elements tend to feel heavy and deliberate.
- When elements are set close together it feels fast.
- Distance between elements slows the tempo down, particularly when there are just a few of them.
Of course, consider the tempo you want that supports the intention of what you’re creating just as you choose marks and lines that have characteristics to support your intention. So, between choosing the element to be repeated, determining a type of rhythm, and setting the tempo, the use of repetition and the characteristics of its rhythm can be key to getting across the ideas and concepts of your work.
Looking forward to the New Year
So, what have you decided for your 2021? What will be your priorities and your goals?
I have a big list myself. I will be sharing some changes and thoughts in the coming week, so stay tuned!
I do wish you all the very best in the start of this new year and thank you so much for spending time with me this past year!
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