Examples of visual rhythm in art and design
We know there is rhythm in music. In this project we learned there is also rhythm in art: visual rhythm. This principle of art is achieved when elements of art (line, color, texture, shape) are repeated. We often see visual rhythm in surface design (fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper, etc.). We looked at several examples of visual rhythm and examined how they give us the sense that the shapes are dancing and moving, and how the careful placement of art element makes our eyes to dance around the paper and causes our brains to anticipate the recurrence of these elements.
In week one, we each developed unique stencils of tea or coffee pots. This exercised our observational drawing skills, because we had to copy a tea pot from a selection of visuals I had provided. We were only interested in drawing the contour lines of the pot (no details). The tricky part was drawing the EXACT same pot in two different sizes, one large, and one small. These were then traced onto card stock and cut out. I helped the younger kids cut out the inside of the handle using a razor knife. We then traced them carefully and rhythmically around our paper, overlapping large and small. I had the kids trace their large stencil and few times first, making sure to leave enough space for their small stencil, which they traced afterwards. They we encouraged to make their stencils go off all four sides of their paper, to give us that fully enveloped view, like we see in wrapping paper or wall paper. We then traced our pencil lines using permanent marker and then erased our pencil lines. That was that for day one. |
