Art Fundamentals - Movement in Composition

Movement

The use of movement in this painting by Vince, found primarily in the sky, keeps the onlooker entranced and stops them from looking elsewhere.

The movement brings life, with the help of the analogous colour.

However, despite the captivating nature of the night, Vince doesn't neglect the importance of the land and foreground, which have motion in themselves, which are ordered and less free.

This statue, made by an unknown sculptor, uses intricate design to portray the effects of wind on the dress and movement of the wings.

The dress has many folds and creases incorporated into the stone work that reflect the way the wind is pushing it back as this seraph soars through the sky. The sculptor has decided to show the navel, which should be under the clothes, as this shows how the dress is currently pressed right against her. All of these effects on the dress design shows the movement of the individual, forward, and the dress, against the angel.

The wings also show some movement, due to their arched position we can assume she is moving upwards and is about to flap them back down.

Contrast

The contrast between light and dark shades of colour in this image show motion and make the onlooker see the motion immediately.

The highlighted wave crashing against the boat allows the onlooker to focus upon it immediately, but if they don't they'll see the parting in the clouds first.

The parting in the clouds has light rays coming from them that lead the onlookers eyes down towards the waves and the boat, this causes you to see the people on board the vessel.

Despite the Ship being central, as the wave and parting in the clouds are on top of the focal points they direct the eye towards the ship, making it the focal point.

The contrast between light and dark colours in this image makes your eye focus upon the two gentlemen in the middle and also the young girl behind them, this is also caused by the characters being on the bottom 3rd of the image when split using the rule of three.

Proximity

This image has the main points of the image spaced out to allow the eye to wander, this allows the onlooker to take in the whole image.

The eye will most likely fixate on the vessel in the back first, or the sun, then look towards the seals on the shore, then back to the sun or ship.

The bright mountain in the background draws the eyes immediate attention due to how it contrasts with the rest of the image.

After gazing upon the mountain the onlooker will begin to see the detailed foreground, before looking at the river and following it back to the mountain.

Due to how the image is composed, using proximity, the artist has created a journey across the canvas that the onlooker will follow with their eye. The eye with immediately look at the mountain, then snap onto the foreground where it will then see the bright river and follow it back upstream towards the mountain.