Rhythm in the Composition of Lines
102. We will first consider the Measure-Rhythms which result from a gradual increase of scale, an increase in the extent of the contrasts. The intervals must, in such Rhythms, be regular and marked. They may be equal; they may alternate, or they may be regularly progressive.
In this case I feel that the direction of the Rhythm is up-to-the-right owing to the gradual increase of length and consequently of the extent of contrast in the lines, in that direction.
In this case I have, by means of regularly diminishing intervals, added the force of a crowding together of contrasting edges to the force of a gradual extension of them. The movement is still more strongly up-to-the-right.
In this case a greater extension of contrasts pulls one way and a greater crowding of contrasts the other. I think that crowding has the best of it. The movement, though much retarded, is, I feel, down-to-the-left rather than up-to-the-right, in spite of the fact that the greater facility of reading to the right is added to the force of extended contrasts.
103. Substituting unstable for stable attitudes in the examples just given, we are able to add the movement suggested by instability of attitude to the movement caused by a gradual extension of contrasts.
The movement up-to-the-right in Fig. 139 is here connected with an inclination of all the lines down-to-the-right.
Here the falling of the lines down-to-the-left counteracts the movement in the opposite direction which is caused by the extension of contrasting edges in that direction. A crowding together of the lines, due to the diminution of intervals toward the left, adds force to the movement in that direction.
In this case a movement up is caused by convergences, a movement down by crowding. The convergences are all up, the crowding down. I think that the convergences have it. I think the movement is, on the whole, up. The intervals of the crowding down diminish arithmetically.
The convergences and the crowding of attractions are, here, both up-to-the-right. The Rhythm is much stronger than it was in Fig. 144. The intervals are those of an arithmetical progression.
The movement here is up-to-the-right, because of convergences in that direction and an extension of contrasts in that direction.
In this case the two movements part company. One leads the eye up-to-the-left, the other leads it up-to-the-right. The movement as a whole is approximately up. As the direction of the intervals is horizontal, not vertical, this is a case of movement without Rhythm. The movement will become rhythmic only in a vertical repetition. That is to say, the direction or directions of the movement in any Rhythm and the direction or directions of its repetitions must coincide. In Fig. 139, the movement is up-to-the-right, and the intervals may be taken in the same direction, but in Fig. 147 the movement is up. The intervals cannot be taken in that direction. It is, therefore, impossible to get any feeling of Rhythm from the composition. We shall get the feeling of Rhythm only when we repeat the movement in the direction of the movement, which is up.
Here we have a vertical repetition of the composition given in Fig. 147. The result is an upward movement in regular and marked intervals, answering to our understanding of Rhythm.
In this case we have a curved movement. The lines being spaced at regular intervals, the movement is in regular and marked measures. Its direction is due to an increase in the number of attractions, to crowding, and to convergences. The movement is, accordingly, rhythmical.
The movement of Fig. 149 is here partly destroyed by an inversion and opposition of attitudes and directions. The movement is, on the whole, up, but it can hardly be described as rhythmical, because it has no repetition upwards, as it has in the next illustration, Fig. 151. Before proceeding, however, to the consideration of Fig. 151, I want to call the attention of the reader to the fact that we have in Fig. 150 a type of Balance to which I have not particularly referred. It is a case of unsymmetrical balance on a vertical axis. The balancing shapes and movements correspond. They incline in opposite directions. They diverge equally from the vertical axis. The inclinations balance. At the same time the composition does not answer to our understanding of Symmetry. It is not a case of right and left balance on the vertical axis. The shapes and movements are not right and left and opposite. One of the shapes is set higher than the other. The balance is on the vertical. It is obvious, but it is not symmetrical. It is a form of Balance which has many and very interesting possibilities.
The repetition, in this case, of somewhat contrary movements, a repetition at equal intervals on a vertical axis, gives us more Balance than Rhythm. We feel, however, a general upward movement through the repetitions and, as this movement is regular, it must be described as rhythmical.
The feeling of upward movement in Fig. 151 is, no doubt, partly due to the suggestion of upward growth in certain forms of vegetation. The suggestion is inevitable. So far as the movement is caused by this association of ideas it is a matter, not of sensation, but of perception. The consideration of such associations of ideas does not belong, properly, to Pure Design, where we are dealing with sense-impressions, exclusively.
104. Rhythm is not inconsistent with Balance. It is only necessary to get movements which have the same or nearly the same direction and which are rhythmical in character to balance on the same axis and we have a reconciliation of the two principles.
Here we have a Rhythm, of somewhat contrary movements, with Balance,—Balance on a diagonal axis. The Balance is not satisfactory. The Balance of Inclinations is felt more than the Balance of Shapes.
In this case we have the combination of a Rhythm of somewhat contrary, but on the whole upward, movements with Symmetry.
If the diverging movements of Fig. 153 should be made still more diverging, so that they become approximately contrary and opposite, the feeling of a general upward movement will disappear. The three movements to the right will balance the three movements to the left, and we shall have an illustration of Symmetrical Balance, with no Rhythm in the composition as a whole. It is doubtful whether the balance of contrary and opposite movements is satisfactory. Our eyes are drawn in opposite directions, away from the axis of balance, instead of being drawn toward it. Our appreciation of the balance must, therefore, be diminished. Contrary and opposite movements neutralize one another, so we have neither rest nor movement in the balance of contrary motions.
By bringing the divergences of movement together, gradually, we shall be able to increase, considerably, the upward movement shown in Fig. 153. At the same time, the suggestion of an upward growth of vegetation becomes stronger. The increase of movement will be partly explained by this association of ideas.
Here all the movements are pulled together into one direction. The Rhythm is easier and more rapid. The Balance is just as good. The movement in this case is no doubt facilitated by the suggestion of upward growth. It is impossible to estimate the force which is added by such suggestions and associations.
Here the movements come together in another way.
The number and variety of these illustrations might, of course, be indefinitely increased. Those which I have given will, I think, serve to define the principal modes of line-composition, when the lines are such as we choose to draw.