Design PrinciplesDesign Principles

Chapter 11: Illusion of Chapter 11: Illusion of MotionMotion

IntroductionIntroduction

Stillness and Stillness and Arrested Action.Arrested Action.

Relative Stillness:Relative Stillness: ““Almost every aspect Almost every aspect

of life involves of life involves constant change.”constant change.”

““Motion is an Motion is an important important consideration in art.”consideration in art.”

Johannes Vermeer. The Kitchen Maid. c. 1658. Oil on canvas, 45.5 x 41 cm. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Depicting the TransientDepicting the Transient

““Photography has Photography has made visible images made visible images that are otherwise that are otherwise invisible to us due invisible to us due to a motion too to a motion too rapid for the eye to rapid for the eye to perceive.”perceive.”

The idea of a unique, The idea of a unique, singular or singular or “decisive” moment.“decisive” moment.

Harold Edgerton. Making Applesauce at MIT (.30 Bullet Piercing an Apple). 1964. Photograph. © Harold & Ester

Edgerton Foundation, 2007, courtesy of Palm Press, Inc.

Anticipated MotionAnticipated MotionSeeing and Feeling Impending Seeing and Feeling Impending

ActionAction Implication of movement Implication of movement

present in art is caused by our present in art is caused by our memory and experiences. memory and experiences.

Kinesthetic EmpathyKinesthetic Empathy - a process - a process where we tend to recreate where we tend to recreate unconsciously in our own unconsciously in our own bodies the actions we observe.bodies the actions we observe.

If you’re watching a basketball If you’re watching a basketball game you may also stretch, game you may also stretch, jump or shoot for the hoop. jump or shoot for the hoop.

Anticipated MovementAnticipated Movement - This - This feeling can be enhanced by feeling can be enhanced by implied lines and gestures as if implied lines and gestures as if action is about to be completed.action is about to be completed.

Baseball Photo

Ways to Suggest MotionWays to Suggest Motion

1.1. Figure RepeatedFigure Repeated

2.2. Figure CroppedFigure Cropped

3.3. Blurred Outlines and Fast ShapesBlurred Outlines and Fast Shapes

4.4. Multiple ImagesMultiple Images

5.5. Lines of ForceLines of Force

6.6. Grouping Multiple ImagesGrouping Multiple Images

7.7. Optical MovementOptical Movement

1. Figure Repeated1. Figure Repeated

One of the oldest usesOne of the oldest uses Uses a Uses a repeated repeated

figurefigure.. Widely used in art of all Widely used in art of all

cultures. cultures. Used to form a Used to form a

“storyboard” that “storyboard” that conveys a narrative over conveys a narrative over time. time.

Lola Moreno and Ramon Rosanas. Coca Cola Storyboard.

2. Figure Cropped2. Figure Cropped

Implies motionImplies motion The figure moves so The figure moves so

fast that they escape fast that they escape the picture frame.the picture frame.

How they are How they are framed enhances framed enhances motion.motion.

Comics also use both Comics also use both figure repetition and figure repetition and figure cropping to figure cropping to create motion. create motion.

Taliek Brown of the University of Connecticut. December 10, 2002. Photograph.

3. Blurred Outlines and 3. Blurred Outlines and Fast ShapesFast Shapes

Details and hard outlines Details and hard outlines are lost in fast are lost in fast movement.movement.

Used in all art forms. Used in all art forms. Examples:Examples:

Blurred Edges Blurred Edges (photography)(photography)

Sketchy line (drawing)Sketchy line (drawing) Fast shapes (graphic Fast shapes (graphic

design)design) Long sweeping lines Long sweeping lines

(industrial design)(industrial design) Elliot Barnathan. Study in Motion. Digital photograph.

Example: Blurred Example: Blurred Outlines and Fast ShapesOutlines and Fast ShapesUse of long sweeping Use of long sweeping

motion lines.motion lines.

Larry Erickson and Billy F. Gibbons (designers). CadZZilla. 1989. Custom automobile. Design patent

DES. 320, 959.

4. Multiple Image4. Multiple Image

Multiple Image Multiple Image - - When you see one When you see one figure in an figure in an overlapping overlapping sequence of poses, sequence of poses, with a slight with a slight change from pose change from pose to pose that to pose that suggests motion. suggests motion.

Thomas Eakins. Pole Vaulter: Multiple Exposure of George Reynolds. c. 1884. Photograph, 9.5 x 12.3

cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York(gift of Charles Bregler, 1941; 41.142.11).

5. Lines of Force5. Lines of Force

Lines of ForceLines of Force - - Many curved lines Many curved lines are used to show are used to show the pathway of the pathway of movement. movement.

Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912. Oil on canvas, 4' 10" x 2' 11" (1.47 x 0.89 m).

Philadelphia Museum of Art (Louise and Walter Arensberg Collection).

6. Grouping Multiple 6. Grouping Multiple ImagesImages

You can collect and You can collect and combine a series of combine a series of images placed images placed together to create together to create movement. movement.

You can also do this You can also do this with similar subjects with similar subjects from different sources. from different sources.

John Baldessari. Six Colorful Gags (Male). 1991. Photogravure with color aquatint and spit bite aquatint, 3

ﾕ 11 ﾓ 4 ﾕ 6 ﾓ . Edition 25. Crown Point Press, San Francisco.

7. Optical Movement7. Optical Movement AfterimageAfterimage – Occurs – Occurs

when you stare at when you stare at certain images and a certain images and a predicted ‘afterimage’ predicted ‘afterimage’ appears.appears.

Eye Movement Eye Movement – Your – Your eye follows movement eye follows movement such as undulating lines such as undulating lines and spaces.and spaces.

Niklaus Troxler. Underkarl. 2004. Jazz concert poster.