Repetitions, rhythm, and pattern can have a substantial impact on the elements of your graphic design. With effective rhythm, you can guide the viewer's eyes through a piece in a specific way, evoking specific feelings or changing the way they interact with the piece.
Do you understand what rhythm means in graphic design and how to use rhythm to evoke the feelings you want from your audience?
In graphic design, rhythm refers to the relationship between elements in the piece and how they interact together. Rhythm usually occurs in one of three ways.
Regular rhythm uses familiar, repeating elements throughout the course of the design to create a specific effect and guide viewers through the piece in a predetermined way. Typically, regular rhythm incorporates those exact elements in a pattern, which may create a more rigid impact on the viewer.
Flowing rhythm is designed to evoke a feeling of movement. Often, designers will repeat specific elements of the piece, not precisely, but in a patterned flow throughout the piece, which can create that sensation of movement and guide viewers through the piece in a predetermined pattern.
A progressive rhythm continues to repeat the patterns viewers expect as they move through the piece but with a slight change each time. Progressive rhythm might, for example, start with one key element, then gradually add other elements as it moves the viewer to the "conclusion" or end of the piece. Comic panels, for example, might use progressive rhythm to convey a specific, important change over time.
You can use several different strategies to create a sense of rhythm and evoke a feeling of harmony in your graphic designs.
What emotion are you attempting to evoke? How do you want to guide viewers through their interaction with your piece? There is a big difference between the emotion you will create with regular rhythm and the one you may evoke through progressive rhythm, for example. While regular rhythm often creates a fixed effect in the viewer's mind, progressive rhythm may evoke feelings of growth or change as the viewer interacts with the piece.
Rhythm often serves to emphasize the repetitive elements in your piece. If you're using progressive rhythm, you may want to specifically highlight the elements in the rhythm that you do not change, allowing them to serve as the base of your piece. If you're using flowing rhythm, you may want to consider what elements of your piece you want to "move."
In observing a small section of a larger piece, rhythm may sometimes appear random or fragmented. On examining the piece as a whole, however, your viewer may discover the repetition and patterns. Make sure your rhythm is properly on scale with the rest of your piece.
In music, silence highlights the notes as they are played, becoming just as important as the sounds themselves. In graphic design, your blank spaces can serve the same purpose. Make use of them to highlight specific areas or to draw attention to your overall rhythm.
Are you looking for a graphic design program that will allow you to focus on the specific elements of rhythm you want to bring to your finished piece? CorelDRAW can help. From comic book panels to marketing materials, CorelDRAW will allow you to create the images you've been imagining.
Download a Free 15-Day Trial Now!