Value of Rhythm in Design
If we strive to create a flawless composition — it’s time to turn to rhythm. It’s all around us: in night and day cycles, seasons change, breath and heartbeat. Rhythm is essential for our lives and harmony.
Good design is just like your favorite song — it has rhythm. Many think rhythm is only about the picture while that’s a minor part of its potential.
Rhythm is so powerful that it literally hypnotizes. Repetition of words or images effects our mental and emotional state, memory and thinking — in fact, it almost rules our brain.
Armed with only visual and graphical repeat you can attract and refocus one’s notice. Not to mention stimulating their memory, making them feel and want particular things. Sounds like a superpower, right?
Rhythm guides us across the page by pointing to texts and images. When turning to the next page — it helps us find where we left off in a wink.
Repeat also stands for image recognition. A sign or logo gets effective not only due to its design but a number of people seeing it daily. It’s principally the power of repeating.
Building rhythm. Rhythm variations
Rhythm in design refers to interval-repeating elements. An agreed elements location creates a sound structure. Rhythm can unite, direct, highlight and set the dynamics.
There is a repetition of shape, color, tone, texture, accents, direction and dynamic. Rhythm organizes, structures and set the elements into motion.
1. Rhythm of shape
Repeated geometrical figures form rhythm.
2. Rhythm of color
Multiple one-color elements build a consistent and dynamic design.
3. Rhythm of tints and tones
You can make a rhythm by changing color saturation. Stain elements with different tones of the same color to compose a tuneful rhythm.
4. Rhythm of lines
Cleverly arrange lines to empower the whole composition. Lines can be of different width, length or configuration. It creates a sense of dynamics.
5. Scaling
Elements scaling is another way to build a rhythm. This technique also helps direct viewer sight.
6. Emphasis
You can also create a rhythm by combining and highlighting sections and element groups with color.
Rhythm mistakes
Imaging elements with the same weight and even spaces between is far from a good idea. Viewers often have a hard-to-express bad feeling about it. You should also avoid monotony.
Instead of Conclusion
To sum up — we build rhythm due to rotation of shape, size, color, texture, tone, etc. Also, you can create it by building headlines and subtitles hierarchy along with highlighting parts of the text.
Well-built rhythm enhances the navigation, helps in digesting information and brings aesthetic pleasure.
