When we think of movement we think of, well, things moving. A pendulum swinging. A Ferrari roaring down the freeway. But in design, it refers to the path a viewer’s eye takes when they look over a composition.
It’s not just what you look at; it’s the way you look at it. Designers can guide this by using lines, edges, shapes and colours to create focal points and encourage certain ways of seeing.
Movement can be harnessed to distract, direct and pull the viewer’s gaze around a design. By using subtle cues (particularly with lighting and perspective) a savvy artist can control this entire process. You can use lines to create directional cues and make images feel more alive.