D1 Continuity

Continuity is all about visual flow: the means of leading one’s eye through a composition. There are two types of continuity: Visual and Physical. Visual continuity is about alignment, basically. Physical continuity is about physically connecting. An image of a clothesline – with the line removed – exhibits both types – all garments are unconnected and overlapping. In the end, it’s about how the eye navigates.

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Displayed below are examples of images with both visual and physical continuation. ■ Woman in Blue Reading a Letter contains a map on the back wall whose lower edge/contour disappears and re-emerges from behind the figure, a visual continuity (aka, alignment) is maintained. The right edge of the table appears to physically continue onto the figure’s coat. ■  The year 2008 will forever be associated with the collapse of one of the lengthiest bull markets in history and is physically connected to a market graph in this visual. As the Dow Jones evolved into a fallen bull at the cycle’s end, visual continuity connects the end of the graph with the tail of the fallen animal. ■ Stockyard Scene depicts several lines of cattle and reflects an implicit line of visual continuity with occasional moments of physical continuity for the sake of rhythm. ■ Copeland’s Rodeo reflects a managed tension created by tight proximities within the text (creating a virtual physical continuity at the text level) and also with the line art that contains it. The star’s visual alignment with the vertical line below it reinforces the composition’s vertical direction that is established by the fork standing on the right side. The top of the fork is aligned with the white star at the top and the black line at the fork’s bottom.

Woman in Blue Reading a Letter, Johannes Vermeer, 1663-64; Rijksmuseum

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Image for Aaron Copeland’s Rodeo; Corral Nocturne 2nd movement.

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