visual movement / flow definition

Visual movement is employed by artists to guide their viewers’ eyes along a specific path throughout their piece of artwork.  It is an important part of many piecse of artwork because it ensures viewers see the artwork in the intended order of events - which in turn may influence the overall impact and understanding of the piece.  Moreover, visual movement can significantly influence whether a viewer lingers over a piece or quickly glances at it and then dismiss it.  Visual movement can be achieved by utilizing elements such as color, shapes, lines, edges and changing the size of objects.  For example, since people’s eyes usually follow a line from start to finish, by incorporating definite or implied lines in an artwork, an artist can effectively direct the visual movement of the piece.  In graphic design, visual movement is frequently referred to as flow.