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Rhythm in Art: The Ultimate List of Rhythm in Art Examples

Inside: The ultimate collection of rhythm in art examples, including everything from regular to random, plus a rhythm in art definition. A continuation of our Elements and Principles of Art series.

Here are some artworks you can use to teach rhythm in art for your elements and principles of design rhythm lessons. I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the examples.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Rhythm Art Definition

Rhythm is a principle of design that suggests movement or action. Rhythm is usually achieved through repetition of lines, shapes, colors, and more. It creates a visual tempo in artworks and provides a path for the viewer’s eye to follow.

Principles of Design Examples Rhythm in Art

Rhythm in Art Examples

rhythm in art examples

Alternating Rhythm

Alternating rhythm describes an artwork that contains a repetition of two or more components that are used interchangeably. Some alternating rhythm examples include alternating light and dark colors or placing various shapes and/or colors in a repeating pattern.

alternating rhythm in art examples

Random Rhythm

Random rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements without a specified order or arrangement. Some random rhythm examples include splatters of paint or shells on a beach.

random rhythm in art examples

Flowing Rhythm

Flowing rhythm describes an artwork that contains curved or circular elements that give the art movement. Some flowing rhythm examples include flowers, clouds, or waves.

flowing rhythm in art examples

Regular Rhythm

Regular rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements with a specified order or arrangement that can be measured. Some regular rhythm examples include evenly spaced windows or tiles.

regular rhythm in art examples

Progressive Rhythm

Progressive rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements in a pattern that change either in size or color as they repeat. Some progressive rhythm examples include building blocks arranged from smallest to largest and spirals.

progressive rhythm in art examples

In this fun rhythm in art examples video, the differences between pattern, repetition, and rhythm are described and put to music:

Rhythm in Art Resources

Remember I will add to this, so don’t forget to pin this post!

Do you have a great example to teach rhythm in art? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!

There you have it! The best rhythm in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.



The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

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Artwork of the Week: RenĂ© Magritte’s Golconda

It’s raining men today on the Art Class Curator. Today’s Artwork of the Week is Golconda by RenĂ© Magritte. Take a look.

The Art Curator for Kids - Artwork of the Week - René Magritte's Golconda

What’s going on in this painting? What do you notice? What do you think the artist was trying to say?

The Art Curator for Kids - Artwork of the Week - René Magritte's Golconda
René Magritte, Golconda, 1953

What’s interesting to me about this painting is that it does look like it is raining this serious, stiff businessman, but they don’t really appear to be moving. If they were falling from the sky, wouldn’t their hats fly off and their coats float up in the breeze? They are stiff and the same.

Another element of the painting that strikes me is how organized it is. The men are lined up in a grid or in parallel rows both up and down and receding into space. Why did the artist do this?

This is a fun one to think about and would be perfect for an art criticism writing assignment.

There are lots of different interpretations you could come up with for this artwork, and I tend to think it represents the sameness of the business world and the cookie-cutterness of that environment. We don’t look at these guys as individuals when we look at this painting. We see them all as one.

What do you think of this one?

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What is art? 6 Artworks that Help Define Art

A few months ago, I shared with you 6 artworks about other artworks. I love this art about art theme, so I want to keep going with it today. The art about art artworks in this collection are works that help define what art is. They make you think about that ultimate art and aesthetics question, “What is art?“

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art - What is art? - 6 Artworks that Help Define Art - Aesthetics Discussion Questions

In my community college classes early in the semester, I have all of these artworks in an “art about art” lesson. I’ll share some of the discussion points and why I put them in this art about art category below. You will see the last question of each question list below is, “What does this artwork tell us about art?” That’s how I tie them all together. I have also divided the class into groups assigning each group one artwork to analyze and then present their ideas to the class.

Grade Level: These artworks and discussion questions are best geared toward high school or college students.

Note: Several of these artworks have nudity. My policy is to not censor on the blog because that is my personal approach, and I leave it up to you as the teacher or parents to decide if you are comfortable with that.

Michelangelo Buonarotti, Slaves, 1513-1516

Michelangelo Buonarotti, Slaves, 1513-16 - Middle Photo Credit-Dada
Michelangelo Buonarotti, Slaves (Atlas, Rebellious, Awakening), 1513-16 (Middle Photo Credit: Dada)

I don’t know if Michelangelo was considering this when he made these artworks, but to me, these sculptures address this art about art theme in two different ways. First, I love how these sculptures show the relationship of the artist to the art. You can see the artist’s hand, and it really shows you how incredibly hard it is to make these sculptures. The contrast of the rough and smooth textures really highlights this.

But, the main reason I chose these artworks is how they show the figures attempting to break free from the stone. Michelangelo famously said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” And he also said, “The best artist has that thought alone Which is contained within the marble shell; The sculptor’s hand can only break the spell To free the figures slumbering in the stone.” Michelangelo believed the figure was there, and it was his job to release it.

Questions to Ask: What is happening here? What do you notice? What is this sculpture about? Who are these men? What are they doing? Why did Michelangelo choose to depict them this way? What does this sculpture tell us about art?

Edouard Manet, Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), 1863

Edouard Manet, Le Dejeuner sur L'Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), 1863
Edouard Manet, Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass), 1863

Nudity is a very common subject in art, but when this painting was first displayed at the Salon des RefusĂ©s it was really shocking and controversial? Why? Because, it was normal to have nudes in a mythological or allegorical context, but it was not normal to have a nude woman in a contemporary setting–especially one surrounded by clothed men.

Another dimension to this is the stare by the woman to the viewer. Her looking out at us makes us feel a little voyeuristic in a way. I think it can spark an interesting discussion about the connection between the artwork and the viewer.

Questions to Ask: What is your initial reaction to this picture? How does this painting make you feel? Comfortable? Uncomfortable? Why? What is happening here? How does the artist address gender? Why is the woman looking out at us? What does this painting tell us about art?

René Magritte, The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), 1929

René Magritte, The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), 1929
René Magritte, The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), 1929

The text on this image says, “This is not a pipe.” At first, this is confusing to my students usually. “Yes, it is.” they think. But, when you keep thinking about it, you realize no, it isn’t a pipe. It is a canvas with oil paint on it (or a bunch of pixels of color projected onto the screen on this website). It is not a pipe; it is a picture of a pipe. Ultimately, pictures and words are just symbols for the real thing.

I usually bring in a little bit of Plato’s philosophy into this discussion. Plato believed that art is an imitation of an imitation. He believed that all things were originally an idea from God. So a pipe is not a pipe. A pipe is an idea made by God. An actual real-life 3D pipe is an imitation of God’s idea of a pipe. So, a painting of a pipe is an imitation of the pipe-maker’s imitation of God’s idea of a pipe. Confused, yet?

Questions to Ask: This says, “This is not a pipe.” What was the artist trying to say? What is more real–a pipe that you could actually smoke, a picture of a pipe, or the word “pipe” written out on a piece of paper?

Aesthetics Lesson Bundle

What is art? Get your students in the mindset to THINK in art class and lead fun art discussions with this lesson bundle!

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Keith Arnatt, Trouser – Word Piece, 1972-89

Keith Arnatt, Trouser - Word Piece, 1972-89
Keith Arnatt, Trouser – Word Piece, 1972-89

Conceptual art from the 1960s and 70s is some of the most intriguing art to me. Artists during this time just did anything and everything to push the boundaries of what is and is not considered art. This piece by Keith Arnatt has a photo of the artist holding a sign saying “I’m a real artist” plus a text quotation from a book that questions how something changes when you add the word “real” in front of it. Read more about the work here.

Questions to Ask: What is your first reaction to this? What message was the artist trying to convey? What is a real artist? What is a not real artist? What makes someone an artist?

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917
Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917

Marcel Duchamp took a urinal, placed it on its side, signed a fake artist’s name on it, and put it in an art exhibit. This begs the question, does the artist have to actually make the object in order for it to be art?

Questions to Ask: Is this art? Is this allowed? Is art about the idea or the end result? Would this still be art if it wasn’t in an art exhibit? 

Mark Tansey, The Innocent Eye Test, 1981

Mark Tansey, The Innocent Eye Test, 1981
Mark Tansey, The Innocent Eye Test, 1981

I think this artwork is delightful. I see these scientific men trying to determine the merits of a painting’s “realness” by seeing if it would fool a cow. It’s funny. Here’s a quotation from the artist to help you think about this one even more.

I think of the painted picture as an embodiment of the very problem that we face with the notion “reality.” The problem or question is, which reality? In a painted picture, is it the depicted reality, or the reality of the picture plane, or the multidimensional reality the artist and viewer exist in? That all three are involved points to the fact that pictures are inherently problematic.

— Mark Tansey, quoted in Mark Tansey: Visions and Revisions, by Arthur C. Danto (Source)

Questions to Ask: What is each character thinking, and why are they there? What do they want of the cow? Why is the cow there? What is he going through? What does the artist want from us? What’s with the mop? Why are they wearing glasses? What does this say about art? What does this painting mean?

Learn more about teaching Art and Aesthetics!

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Thanks for visiting! Which of these do you find the most interesting? What artworks did I miss? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Art About Art: 6 Artworks about Other Works of Art

I’m a big art history nerd, so I love art that references other artworks in funny and interesting ways. Check out these 6 works of art that are about other works of art. These works add something new to the conversation and make us think about the original works of art differently. These works would be a really fun addition to your art and aesthetics lessons with your high school or college art or art history classes.

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - 6 Artsworks that Are About Other Works of Art - These are so much fun!

For more information about how to talk about art with kids, check out this post on how to look at art with kids for tips on discussion artworks. You can also use my art worksheets with these artworks.

Yasumasa Morimura, Las Meninas Reborn in the Night: Las Meninas renacen de noche IV: Peering at the secret scene behind the artist, 2013

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez and Yasumasa Morimura


It was close to impossible to pick just one artwork by Yasumasa Morimura! He has done dozens or more of artworks where he adds himself into artworks by Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Vermeer, Salvador DalĂ­, Andy Warhol, and many more! Visit this website to see them all.

I chose this one because it shows another view of the artwork and makes us think about it in different ways. We see what the artist is painting (with the artist’s face on the girl on the painting), and we also see the painting in situ at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

He did other versions of this painting as well. He recreated it with himself as all of the characters and did one with the King and the Queen looking at the painting.

I have seen Yasumasa Morimura be referred to as the Cindy Sherman of Japan. One of Cindy Sherman’s works is down below.

Rene Magritte, Perspective: Madame RĂ©camier by David, 1951

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - René Magritte and Jacques-Louis David, Madame Récamier

This painting by RenĂ© Magritte always makes me chuckle. Magritte has a masterful way of making ordinary things amusing. I’m not going to say much about this one, because I’d like you and your students to ponder it on your own.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled (#224), 1990

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - Cindy Sherman, Untitled 224 and Caravaggio Young Sick Bacchus

Contemporary artist, Cindy Sherman, created a series of historical portraits where she put herself into famous portraits. Young Sick Bacchus by Caravaggio is said to be a self-portrait of the artist as the Roman god of wine, the harvest, theatre, and “ritual madness.”

You can read an interview with Cindy Sherman about the history portrait series on the art:21 website.

Aesthetics Lesson Bundle

What is art? Get your students in the mindset to THINK in art class and lead fun art discussions with this lesson bundle!

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Robert Rauschenberg, Erased de Kooning Drawing, 1953

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - Erased de Kooning Drawing by Robert Rauschenberg

This artwork is the focus of another one of the Puzzles about Art aesthetics lessons I have written about on the website in the past.

Here’s the text from the activity sheet I used in my college classes about this art. The below text is from Battin, M.P., Fisher, J., Moore, R., and Silvers, A. (1989). Puzzles about art: An aesthetics casebook. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

In 1953, Robert Rauschenberg, a young though not inconsequential artist, asked Willem de Kooning (famous artist) to participate in an art project. De Kooning, who was not only older and much more established than Rauschenberg, but whose works sold for considerable sums of money, agreed to participate and gave Rauschenberg what he considered to be an important drawing which was executed in heavy crayon, grease pencil, ink, and graphite. Rauschenberg spent a month on the work, erasing it completely. Then he placed the de Kooning drawing in a gold leaf frame and hand-lettered the date and title on the drawing: Erased de Kooning Drawing, 1953. Rauschenberg had not only erased de Kooning’s work, but he had also exhibited the “erasure” as his work of art.Has Rauschenberg created a work of art, destroyed one, or perhaps both? Why?“

The de Kooning work from the picture is NOT the one he erased. I included it as an example of a de Kooning drawing so you could have an idea of what it looked it before Rauschenberg erased it.

Guerilla Girls, Do Women Have to Be Naked to Get Into the Met Museum?, 1989–2005

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - Guerilla Girls and Ingres, La Grande Odalisque

This iconic Guerilla Girls work is not necessarily about Ingres’ painting, but I have included it to show where they got the image from the poster. The Guerilla Girls are an anonymous group of women dedicated to fighting sexism in the art world. They point out injustices and inequalities at museums and galleries with public art pieces, billboards, t-shirts, bumper stickers, handbills, etc. Their protest art is data-driven and often uses humor to make their point.

Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919

The Art Curator for Kids - Art About Art History - Mona Lisa by da Vinci and L.H.O.O.Q. by Duchamp

Marcel Duchamp and the dada art movement questioned the idea of art. What is art? Can you take the most famous painting, make a print of it, add a mustache and a caption, and it still be a work of art? Is art about the idea or the image?

The letters are wordplay. If you say those letters in french quickly, it sounds like you are saying the equivalent of “there is fire down below.”

Thanks for visiting! Which of these do you find the most interesting? What artworks did I miss? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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The Best Examples of Emphasis in Art

Here’s another Elements and Principles of Art list to help you in planning your art lessons! Today’s post includes example artworks for emphasis in art.

It was hard to break this one down to categories, because chances are if the artwork shows emphasis well, it usually used more than one element or principle to do so. So, I have put the elements and principles of art that the artist used to show emphasis in art in parenthesis next to the artwork.

I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the examples.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Emphasis in Art Examples

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

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There you have it! The best emphasis in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art examples? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Photo Credits:

  • Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne — Int3gr4te
  • Borofsky’s Walking to the Sky — doreen