A theory of pure design

by Denman Waldo Ross

ATTITUDES

LINES IN DIFFERENT ATTITUDES

87. Any line or linear progression may be turned upon a center, and so made to take an indefinite number and variety of attitudes. It may be inverted upon an axis, and the inversion may be turned upon a center producing another series of attitudes which, except in the case of axial symmetry in the line, will be different from those of the first series.

Fig. 112

In this case the line changes its attitude.

Fig. 113

In this case I have inverted the line, and turning the inversion upon a center I get a different set of attitudes.

Fig. 114

In this case, which is a case of axial symmetry in the line, the inversion gives us no additional attitudes.

THE ORDER OF HARMONY IN
THE ATTITUDES OF LINES

88. When any line or linear progression is repeated, without change of attitude, we have a Harmony of Attitudes.

Fig. 115

This is an illustration of Harmony of Attitudes. It is also an illustration of Interval-Harmony.

89. We have a Harmony of Attitudes, also, in the repetition of any relation of two or more attitudes, the relation of attitudes being repeated without change of attitude.

Fig. 116

We have here a Harmony of Attitudes due to the repetition of a certain relation of attitudes, without change of attitude.

THE ORDER OF BALANCE IN
THE ATTITUDES OF LINES

90. When a line or linear progression is inverted upon any axis or center, and we see the original line and its inversion side by side, we have a Balance of Attitudes.

Fig. 117

The relation of attitudes I, II, of III, IV, and of I, II, III, IV, is that of Symmetrical Balance on a vertical axis. The relation of attitudes I, IV, and of II, III, is a relation of Balance but not of Symmetrical Balance. This is true, also, of the relation of I, III and of II, IV. Double inversions are never symmetrical, but they are illustrations of Balance. The balance of double inversions is central, not axial. These statements are all repetitions of statements previously made about positions.

THE ORDER OF RHYTHM IN
THE ATTITUDES OF LINES

91. It often happens that a line repeated in different attitudes gives us the sense of movement. It does this when the grouping of the repetitions suggests instability. The movement is rhythmical when it exhibits a regularity of changes in the attitudes and in the intervals of the changes.

Fig. 118

In this case we have a movement to the right, but no Rhythm, the intervals being irregular.

Fig. 119

In this case the changes of attitude and the intervals of the changes being regular, the movement becomes rhythmical. The direction of the rhythm is clearly down-to-the-right.

92. In the repetition of any line we have a Harmony, due to the repetition. If the line is repeated in the same attitude, we have a Harmony of Attitudes. If it is repeated in the same intervals, we have a Harmony of Intervals. We have Harmony, also, in the repetition of any relation of attitudes or of intervals.

We have not yet considered the arrangement or composition of two or more lines of different measures and of different shapes.