A Rule System for Analysis in the Visual Arts

This paper traces a brief history of the evolution of formal rule systems and their use in the visual arts. In particular, it focuses on the use of shape grammars to describe compositional rules in the context of a design rule system. A LISP implementation of a design rule system based on shape grammars is presented in detail. Examples are drawn from various design disciplines with a particular focus on an analysis of Kandinsky’s Bauhaus paintings.