Continuity

Continuity. The principle of orientation or "good continuation". Similarity of direction, orientation, continuance, or speed - If points, lines, or shapes fall along a definite path, share the same kinetic energy or speed, or are long in general outline and are aimed in the same direction (like arrows), or even if they divide into two or more directional movements (as, for example, in choreography or team sports), the eye will establish immediate sense and order. [Harlan, Calvin. Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.]

Continuation, or continuity. Perceptions tend toward simplicity and continuity. It is easier to visualize a wavy line on a squared-off line than it is to see a complex row of shapes. [Coon, Dennis. Introduction to Psychology, Exploration and Application. St. Paul: West Publishing Company, 1989.]

Continuity - succession and gradual change/the binding of our various objects into beautiful lines or processions. [Ruskin, John. Elements of Drawing. New York: Dover Publications, 1971. [Originally Published in London, 1857]

Continuity. . . . as in a tent, a clothesline, or a suspension bridge, where the point thrust of pole or nylon is complemented by the catenary arc of the canvas, the line or the cables, or contrariwise in the association of continuous and discontinuous patterns in the formations of mountains . . . . [Harlan, Calvin. Vision & Invention, An Introduction to Art Fundamentals. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.]

The Law of Continuity
Another important and pleasurable way of expressing unity, is by giving some orderly succession to a number of objects more or less similar. And this succession is most interesting when it is connected with some gradual change in the aspect or character of the objects. Thus the succession of the pillars of a cathedral aisle is most interesting when they retire in perspective, becoming more and more obscure in distance: so the succession of mountain promontories one behind another, on the flanks of a valley; so the succession of clouds, fading farther and farther towards the horizon; each promontory and each cloud being of different shape, yet all evidently following in a calm and appointed order.

If there be no change at all in the shape or size of the objects, there is no continuity; there is only repetition--monotony. It is the change in shape which suggests the idea of their being individually free, and able to escape, if they liked, from the law that rules them, and yet submitting to it . . . .

All rivers, small or large, agree in one character, they like to lean a little on one side: they cannot bear to have their channels deepest in the middle, but will always, if they can, have one bank to sun themselves upon, and another to get cool under; one shingly shore to play over, where they may be shallow, and foolish, and child-like, and another steep shore, under which they can pause, and purify themselves, and get their strength of waves fully together for due occasion. Rivers in this way are just like wise men, who keep one side of their life for play, and another for work; and can be brilliant, and chattering, and transparent, when they are at ease, and yet take deep counsel on the other side when they set themselves to their main purpose. And rivers are just in this divided, also, like wicked and good men: the good rivers have serviceable deep places all along their banks, that sloops can sail in; but the wicked rivers go scooping irregularly under their banks until they get full of strangling eddies, which no boat can row over with out being twisted against the rocks; and pools like wells, which no one can get out of but the water-kelpie that lives at the bottom; but, wicked or good, the rivers all are in having two kinds of sides. Now the natural way in which a village stone-mason therefore throws a bridge over a strong stream is, of course, to build a great door to let the cat through, and little doors to let the kittens through; a great arch for the great current, to give it room in flood time, and little arches for the little currents along the shallow shore . . . . the smaller your aches are, the less material you want on their flanks. Two aches over the same span of river, supposing the butments are at the same depth, are cheaper than one, and that by a great deal; so that, where the current is shallow, the village mason makes his arches many and low: as the water gets deeper, and it becomes troublesome to build his piers up from the bottom, he throws his arches wider; at last he comes to the deep stream, and, as he cannot build at the bottom of that, he throws his largest arch over it with a leap, and with an other little one or so gains the opposite shore. Of course as arches are wider they must be higher, or they will not stand; so the roadway must rise as the arches widen. And thus we have the general type of bridge, with its highest and widest arch towards one side, and a train of minor arches running over the flat shore on the other: usually a steep bank at the river-side next the large arch; always, of course, a flat shore on the side of the small ones: and the bend of the river assuredly concave towards this flat, cutting round, with a sweep into the steep bank; or, if there is no steep bank, still assuredly cutting into the shore at the steep end of the bridge.

Now this kind of bridge, sympathizing, as it does, with the spirit of the river, and marking the nature of the thing it has to deal with and conquer, is the ideal of a bridge: and all endeavors to do the thing in a grand engineer's manner, with a level roadway and equal arches, are barbarous; not only because all monotonous forms are ugly in themselves, but because the mind perceives at once that there has been cost uselessly thrown away for the sake of formality.

Well, to return to our continuity.... you will find that though the arches diminish gradually, not one is regularly diminished--they are all of different shapes and sizes . . . . This is indeed also part of the ideal of a bridge, because the lateral currents near the shore are of course irregular in size, and a simple builder would naturally vary his arches accordingly; and also, if the bottom was rocky, build his piers where the rocks came . . . . it at once raises the object thus treated from the lower or vulgar unity of rigid law to the greater unity of clouds, and waves, and trees, and human souls, each different, each obedient, and each in harmonious service.

[Ruskin, John. Elements of Drawing. New York: Dover Publications, 1971. [Originally Published in London, 1857]

C O N S I D E R:

A state or quality or capacity

Of "to hold"/holding together

Of a whole

To make all one

Scenario/of a narrative

In immediate connection or relation

In or of a pattern

Uninterrupted in time

In some course or action; extending

Without cessation

A succession of occurrences

[Regular]

Frequent

Abiding

Pending

Repeated

Successive

Recurrent

Repetitive

Repetitious

[Constant]

Unceasing

Ceaseless

Incessant

Uninterrupted

Unending

Go on

Keep on

Last

Endure

Stay

Abide

Extend

Remain

Prolong

Carry on

Suspend

Last

Maintain

Retain

Carry over

Keep

R  E  F  E  R  E  N  C  E  S 

Continual adj [ME, fr. MF, fr. L continuus continuous] [14c] 1: continuing indefinitely in time without interruption [__fear] 2: recurring in steady usu. rapid succession [a history of __ invasions] -syn. Continual, Continuous, Constant, Incessant, Perpetual, Perennial mean characterized by continued occurence or recurence. Continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence [continual showers the whole weekend]. Continuous usu. implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension [football's oldest continuous rivalry]. Constant implies uniform or persistent occurence or recurrence [lived in constant pain]. Incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity [annoyed by the incessant quarreling]. Perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration [a land of perpetual snowfal]. Perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal [a perennial source of controversy].

Continue vb [ME, fr. MF continuer, fr. L continuare, fr. continuus] vi [14c] 1: to maintain without interruption a condition, course, or action 2: to remain in existence: Endure 3: to remain in a place or condition: Stay 4: to resume an activity after interruption -vt 1a: keep up, Maintain [__s walking] b: to keep going or add to: Prolong; also: to resume after intermission 2: to cause to continue 3: to allow to remain in a place or condition: Retain 4: to postpone [a legal proceeding] by a continuance -syn. Continue, Last, Endure, Abide, Persist mean to exist over a period of time or indefinitely. Continue applies to a process going on without ending [the search for peace will continue]. Last, esp. when unqualified, may stress existing beyond what is normal or expected [buy shoes that will last]. Endure adds an implication of resisting destructive forces or agencies [in spite of everyting, her faith endured]. Abide implies stable and constant existing esp. as opposed to mutability [a love that abides through 40 years of marriage]. Persist suggests outlassing the normal or appointed time and often connotes obstinacy or doggedness [the sense of guilt persisted].

[Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition. Springfield, MA, USA: Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1995.]

Continuity [late ME continuite < MF < L continuit&atild;et- (s. of continuit&atild;es)] n. 1. the state or quality of being continuous. 2. a continuous or connected whole. 3. a motion-picture scenario giving the complete action, scenes, etc., in detail and in the order in which they are to be shown on the screen. 4. the spoken part of a nondramatic radio program.

Continuous [< L continuus holding together = continu- (perf. s. of contin~ere = con-, CON- + Tin~ere, var. of ten~ere to hold) + -us -OUS] adj. 1. being in immediate connection or relation: a continuous pattern of dots. 2. uninterrupted in time; without cessation: continuous coughing during the concert. Continual adj. 1. happening without interruption or cessation; continuous in time. 2. of regular or frequent recurrence; often repeated; very frequent.... -Syn. 1. unceasing, ceaseless, incessant, uninterrupted, unending. 1, 2. Continual , Constant, Continuous all refer to a succession of occurrences. Continual implies that successive recurrences are very close together, with only small breaks between them, or none at all: continual misunderstanding between nations. Constant implies always recurring in the same way, under uniform conditions, with similar results, and the like: constant repetition of the same mistakes. Continuous emphasizes the idea that the succession is unbroken: the continuous life of the universe. 2. successive, recurrent, repetitive, repetitious.

Continue [ME continue(n) < L continuŃ(re) to make all one < continuus CONTINUOUS] -v.i. 1. to go on or keep on, as in some course or action; extend. 2. to go on after suspension or interruption.... 3. to last or endure.... 4. to remain in a place; abide; stay. 5. to remain in a particular state or capacity. -v.t. 6. to go on with or persist in.... 7. to extend from one point to another in space; prolong. 8. to carry on from the point of suspension or interruption. 9. to say in continuation. 10. to cause to last or endure; maintain or retain, as in a position. 11. to carry over, postpone, or adjourn; keep pending, as a legal proceeding. -Syn. 3. Continue, Endure, Persist, Persevere, Last, Remain imply existing uninterruptedly for an appreciable length of time. Continue implies duration or existence without break or interruption: The rain continued two days. Endure, used of people or things, implies persistent continuance against influences that tend to weaken, undermine, or destroy: The family endured-years of poverty. Persist and Persevere, used principally of people, both imply firm and steadfast continuance in the face of opposition. Persist suggests human opposition: He persisted after he had been warned; and persevere suggests opposition from any source, often an impersonal one: He persevered despite fatigue, heat and cold. Last often applies to that which holds out to a desired end, fresh, unimpaired, or unexhausted, sometimes under conditions that tend to produce the opposite effect; They had provisions enough to last all winter. Remain is esp . applied to what continues without change in its essential state; He remained a bachelor. -Ant. 1. cease.