Regular or varied spacing of repeated visual units creates rhythm across the frame even in a still image

Just as musical rhythm emerges from the spacing of onsets in time, visual rhythm emerges from the spacing of repeated units in space. A regularly-spaced grid of cells, stripes, or spokes reads as a steady beat; unequal spacing (3+3+2 groupings) introduces syncopation and swing. Tiling operations (fract, repeat) produce the visual analogue of an isochronous pulse; breaking the grid gives the eye an accent to land on. Because this rhythm is spatial rather than temporal, it is perceivable even in a static frame.

Examples

A tiling-repeat with equal cell spacing reads as a four-on-the-floor march. Shifting every third repeat to a slightly larger gap gives a 3+3+2 swing feel visible without motion.

Assessment

Look at two frames: one with equal spacing, one with 3+3+2 grouping. Name which reads as straight time and which as swung, then explain what visual element corresponds to an accent.