Motif (art)

Motifs are the repeating shapes or images in artwork. For example, if an artist draws a flower in the corner of a picture, the flower is their motif. Even if it's just a small flower, it can be repeated in different spots all over the artwork. That way, when someone looks at the artwork, they can recognize the flower and think about it's meaning. Motifs can also be specific colors, lines, or other shapes. Motifs give artwork unity, which makes it more interesting to look at.