Action attracts our attention whether we witness it live or in a picture. While a picture only shows a single moment in time an artist can suggest action in one of three ways: (1) active pose (i.e., posing an object to show that it is moving), (2) unstable pose (i.e., placing an object in an unstable position to imply that its movement is imminent), (3) repetition (i.e., including more than one object to suggest that the objects are interacting). Many Japanese artists who drew pictures of flowers-and-birds enlivened their pictures by suggesting action using one or more of these three methods. Some examples are shown below, chosen from the Reader Collection of Japanese Flower-and-Bird Art.

Active Pose

Depicting a bird with its wings outstretched, as in picture 1, implies that it is flying (i.e., an active pose). Unlike birds, flowers require the help of an agent such as wind or the force of gravity to move. Wind-blown flowers (i.e., active pose) were included in picture 2.

Unstable Pose

Positioning objects diagonally in a picture suggests imminent movement or action because we associate the diagonal with leaning and the action of falling is sure to follow (i.e., unstable pose). In picture 3 the weight of a narcissus flycatcher has pushed a branch of a cherry tree into a diagonal position which makes it difficult for the flycatcher to continue holding on to the branch (i.e., unstable pose).

Repetition

Including more than just one bird in a picture allowed the artist to show various types of interactions between individuals, such as courtship (picture 4) or fighting (picture 5).