Foundations of Art and Photography

Transcription

1 Foundations of Art and Photography 1

2 The study of composition or pictorial design: the way in which all elements work together to produce an overall effect 2

3 Five Elements of Composition that create patterns: line form color mass texture 3

4 Line 4

5 Shape 5

6 Mass 6

7 Texture 7

8 COMPOSITIONAL PRINCIPALS Repetition Balance Unity Focal area Rule of Thirds says: an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections 8

9 Let s look at this Picasso painting again. What compositional elements are strong here? 9

10 What terms are strong here? 10

11 Abstract not representational 11

12 Angle of View Various positions of the camera or artist (high, medium, or low; and left, right, or straight on) with respect to the subject, each giving a different viewpoint or effect 12

13 Aperture Lens opening. The opening in a camera lens through which light passes to expose the film. The size of aperture is either fixed or adjustable. 13

14 Asymmetry balancing a painting with dissimilar objects on either side of the axis so that the parts of a design are organized to differ without destroying the composition's overall harmony. Symmetry is a subtle concept that does not have to mean equal or even: 14

15 Axis An implied or visible straight line in the center of a form along its dominant direction, much like the spine in the human body 15

16 background, middle ground, and foreground 16

17 Burning In/Dodging & Burning Making an area of the print darker or lighter 17

18 Shading The lines or other marks used to fill in outlines of a sketch, engraving, or painting to represent gradations of color or darkness 18

19 Candid Pictures Pictures of people, often taken without the subject's knowledge. These usually appear more natural and relaxed than posed pictures 19

20 Closed form the eye is continually drawn back into the canvas; opposite of open form closed form open form 20

21 Complementary Colors Pairs of colours that have maximum contrast and so, when set side by side, intensify one another. Complementary colors are located directly across from each other on the color wheel. 21

22 Cool and warm colors A very cool color generally is one which contains a large amount of blue, as opposed to a warm color, which will contain more yellow. 22

23 Depth of Field The amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in acceptably sharp focus in a photograph 23

24 Dissonance harsh disagreement between elements of composition 24

25 Dynamics Illustration of movement in a painting. Painting with a vertical dynamic Painting with a horizontal dynamic 25

26 Focal point In two dimensional images, the center of interest visually and/or subject wise 26

27 Foreshortening The diminishing of certain dimensions of an object or figure in order to depict it in a correct spatial relationship. 27

28 Intensity degree of purity of a hue 28

29 Juxtaposition placing contrasting things side by side with the intention of bringing out a specific quality or creating an effect because the viewer's attention is drawn to the similarities or differences 29

30 Backlighting Light coming from behind the subject, toward the camera lens, so that the subject stands out vividly against the background. Sometimes produces a silhouette effect. 30

31 Motif The main theme or idea present in a work of art or elaborated and developed through separate works of art. The term also refers to a repeated form or pattern in work of art 31

32 negative space unoccupied space around the person or object (figure) 32

33 Palette Composite use of color in an artwork 33

34 Perspective Creates an illusion of three dimensional space on a two dimensional picture surface. Objects in the background appear smaller than those in the foreground. 34

35 Proportion In painting, sculpture and architecture, the ratio between the respective parts and the whole work. 35

36 Shifting perspective Multiple perspectives in a work 36

37 Texture The tactile quality of a surface or the representation or invention of the appearance of such a surface quality. 37

38 Tone The lightness or darkness of a color, rather than the actual color. 38

39 Close Up 39

40 Double Exposure Two pictures taken on one frame of film, or two images printed on one piece of photographic paper. 40

41 Existing Light Strictly speaking, existing light covers all natural lighting from moonlight to sunshine 41

42 Filter A colored piece of glass or other transparent material used over the lens to change the color or density of the entire scene or certain areas within a scene. 42

43 Flat Lighting produces a minimum of shadows. 43

44 Frame tree branch, arch, etc., that frames a subject 44

45 Panning Moving the camera so that the image of a moving object remains in the same relative position in the viewfinder as you take a picture. 45

46 Panorama A broad view, usually scenic. 46

47 Side-lighting 47

48 Soft Focus 48

49 Time Exposure A comparatively long exposure made in seconds or minutes. 49

50 Wide-Angle Lens allows photographer to emphasize the difference in size or distance between objects in the foreground and the background, and is useful in situations where the photographer may not be able to move farther from the scene to photograph it. A kind of ultra wide angle lens called a fish-eye lens gets such a wide shot that it distorts the lines of the subject 50

51 The study of composition or pictorial design: the way in which all elements work together to produce an overall effect 51

52 Now we need to apply all of this information to actual works of art! 52

53 In order to write a critical analysis of an image, you need to consider the ways in which the Compositional Principles, such as repetition, balance, and unity, and the elements of line, shape, form, space, color and texture are combined to produce an overall effect. 53

54 So let s take a look at this photograph 54

55 What do we observe? Two dudes are paddling a canoe. The color palette is very monochromatic. The trees in the background overwhelm in size the figures in the middle ground and the expanse of water in the foreground. The overall feeling is very serene, despite the fact that the figures are caught in motion. Perhaps they are being lured into a false sense of security before the attack of the large predatory croctopus likely lurking below the rippled surface 55

56 In this image, the photographer achieves a sense of balance by dividing the image into two sections: one half occupied by trees, and the other half by the water. Balance is created in a work of art when textures, colors, forms, or shapes are combined harmoniously. 56

57 In this image, the texture of the trees contrasts with the texture of the water. Contrast in a work of art serves to hold the viewer s attention and to guide the viewer s eye through the artwork. 57

58 In this image, the focal point is the paddlers because the colors of their jackets contrasts with the tones of the background. Our attention is immediately drawn to the paddlers, even though they are relatively small in scale. From the center of the picture our eye is drawn up through the pattern in the contrasting textures and colors of the foliage to the top half of the image. Emphasis is created in a work of art when the artist contrasts colors, textures, or shapes to direct your viewing towards a particular part of the image. Movement is the way a viewer's eye is directed to move through a composition, often to areas of emphasis. It can be directed by lines, contrasting shapes, or colors within the artwork. 58

59 The study of composition or pictorial design: the way in which all elements work together to produce an overall effect 59

60 Now we need to apply all of this information to actual works of art! 60

61 In order to write a critical analysis of an image, you need to consider the ways in which the Compositional Principles, such as repetition, balance, and unity, and the elements of line, shape, form, space, color and texture are combined to produce an overall effect. 61

62 So let s take a look at this photograph 62

63 What do we observe? Two dudes are paddling a canoe. The color palette is very monochromatic. The trees in the background overwhelm in size the figures in the middle ground and the expanse of water in the foreground. The overall feeling is very serene, despite the fact that the figures are caught in motion. Perhaps they are being lured into a false sense of security before the attack of the large predatory croctopus likely lurking below the rippled surface 63

64 In this image, the photographer achieves a sense of balance by dividing the image into two sections: one half occupied by trees, and the other half by the water. Balance is created in a work of art when textures, colors, forms, or shapes are combined harmoniously. 64

65 In this image, the focal point is the paddlers because the colors of their jackets contrasts with the tones of the background. Our attention is immediately drawn to the paddlers, even though they are relatively small in scale. From the center of the picture our eye is drawn up through the pattern in the contrasting textures and colors of the foliage to the top half of the image. Emphasis is created in a work of art when the artist contrasts colors, textures, or shapes to direct your viewing towards a particular part of the image. Movement is the way a viewer's eye is directed to move through a composition, often to areas of emphasis. It can be directed by lines, contrasting shapes, or colors within the artwork. 65

66 This image follows the rule of thirds and all of the proportions appear exactly as one would expect; the human figures are much smaller in scale than the natural world that surrounds them. The large mass of the tree line overpowers the people, but that is natural. Also in this image, the large areas of contrasting textures, patterns and colors create a sense of balance and unity within the composition. Unity is created when the principles of analysis are present in a composition and in harmony. Some images have a complete sense of unity, while some artists deliberately avoid formal unity to create feelings of tension and anxiety. 66

67 Once you ve identified and analyzed these principles of composition you can evaluate the photograph by asking: How do these principles contribute to the meaning of the work? How do form and content interact? 67

68 Lincoln on Battlefield of Antietam, Maryland photographer: Alexander Gardner 68

69 First, describe the content of the work: In this sepia image in various tones of brown, three men stand in the middleground in front of a tent. The man in the middle is the tallest, and is posed with his hands down at his sides, wearing a formal black suit with a bowtie and a tall stovepipe hat. The man to the left is wearing a worn dark suit and a bowler hat. The man to the right is dressed in a military uniform with bright buttons and epaulets. The tent is pitched on a grassy clearing in the foreground with trees in the background. 69

70 Now analyze the choices that the artist has made in constructing the form of the work: In the Lincoln portrait, the very distinct lines and geometric shapes are immediately apparent. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that these lines and shapes function to frame the central mass of the subject and to move the viewer's eye towards the central subject, President Lincoln. For instance, note the way that all of the lines in the image draw us towards the figure of the president. The tent forms an inverted "V" shape directly behind Lincoln, while the vertical tent post and tree trunk in the background serve as the axis of the picture and further elongate Lincoln's already tall figure, creating a clear vertical dynamic in the composition. 70

71 There are other strongly represented elements as well. Consider the stark contrast between the focal point (the white of Lincoln's shirt) and his black suit, which further draws our attention upwards towards the president's face. There is a textural contrast between the leafy trees and the negative space in the background, and darker crowded middleground. There is also a sense of balance, with the figures standing to either side of the president in similar poses, creating symmetry with their mirror images. 71

72 Finally, evaluate the overall work of art by reflecting on the meaning of these artistic choices: The tone of Lincoln on Battlefield of Antietam seems very bleak. The somber facial expressions of the men, coupled with the barren grass and sparse trees give an overall impression of death and dying. There is also a sense of loneliness about the figure of President Lincoln. Although standing next to two men, he seems totally isolated. He is unresponsive to the camera; rather than making eye contact, he stares distantly off into space, increasing the sense of isolation. 72

73 Image Analysis Use the terms sheet and Sample Image Analysis Brainstorming Guide to help as you conduct your own interpretation/analysis using the principles of pictorial design. Choose one painting and one photograph. 73

74 #1 74

75 #2 75

76 #3 76

77 #4 77

78 #5 78

79 #6 79

80 #7 Ralph Morse 80

81 #8 Leonard McCombe 81

82 #9 John Dominis 82

83 #10 Ralph Eugene Meatyard 83

84 #11 84

85 #12 85

86 #13 86