09.03 form, formalism, elements of art-1

Songs of the Day

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson from 1982 album Thriller

“Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles from the 1979 album The Age of Plastic

Announcements

Quiz 1 will be graded by Thursday, September 5th Art Walks – first Saturday of every month My office is still under construction – I’ll be outside of ART 243 during my office hours – blue couches!

Take Away from 8.29

What is Art?

Art is a human phenomenon that takes many forms. Its definition is dependent on both individual and societal values. Art can express emotion; evoke reactions; be representative or abstract; affect the world; be beautiful, be ugly and interesting at the same time (in other words not all art is beautiful).

Sayre “Working with Words and Images”

•  The process of writing should start as soon as you walk into the gallery. What are your first impressions, initial reactions, what artworks capture your attention?

•  Focus your writing on a particular piece of art – not multiple •  Jot down the formal elements of an artwork and what they

communicate •  FORMAL DESCRIPTION IS KEY 1) Straight forward description of the

subject matter 2) A summary of the various elements and principles of design at work it the art piece – begin with medium or media.

•  After formal description = analysis and interpretation often come ‘naturally’ or effortlessly

Form, Formalism, and Elements of Art

Anoli Perera, Stitched and Stretched, 2010

FORM What the artwork looks like

•  Aspects of artwork perceived with senses

•  Medium/Materials

•  Elements of art

•  Principles of art

•  The “facts” of the artwork – one “right” answer, not open to interpretation

CONTENT What the artwork means

•  Depends on context

•  Depends on viewer

•  Multiple & changing

•  Requires interpretation

•  No easy formula to follow

•  Aspects of artwork perceived with senses

•  Medium/Materials

•  Elements of art

•  Principles of art

•  The “facts” of the artwork – one “right” answer, not open to interpretation

FORM What the artwork looks like

!! KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE !!

Form

MEDIUM

What is the artwork made of ? (materials: oil paint, pen & ink, watercolor, marble, neon lights, old tires, wire, list any and everything that is in the artwork.).

How was it made? (applying paint to canvas, thick layers / brushstrokes, fine detail, welded together, carved out of a structure, printed off a laser printer)

Form

What is the artwork made of ?

How was it made?

MEDIUM

Charcoal on paper 98 x 77 1/8" (248.9 x 195.9 cm)

Diego Rivera, Pneumatic Drilling, 1931

Form

What is the artwork made of ?

How was it made?

Yinka Shonibare, Scramble for Africa, 2003

MEDIUM

Fourteen life-size fiberglass mannequins, fourteen chairs, table, Dutch wax printed cotton, 52 x 192 x 110 in.

Form

What is the artwork made of ?

How was it made?

Richard Serra, Band, 2006

MEDIUM

Weatherproof steel, 12′ 9″ x 36′ 5″ x 71′ 9 1/2″, plate: 2″

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

1.  Shape 2.  Line 3.  Value (light and dark) 4.  Texture & pattern 5.  Color 6.  Space

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

1.  Shape is defined by: •  Line •  Value and shading •  Color •  Texture •  Pattern •  Use of different media

Form

SHAPE

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

2.  LINE : A line is long relative to its width. It can define a

space, create an outline or pattern, imply movement or texture and allude to mass or

volume.

Form

LINE

Form

LINE – implied line The marks are discontinuous – imply a line/shape

Form

LINE – indistinct lines / none

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

3. VALUE refers to the lightness / darkness of a surface :

Value scale

Form

VALUE

Pablo Picasso The Tragedy, 1903

Form

VALUE

High contrast (wide range of values)

Low contrast (narrow range of values)

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

4.  TEXTURE AND PATTERN

texture = the surface quality that can be seen and felt pattern = repeated visual form

Form

TEXTURE AND PATTERN

Form

TEXTURE AND PATTERN

M.C. Escher Lizard 1942

tessellation Op Art

Form

TEXTURE AND PATTERN

Form

TEXTURE

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

5. COLOR Color Theory A set of principles and rules governing and describing the understanding and use of color

Form

COLOR

The Color Wheel

Formulated by an important 17th century thinker who is better known for other accomplishments…

Form

COLOR

formulated by mathematician and physicist Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in 1666 Better known for: •  “Discovering” gravity and laws of motion •  Modern telescope •  Contributed to the development of calculus

Form

COLOR

Monochromatic:

Various values of a single color

Form

COLOR

Analogous: Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel These colors readily harmonize and blend together Often found in nature

Form

COLOR Analogous:

Leonardo da Vinci Ginevra deʼ’Benci ca. 1474

Form

COLOR Complementary: Colors opposite each other on the color wheel When placed next to each other, they look more intense and brilliant Creates energy, vitality, and tension

Form

Vincent Van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888

Form

Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889

Afterimage:

A perceptual phenomenon. Light sensors in your eyes vibrate and oscillate several seconds after visual stimulation. has gone.

Form

COLOR Warm colors: Vivid and energetic; seem to advance in space Cool colors: Give impression of calm; soothing; recede in space Neutrals: White, black and gray

Form

COLOR •  Colors are associated with ideas, emotions, and

events

•  Color associations are cultural and individual

•  Colors have emotional effects

Form

ELEMENTS OF ART

6. SPACE is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth.

Form

SPACE

Class Activity

Describe these two paintings in terms of their medium and the various elements (shape, line, value, texture & pattern, color, space) – how are these images similar how are they different?

Class Activity

What element (shape, line, value, texture & pattern, color, space) is most prominent in either piece?

Suprasensorial Experience

FORM = aspects of artwork perceived with senses

Suprasensorial Experience, MoCA – Los Angeles 2010-11