Assignment 3: chiaroscuro

1. Immediate Response: What is first noticed is that all in all, the picture is fairly dark, yet it captures chiaroscuro in a soft way. You can see the highlights in the metal of some of the objects, then softer lights in other objects, such as the socks, and then the dark highlights in the heavier objects. The darker objects and the highlights of the metal stand out the most, as they have more of a "popping" impression, they don't have that softer tone.

2. Objective Description: There are several objects on a pull out desk, all varying in size. The black and white of the photo makes it easy to distinguish the lighter objects from the darker objects. The black objects are grouped together with enough white contrast to set them apart.

3. Formal Matters: The space in the photo is nicely filled and the different lines and contours are fairly easy to spot. The color is a little difficult, as everything is in black and white, but it is easy to see what is white or at least a light color and what is a dark color. I liked how nothing was really centered in this photo, everything is a little off from the center mark, and there are enough items to give it variety, but not enough to make it seem cluttered.

4. The Story It Tells: The story this photo would tell would probably be of a person who is more often than not in a hurry. The sketchpad beneath the tape dispenser and the notebook could also tell the story of a busy-bee artist (whether professional or still learning)

5. The Work in the World: Mr. Albrecht Durer's drawings were much lighter in context than my photo and each seemed to tell some kind of story, whether it be complex or extremely simple. Also, and I may be wrong, he didn't seem to use as much chiaroscuro as other artists or as my picture may have captured. Most of his drawings seemed to be in a softer light, with less hard darks to set certain aspects off.