Assignment: Color Contrast

1. Immediate Response: First noticed would have to be that the the colors work well together and encompass a sense of spring. The yellow and purple are complimentary colors, the green and yellow resemble the grass and sun in spring, and the green and purple create a nice, refreshing contrast to each other. It would have been a better effect if all three colors were closer together in the photo, though.

2. Objective Description: There are three circles in a row in the photo. A green circle is on the left side (while looking at the picture), a purple circle is in the center, and a bright yellow circle is to the right of the purple. All three circles had been painted on a white brick wall.

3. Formal Matters: There isn't much line quality, as the circles are randomly painted on the walls. They are in a line because of the way the photo was taken. The color quality in the picture is a bit dark, but it's still easy to recognize what the colors are. There is a bit more white space than would have been liked.

4. The Story It Tells: Spring: On a bright and cheerful day, someone of the maintenance crew walks down a boring, whitewash hallway. Now, looking at the walls, they grew a bit depressed at the reminder of a hospital wing, so they decide to do something about it. Putting in a request and getting it approved, they buy several cans of bright, cheerful paints: blue, green, yellow and pink. They set to work, painting diligently for hours, making each circle perfect. At the end of the day, they close the paint cans and look down the hallway with pride. One thing was reminded to them: Spring.

5. The Work in the World: In comparison with the famous Paul Cezanne's works, my painted circles seem to have a brighter color to them. However, Cezanne's paintings and drawings show the different values in the colors as well as meaning and emotion. My circles are just those: circles. Paul Cezanne's works are art and are meant to move the viewer, rather than just break up a monotonous hallway.

Assignment 8 - Photogenic

1: Immediate Response: Immediate response to this picture would be it's one of the better photos taken that day! There are subtle values in shadow in the photo and the pose does a fairly good job in utilizing those shadows. There could have been a few darker values other than my hair, though.

2: Objective Description: A girl (me, myself, and I, as per the assignment) strikes a pose for a quick snapshot. Her black hair has multiple streaks of pink, blue, green and purple and is in a punky-straight style.

3: Formal Matters: In the photo, I am a little centered, but the pose I'm in slightly takes away from that. The shadows could be a little more pronounced if the photo hadn't been taken on a cloudy day. The slightly blurred shapes in the background only seem to help enhance the focus on the subject (in this case, me).

4: The Story It Tells: A Little Bit of Flirty Fun: After going to my first and only class for the day, I decide it's time to spruce up a bit. Going to the bathroom, i do up the "do" and pop the eyes and voila! Picture time! Strike a pose and let it flash! It's time to update the Myspace page, so let's upload the photo. Uh-oh, no time! Some friends are here and they're hungry. Let's take a break and grab a snack. We'll do our work later!

5: The Work in the World: I am happy to note that many of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres has much the same values in shadow as my photo. Some of them, however, do have more of a chiaroscuro contrast (though in color and/or pencil). His portraits seem to have more feeling in them than my picture, though. Guess I need to work on that.

Assignment 7: figure-ground relationship

1: Immediate Response: The immediate response to the photo is that it is similar to many other photos previously taken, especially if you don't know exactly what to look for. Without knowing the specifics of the photograph, it looks just like a normal still life or picture. Also there is a nice piece of perspective in regards to the cubby of the desk.

2: Objective Description: A black rolling desk chair is neatly pushed into its cubby. The cubby itself is very dark, but there is just enough light filtering in that a nice and easily seen shadow is formed on the ground, showing clearly where the chair meets the ground.

3: Formal Matters: The composition itself is extremely simple, but it is easy to see the different shades and lines within it. The majority of the photo is dark, the contrast being the light tiles of the floor, creating a subtle, colored bit of chiaroscuro. Because the colors are so dark, however, it is hard to distinguish certain aspects of the photograph.

4: The Story It Tells: A Long Night of Studying: After a tiring week of classes, a poor student is burdened with the stress of studying for multiple tests in most of their classes. After a night out to relax and unwind, the student decides to hit the books. The pull out their chair, set up their things, and buckle down. After hours of studying (and quite a bit of brain-fuel snacking), they shut their text books with a thump of finality, neatly push in their chair, and climb into the comfort of their bed.

5: The Work in the World: William Kentridge’s drawings have a good sense of figure-ground relationship as well as chiaroscuro. It is very easy to see the different values in his images as well as the edges, giving shape and density to his drawings. I was happy to note that my photo does much the same thing, the legs of the chair against the light tiles of the floor giving a nice sharp edge and contrast, giving shape to the photo.

Assignment 6: TEXTURE

1: Immediate Response: The photo is very ... green. From the angle it was taken, it looks a little bit like the top of some kind of primitive forest. It portrays texture fairly well, however.

2: Objective Description: The picture is that of a bit of green carpet. It was highly zoomed in to get the full effect of the texture of the carpet.

3: Formal Matters: The space is completely filled by the carpet and the lines give proof of the texture. The color is solid and very uneventful and doesn't really catch your eye.

4: The Story It Tells: Dirty Carpet Baggers: A spot appears on a priceless antique carpet. The mistress of the household is horrified, sprining an investigation to discover the culprit. After many questions and hours of delving for information, the mistress is finally informed that one of the maids had accidentally set a heavy bag of trash down on the floor as she was resting her arms. The mistress ordered the spot removed and the maid was mildly rebuffed.

5: The Work in the World: In Richard Serra’s drawings, it is easy to see the different textures he uses. His textures are extremely lifelike, giving the impression that you can reach out your hand and feel the texture for yourself. I was happy to note that the picture of my chosen texture is much the same way.

A5: Perpsective: Great Fun

1: Immediate Response: The first thing noticed is that the perspective is one point. The second is that it is a short hallway with a longer hallway behind the doors at the end of the first. The picture seems to be well taken, the perspective easily seen.

2: Objective Description: It is a white lobby hallway with pillars and a balcony and elevators on the right and left side. Looking straight ahead, , you see two swinging doors, and if you look in the windows in the doors, you will see a long hallway through them.

3: Formal Matters: The composition has good colors and shading values and captures the perspective of the photo well.

4: The Story It Tells: A quiet hallway leads to another, quieter hallway. At least until one of the residents decides to make themselves known and yell down the corridor to a friend. After a few calls, both retreat back to their respective rooms and all is quiet again.

5: The Work in the World: In comparison to Edward Ruscha's drawings, my photo seems to have a better grasp of the one point perspective. His drawings seem to focus more on values than perspectives.

Shading! WOOHOO!

1: Immediate Response: The thing that stands out the most about this photo is that there is a lot of grey, it seems to be the dominante color or value. You can kind of see the different values in the photo, such as the slight shadow under the railing and the darker line of shadow under the bag, but clearly the lighting wasn't quite right to get any bold, definitive shading. There are a few highlights, such as the ones on the railing and the strap of the bag, and you can see some of the secondary contour lines on the stairs.

2: Objective Description: The photo is in black and white, but it is still fairly easy to see where one plane ends and another begins. There is a stairwell behind with a silver railing. In front of that is a table with a school bag and a computer atop it. You can only see the very edge of the computer and the table beneath the bag. The bag is clearly the focal point because it is the clearer and nearer object.

3: Formal Matters: The line quality of the color is a little hard to define in places, especially the secondary contour line on the stairs. The color is dominantly grey with a little black and lighter colors thrown in. The placement is fairly well, the focal object isn't quite in the middle of the picture, but off toward the side a bit. You can see some highlights and little bit of shading. The space is used up fairly nicely with only a minimum of negative space.

4: The Story It Tells: A student returns from class and before making the arduous climb up the stairs, all the way to the sixth floor, she decides to take a stop at the landing and contemplate this decision. Should she really climb all those stairs or be a lazy bum and just take the elevator like everyone else. She gets so caught up in her thoughts that she just can't make up her mind. So, she decides to ask someone for help. Well, there's no one around! Ah, but there is MSN Messenger. Booting up her computer, she signs on and asks a few buddies for their advice. They all suggest just taking the elevator. She's tempted, but alas, she thinks it would be better if she trudged up the stairs. At least, she'd feel she accomplished something great for the day. She shuts down her computer, packs it up, slings her bag over her shoulder, takes a deep breath, and starts her six floor hike. Sadly, this tale doesn't have a happy ending. She makes it to the top, yes. However ... She left her school books downstairs.

5: The Work in the World: My picture is a little hard to compare to Edgar Degas' artwork because my photo is in black and white while is art is generally in color. However, the shading values are fairly similar. His are a bit more defined due to the fact that his artwork is in full color, and they are much fainter than chiaroscuro values, which my photo seems to depict more. Personally, I like Mr. Degas' work much more than my own.

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.