Monday, September 23, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Nighttime Landscape
The current theme being investigated is "Nighttime Landscape." The following paintings were chosen for their use of it as an element.
Lesser Ury
1992
Hochbahnhof Bülowstraße
Museum of Art and History of Judaism
In this painting, the artist shows a dark rainy scene with cars lined down the street. The use of deep purple and blue throughout the piece establishes the setting of nighttime. By representing the long building face with a continuous region of black the viewer becomes aware of the consuming shadows that the night has created. On the other hand, the artist depicts glowing yellow lights down the slick street, which create a certain elegance in terms of mood. We see the illuminated window to the right, the golden strip in the distance, and small headlights in succession, giving the work a dark yet quietly delicate nature. Though the sky looms above the street with am midnight blue, this city scene still has a vibrance to it through light cast by the cars. The nighttime establishes the setting, while still allowing the piece a sense of charm.
In contrast to the previous painting, the role of darkness in this work is much more prominent. With the exception of minor shading variations, about three quarters of it is covered by a nearly suffocating darkness. Bellows uses a faint white streetlamp on the sidewalk as a focal point, giving one small spherical region illumination. This use of nighttime conveys a mood of loneliness, as the people walk down the dim area into the bleak darkness. Though the region of green that the streetlight reveals gives some sense of color, as a whole this painting does not represent the elegance and vibrance that Ury's does.
Ovchinnikov takes a vastly different approach to showing a nighttime setting. There is a great similarity in shade between the water of the river, and the turquoise sky, with the radiating moon at the top. This white focal point is complimented by the city lights illuminating the horizon. While two previous artists took an approach characterized by darkness, Bellows especially, this piece uses the brightness of the moonlight to show a glowing night sky which alludes to a sense of romance, and puts emphasis on its nautical theme. The lightness of the blues and greens in portions of the sky, perhaps painted using pallet knife, adds a much more dreamy feeling to painting.
1992
Hochbahnhof Bülowstraße
Museum of Art and History of Judaism
In this painting, the artist shows a dark rainy scene with cars lined down the street. The use of deep purple and blue throughout the piece establishes the setting of nighttime. By representing the long building face with a continuous region of black the viewer becomes aware of the consuming shadows that the night has created. On the other hand, the artist depicts glowing yellow lights down the slick street, which create a certain elegance in terms of mood. We see the illuminated window to the right, the golden strip in the distance, and small headlights in succession, giving the work a dark yet quietly delicate nature. Though the sky looms above the street with am midnight blue, this city scene still has a vibrance to it through light cast by the cars. The nighttime establishes the setting, while still allowing the piece a sense of charm.
George Bellows
1909
Summer Night, Riverside Drive
Columbus Museum of Art
In contrast to the previous painting, the role of darkness in this work is much more prominent. With the exception of minor shading variations, about three quarters of it is covered by a nearly suffocating darkness. Bellows uses a faint white streetlamp on the sidewalk as a focal point, giving one small spherical region illumination. This use of nighttime conveys a mood of loneliness, as the people walk down the dim area into the bleak darkness. Though the region of green that the streetlight reveals gives some sense of color, as a whole this painting does not represent the elegance and vibrance that Ury's does.
Vladimir Ovchinnikov
1975
Moonlight Night on the Volga River
The State Russian Museum
Ovchinnikov takes a vastly different approach to showing a nighttime setting. There is a great similarity in shade between the water of the river, and the turquoise sky, with the radiating moon at the top. This white focal point is complimented by the city lights illuminating the horizon. While two previous artists took an approach characterized by darkness, Bellows especially, this piece uses the brightness of the moonlight to show a glowing night sky which alludes to a sense of romance, and puts emphasis on its nautical theme. The lightness of the blues and greens in portions of the sky, perhaps painted using pallet knife, adds a much more dreamy feeling to painting.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Backlighting: Sketch
Of the four photos taken involving backlighting, I found the one with the candleholder as the subject to be the the most interesting. In the original picture, shades of yellow and brown are predominant, with bright highlights occurring in a ring at the bottom of the tray, and towards the back of the shot where the light is coming from. The bends in the metal of the piece are reflected in the glossy, rounded shadows in parts. Elongations and distortion occur on many section of the candleholder. In the sketch, I focused mainly on the shapes at the trays base, and some light shading and shadowing cast by the object. Retrospectively, if I were to alter one element, which I surely will if this sketch progresses to be a painting, it would be the outline of the elevated cup where the candle belongs. In the rough sketch, it is too distinguished with bold line, rather than shading. On the other hand, I enjoy the softness of the tray's rim and placement on the table.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Backlighting: Pictures
The following are four photos that I took with a strong focus on backlighting as a compositional element.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Backlighting
Caroline Jasper
Ice Light
Date Undiscolsed
Landscape gallery
This painting depicts a wintery forest setting, with consecutive bare trees and snow beneath them. Especially emphasized by its seasonally specific subject matter, this piece contains a somber and gloomy mood. The positioning of the tall and menacing shapes in the form of trunks and branches, which cast prominent shadows across the foreground, give the viewer a tone of cold unease. On the other hand, Jasper presents a contrast and transition in mood with the backlighting, by using regions of red and pink light, on both the trunks and branches, indicating the approaching sunrise or possibly sunset. The pale pink in the background projecting its glow through crevices in the branches' overlap implies a mood of growing warmth. This use of contrasting backlight against the glossy snow gives a strong sense of optimism. In this painting, backlight is used to represent the conflicting nature of the freezing snow and impending sunrise.
Orange Dress
2009
Figures Gallery
In this painting, Roberts illustrates a woman sitting on what appears to be sand or the pavement, wearing a sleeveless orange dress. In terms of mood, this piece gives the viewer a sense of warmth, positivity, and relaxation. The woman's body language is tranquil and loose. As she sits barefoot and slouched over, the atmosphere is one of calmness. The use of the rich orange folds in the dress radiates heat and enthusiasm. In contrast to Ice Light, the use of backlight in Orange Dress affirms the mood of the painting's composition. The is a halo-like glow surrounding the woman, shown with a tan gray behind her extended arm. The shadow cast by the backlighting does not darken the figure or make colors overcast, but rather intensifies their presence. The deep orange at her waist gives off the same mood as even the lightest shade, such as the pale orange on her knee. Overall, the backlight strengthens the positive mood of the painting.
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