Week 12 ~ Color Contrast

1. I love taking trips to the zoo and visiting the birds section! My immediate reaction of this photograph is how much I like the vibrant colors. This photograph shows a lot of color contrast and is primarily an analogous color scheme (plus one more color). The expression on the birds face stands out to me. Whenever I look at this photo, I am reminded of how tame the bird was and how much fun it was to sit and talk to him. I also like the composition of the photograph and how the focus on the face is placed in the rule of thirds.

2. This photograph is a side profile of a parrot. His wing is bright turquoise with a green head and yellow breast. His beak is black and he is perched on a tree so there are branches and leaves behind him. You can only see about the top half of his body. The white of his head and eye are placed in the top right of the picture plane and the bird is facing towards the right of the picture. His beak is partially open because he was talking when I took the picture.

3. Although the quality of the photograph is not the best, I really like the composition. The color is beautiful; I love the contrast in the yellow and blue. The line quality is pleasing with the bird being vertical and the horizontal lines in the background (the tree branches). The placement of the parrot in the space is quite pleasing. It almost looks like a side profile portrait pose of a person. The way the shades and tins of the hues define the detail in the feathers is interesting. The overall color is quite similar but the detail still shows through.

4. Like I stated in the earlier paragraph, this photo reminds me of being at the zoo and sitting and listening to the birds talk. They always show so much expression, where it be annoyance or happiness. If I were to name this photo in one word it would probably be Vibrant because of the beautiful colors of the parrot’s feathers.

5. Cezanne uses beautiful hues to express his concepts. Most of the pieces that I could find were either still life (fruit) or a landscape. He is very free in his movement; in some ways I can see a resemblance in brush strokes that like my parrot’s feathers. Cezanne does a great job of creating depth in his paintings. I really like the depth that is created in my photograph because even though the birds head is green just like the background there is an obvious difference. Overall I can definitely see a connection between my landscape photo and Cezanne’s wonderful paintings.

Week 9 ~ Landscape

1. What first stands out to me when I see this photograph is the story that it tells. I took this photograph in Snowy Range, Wyoming on our last trip out there. The grandfather was teaching his grandson how to fish. The composition also stands out to me. The photograph is an example of using the rule of thirds to place the focal point in one of the corners; this ultimately makes for a stronger composition than a focal point that is centered.

2. This photograph is of a grandfather and his grandson sitting on a rock looking over a lake with mountains in the background. This is a vertically positioned photograph, the mountains and trees take up the top half of the composition, with the lake and people are in the bottom half. The man and boy are located on the left side of the photo. The mountains have snow on them with green trees. I chose to keep the photograph in color because the picture was taken on a cloudy day so there isn’t a strong light source. The figures seemed to blend in to much with the lake in black and white. I like the say that the trees are positioned at a vertical angle going up the mountain; this creates a lot of interest in the photo and balances out the color in the composition.

3. The composition of the photograph has both positive and negative aspects. The figures placed in the lower left hand corner follows the rule of thirds which is great but the horizontal line that is made by the mountains meeting the lake is placed right across the center of the plane. This kind of cuts the picture in two which isn’t very good, but the placement of the diagonal trees going up the mountain helps to balance that transition out. There are a lot of lines in the photo; I like the reflections in the water and the shapes that the snow creates in the mountains. Like I stated in question number 2, I decided to leave the picture in color instead of black and white. I wish there would have been more sunlight that day because the photo seems somewhat dull. Overall, I like the composition of this photograph, it may not be the best composition but I love the story that it tells.

4. The story in this photograph is pretty apparent. I was walking of the mountain with my family when we walked by this man teaching his the little boy how to fish. It was so precious that I had to turn around and sneak a picture. I actually have no idea who they are but one of my favorite memories from the trip was watching the pure joy that they were experiencing in their time together. If I was to name this photograph using one simple word it would probably be priceless. I feel that time spend with family is truly priceless, especially time spend between grandchildren and their grandparents.

5. Turner’s drawings and paintings are very beautiful. They are very soft and free. I found many paintings that were mountainous scenes so we have that in common. He even included figures in some of his landscapes. I wasn’t very successful finding very many of his drawings, I think he is most famous for his paintings. I love the way he portrays the sky in a lot of the paintings. My photograph doesn’t show any sky or clouds because of the angle the photo was taken at and because of the mountains. Overall, I think that if this photograph was to be painted in soft gestural manner it would relate the Turner’s work quite a bit.

Week 8 ~ Figure Ground Relationship

1. When I first see this photograph, the balance stands out to the most. I like that the subject is off center and that the negative space in the background balances the figure and helps to create a sense of motion, like he actual has space to continue his motion into. Oh and of course the fact that my boyfriend is super hot… duhh! :) I also immediately respond the saturation in the photograph. I love the vivid green on the field and the way that it surrounds the figure and contrasts with the dark jersey. I think that the viewer would most likely be intrigued by this photograph, at least I am. I want to know the story; I want to know more about the game or if the kicker made it, etc.

2 & 3. This photograph is positioned horizontally and is in color. It was taken at an FHSU football game, so the majority of the picture is the green football field with diagonal white lines. On the left side of the photo, number 32 is in his black football uniform and in motion to kick a field goal. The ball is still placed on the tee; this was obviously taken during warm up because they don’t use a tee in the game. The form of the kicker makes for a pleasing composition. As his left foot is in lifted and getting ready to be planted for the kick, his left arm is extended horizontally which creates balance. The line quality of this photo is very good for an action shot. The focus is sharp, there is only a little bit of blur in the left foot which is in motion. I like the way that the horizontal/diagonal lines of the football field contrasts with the subject’s form which is vertical and the arm with is diagonal in the opposite direction of the field lines. The color is vibrant, there are very little shadows because it was a cloudy day but the color contrast is still nice. Like I stated before, I think that my favorite part of this composition is the way that the subject is placed in the picture plane. Even though I like the composition and I think it is an interesting photo, in some ways I wish I would have taken it from another angle. I have some other pictures that I took of Ethan in high school where I am sitting in front of him; those are my favorite because you can see the facial expression which tell even more of a story about the photo. This photograph is a great example of showing the figure ground relationship. The subject in the foreground is separated from the background by shape and color and line. Since the background is basically one color, the dark jersey on the subject really stands out because of that difference in values of the photograph.

4. I think this photograph definitely has a story to tell. There is action on motion and I am sure if you could see his face, a lot of nerves and intensity! I took this picture during half time of the last home game. This was the game that Nathan broke his leg so Ethan was warming up to play in his first college game. Besides the literal story that I think of when I see it, I think that the photo itself will describe a story to any viewer. As the viewer, you want to know more about the game or where the ball is going. From the angle that the photo is taken from, you can’t see any surroundings besides the field. If I had to name this photograph in one word it would probably be, intensity. Not only because of the motion that is shown in the photo, but because I can honestly picture the intensity on Ethan’s face each time look at the picture.

5. William Kentidge’s drawings are very interesting. Most of the ones that I saw showed great emotion and I love the gesture like quality. A lot of his photos don’t have a very detailed background but yet the there is still a harmonious balance with the figure. I like the way that he used color in one of his sketches to show emotion and set the mood of the sketch. My photograph is of a human figure and most of the drawings of Kentidge’s that I saw were also of a person. One of the differences though is that in every one of his figure sketches that I saw, you could see the face and the expression on the face, unlike my picture. Overall, I really like a lot of his sketches. I don’t think they have a whole lot in common with my photo thought except for both exemplifying the figure ground relationship.

Week 7 ~ Self Portrait

1. My immediate response of this photo is “buh”, I mean honestly, does anyone actually like self portraits?! :) The extreme values represented probably stand out to me the most. The glow that is portrayed in the lower right corner contrasts nicely with the darkness in the left side of my face and left arm. I like the way that this photo shows how there aren’t exactly lines in the face, just shadows and values that form the features. I think this distinction is shown best in the way that the light outlines the features on the edge of my face and how the darker shadows create depth in my eyes.

2. The photo is a black and white self portrait of me. I took the picture with my left hand; my body and face are facing sideways so my gaze is not directly at the camera. There is a strong light source coming from the lower right hand side of the picture plain that casts highlights on the right side of my body and face. The wall behind me is lighter than my body in the foreground but there are some darker values of shading in the upper corners of the background. My shirt is a very dark shade which compliments nicely with that lighter background.

3. Although this photograph is somewhat pixilated, the contrast in values and shading makes it an interesting one. My body covers most of the picture plane but the way that the lighting is placed creates a focal poing on my face which is in the proximity of using the rule of thirds. The line quality is unique in the picture because of the distinct shapes that are formed through the contrasting values. I chose to make the photograph black and white because I felt it portrayed the differences more effectively. So even though the photo is of me and I don’t like it very much, I think the composition is a pleasing one.

4. I did not intend for this photograph to tell a story but if I was to look at it for the first time I think I would try to find a story within the girl. The emotion is subtle and soft; the expression on the face seems thoughtful. In some ways, the contrast in values adds to the story, it sets the mood and I feel that it ultimately makes the photograph stronger. If I could name this picture in one word it would probably be reflections. I chose this word because when I look at this picture I see a girl who is deep in thought and reflection; looking towards the light and finding a brighter side.

5. Ingres does a beautiful job of painting portraits, both clothed and nude. Many of the paintings and drawings that I saw did not showcontrast as strongly as the lighting on the face as mine did. The paintings are in color instead of black and white like my photo but her drawings are done without color. A major difference between our works is that the paintings and drawings were placed in a setting with details whereas I have a blank wall behind me. Some similarities that we have include the subject matter being a person and most of the facial reflections are very soft and relaxed much like mine.

Week 6 ~ Perspective

1. My immediate response of this picture is that it was not taken in Hays, Ks! I took this picture when I went to Chicago in May. The fact that it is taken in a large city but there is little activity shown in the photograph stands out to me. I am surprised that there are not more people walking in on the sidewalks or more than one traveling car in the street. I think one of the most effective ways to show perspective in a picture is through large buildings. Although this one was taken in one-point perspective, I also had photos that were taken from the corner (two-point perspective), and looking up at one of the skyscrapers (three-point perspective).

2. This photograph is in black and white and positions vertically. There are tall buildings on the right and left side of the picture plane with the bright white sky in the center. This city scene has cars parked along the side of the street and one car driving towards the foreground. Because of the proximity of the buildings and the many windows in each building, value plays a large roll in the photo. The lightest part of the composition is in the center and the darkest values are shown towards the foreground of the photo in the shadows of the windows. As appose to the common perception that darker values usually recede, this composition shows darker values in the foreground and lighter values and the perspective draws back into the vanishing point. The photograph is taken in one-point perspective which means that the horizon line is even with the viewer’s eye and that all “lines” recede to one point in the background of the plane. There are also banners handing from light posts along the sidewalk.

3. The composition is not the strongest in this photo and I don’t feel that it is the most interesting. I would have liked there to be more action on the street or sidewalk. There is strong line quality, as there should be with all one-point perspective views. All of the lines of the buildings lead to the vanishing point in the lower ¼ of the plane on the horizon line. The color is black and white. I debated on keeping the photo in color but I felt that the values were stronger with the removal of color. The placements of the objects in the space are appealing although I think they would be more pleasing if they were off center a little more. I think that one-point perspective is often more interesting when thrown off balance (like when we sat on the side of the hall instead of directly in the center). One of the great things about one-point perspective is the defined focal point in the vanishing point. I like the way that the lines in the buildings that are leading to the focal point lead your eye throughout the composition and focus the viewer on the focal point.

4. This photograph tells a story of my experience in the “big city” and how very far away from home I was for a week. I really enjoyed traveling to Chicago and visiting the various museums and attractions but I don’t think I could ever live there! The biggest aspect of the photo to me is simply the awe factor that I experienced because of the size of the buildings and the size of the city. To describe this photograph in one word, I would say profound. Visiting Chicago has had a profound influence on my art work and in the way I think about the world. As far as this picture goes, I think that the vanishing/focal point is a profound part of the composition because it creates a strong sense of the length and size of the large city.

5. Most of the drawings of Edward Ruscha’s that I saw involved using text with geometric forms to make an interesting and creative composition. I really like the way he can take a simple word and turn it into a complete drawing that gets his point of view across. I really couldn’t find any representational drawings from Ruscha and my photograph doesn’t incorporate text as a focal point. I do think that the crisp line quality is reflected in my photograph and in many of his drawings that I found. Overall, I don’t feel that there are too many common qualities in my picture and his work except for the fact that perspective is used as a main focus of the composition.

Week 5 ~ Texture

1- I am sure that as the viewer is glancing at this photograph for the first time, their curiosity takes hold. If you are wondering what in the world the object is, it’s a ceramic wall hanging that I made last semester. I like the intriguing angle that the picture was taken at and how the white negative space balances with the piece. The dark shadows that are created by the rippled slabs of clay stand out to me the most. I really like the emphasis that is created throughout the piece in the multiple textures.

2 & 3- This horizontally placed photograph is of a black and white glazed ceramic wall hanging. The piece is laying flat on a white background; shading is shown in the background because of the lighting. I think this creates a pleasing effect, which is stronger than a sharp white background. The photograph is taken so that the foreground of the object (which is the bottom of the piece) is almost larger and more in focus and the top of the piece is towards the top (back) of the photo and somewhat out of focus. The ceramic wall hanging is a rough oblong form with a moon like shape carved from the center. It is made from slabs of clay and carved into to create an assortment of textures. Some of them even look like snake skin or deer antlers. Although I don’t think that this composition is a very strong one, it is interesting. I think the composition of the sculpture in 3-dimensional form instead of a 2-dimensional photograph is much stronger. I like the balance that is created and how the shadows generate depth.

4- I am not sure if this photograph really tells much of a story. The piece itself is created through textures and shapes; this does come across in the picture but I guess I didn’t make the wall hanging with a specific story in mind. The photograph is similar to the style of one that I would use in my art portfolio so in some ways it does tell a story about me and the kind of works I enjoy doing. Many of my pieces are very textual based so I think this represents me fairly well. If I were to name the photo using one simple word, it would be tactile. According to the dictionary, tactile has to do with the sense of touch and that is exactly what this pieced provokes the viewer to do. As with many textures, the view is enticed to feel or touch the object and to discover if the texture is actual or simulated.

5- Most of the sculptures that I saw of Richard Serra’s were made from molten lead, sheet metal, or steel and were large scale assemblies. The texture is commonly that of the natural rust of the metal which looks smooth in photographs but I am sure is somewhat rough. A lot of his sculptures also play up the perspective element which my photography focuses on. The textures in my picture are much rougher than those that Serra uses in his sculptures. His drawings, on the other hand have a very dark foreground and are texture focused. The ones that I saw looked like he uses charcoal for his sketches, and creates texture through his loose marks in the background. I think my photograph connects to Richard Serra’s through expression and through the amount of emphasis that is placed on perspective and texture.

Week 4~ Expression & Value

1-4. My immediate response of this photograph is that the expression on my puppies face is very happy. Cooper is a 9 month old corgi who loves going on walks and playing catch. I took this picture as cooper was begging to play catch in the front yard. Corgis have a unique way of looking like they are smiling when they get excited. I love how this photo captures that emotion; every time I look at this photo, I can’t help but smile myself. Not only does this picture tell a story in itself, when I look at it, I’m reminded of the many memories that I have with my puppy and I realize how much I miss him. Since Cooper is a tri-colored corgi, this black and white photograph has a wide range of values. I took the picture while looking down at him; he’s positioned diagonally on the horizontal picture plane. The composition of the photograph is balanced but I don’t feel it is one of my strongest compositions. There is good line quality and I really like the textural look that the grass in the background provides. I am drawn to the dogs face because his tongue is sticking out and the black nose becomes somewhat of an emphasis because of the lighter white fur around it.

5. Most of the drawings and paintings that I saw of Edgar Degas’ were of very free and emotional figures, like ballerinas. He uses lines and shading to create motion and value. I really like that he can use the simplest line but it comes across as a strong detail in the drawing. Degas shows his emphasis in the design through the darkest areas which become a focal point. Although my photograph is of an animal there are still distinct lines and shape in the composition just like Degas' sketches. Another connection between my photo and Edgar Degas’ works are that the expression is evident and there is a definite story being told.

Week 3 ~ Chiaroscuro

1. When looking at this photograph, my eye is drawn to the distinct shape of the cast shadow. The placement of the pinecone in the picture plane is pleasing to the eye and balances well with the shadows to make a strong composition. The deep black core of the shadow is an intriguing part of the pinecone to me. It helps to draw my eyes into and through the composition along with adding emphasis by showing a wide range of values.

2 & 3. This black and white photo is of a pinecone on a wooden table. The pinecone is placed in the top right corner of the picture plane with a strong cast shadow in the bottom left corner. The lighting is coming from the right side of the picture so there are highlights on that side of the pinecone. This photograph is an example of chiaroscuro because it has volume, space, shape, depth, and mass which are all illustrated through the different values. These values or light effects include; highlights, light, shadow, the core of shadow, reflected light, the cast shadow. The line quality of the pinecone is captivating even though the line quality/sharpness of the photograph isn’t the greatest.

4. My family’s tradition of a week long vacation in Wyoming every summer is our time of relaxation and reflection. This is a pinecone that I found on Snowy Range; it is a symbol of many memories to me and defiantly tells a story. If I were to name this photograph in one word, it would be reflective. Not only because of the memories that I reflect on when I see it, it’s also because the pinecone’s shadow appeared to be a reflection in the photo.

5. Much of Albrecht Durer’s work is very expressive and detailed. He uses hatching to create volume, shape, and motion. Although the values and shading in a photo are a lot different than a drawing with contour lines and crosshatching, my picture does show the same range in values are he illustrates through his sketches. Many of Durer’s drawings that I saw were complicated in the subject matter and in the detail. His sketch, “six pillows” probably relates the most to my photograph because it a more simplistic subject but still shows great depth and value.

Week 2 ~ Line & Rhythm

1. The movement of the overall composition stands out to me the most in this photograph. If I hadn't taken the picture, I think I would have been affected the most by my curiosity. Although the picture is very abstract, the rhythm of the lines creates a motion that is intriguing to the viewer. The photo creates somewhat of an illusion when stared at because the focus varies from the shadows and green color in the background compared to the stark white lines in the foreground.

2. This picture is an abstract photo of a small white and green fan. The plastic exterior lines of the fan are sweeping downward in a slight spiral motion and you can see the edge of the speed adjustment button in the top right corner. The back side of the fan is green so you can see that color through the spaces between the white plastic along with black shadows.

3. The composition of this picture is asymmetrical and it shows space well. Rhythm is shown through the repeated lines and shadows that bring the eye into the picture and keep the viewer engaged. Line is demonstrated by the thick white plastic pieces and even the highlights on the plastic create lines. The color is pleasing in this composition because the shadows create interest and the green in the background balances with the white lines in the foreground.

4. The photograph tells a story of creating curiosity and rhythm. It’s highlights and shadows create an interesting composition that make the viewer keep looking for more. If I could describe this photography in one word it would be intriguing.

5. His sketches use a lot of hatching and thick outlines of the contour and portray a lot of emotion. Daumier uses lines very freely and expressive, almost in a gesture form. All of the drawings that I saw of his were of people so that does not really relate to my photograph but my picture does use line as an emphasis just like his drawings.

Week 1 ~ Expression

1. Living for the moment is what comes to my mind when I see this photograph. My impression of this picture is that it’s a real life situation that definitely tells a story. I am affected by the story that it tells because I can remember exactly how I felt at that same time. I love that I was able to catch the joyful expression and excitement on the student’s faces and the always famous high-five given after a touchdown in this action shot.

2. This vertical photograph was taken on Thursday night at the first FHSU football game. As true fans of the Tigers, students were dressed from head to toe in black and gold. This photograph captures an “elite group of gentlemen” who felt the need to go shirtless and paint their chests black! The excitement after a touchdown is scored is captured in this picture as two guys are about to give one another a high-five and the man in the center smiles and claps.

3. The composition of this photograph is one that helps to show emphasis to the expression on the faces by using the outstretched arms as directional lines to bring the viewers eyes onto the to a focus point. The color is rich and dark in many values. I chose to use a blur tool in the background to help define the intended focus. The figures are placed well within the space and fill the picture evenly. The man in the center of the pictures hands help to add balance to the hand at the top of the page and bring the focal point out of the center. Overall, I like the color and composition of this photography, I wish it wouldn’t have been so pixilated or blurry but it was taken from across the field so that is understandable!

4. This picture definitely has a strong story to tell since it was taken right after a 96 yard run on a kick off return for a touchdown! I am not sure there was a person in the stadium that wasn’t cheering and giving a high-five to their neighbor much like these students. The expression on the faces of the students is very enthusiastic and happy, I really like the fact that the picture simply portrays them living in the moment. If I could name this picture using one simple noun it would be, Touchdown.

5. Kathe Kollwitz was able to portray true emotion and deep expression into her drawings. From what I have seen of her drawings, many of them have a saddened expression or are very passionate and thoughtful people. Although my picture is one that shows the expressions of excitement and joy, there is still somewhat of a connection between the two. There is an obvious show of expression and emotion and they both show a real situation. Many of her drawing were very serious and so real; they were in the moment and active much like my photo.