Extensive General Overview & Notes
Rocky Outcrop - Term 2 - Week 2
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Arrange the still life so that in your imagination you can pass between the objects to the back of the picture. This approach will relax the mind of the viewer.
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Start in the top of the picture which is at the top of the objects. Work from the furthest objects to the closest. Remember to overlap the different shapes and sizes to create an interesting composition and perspective. Vanishing points will not be explored in this theme.
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As the objects placed overlapping move towards the viewer try not to place them directly in front of each other. Move the objects slightly to the left or right to have it still overlapping, but not creating visual confusion. Use your artistic license to iron out these issues with your arrangement.
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Some objects will be elliptical so again practice your ellipses as you did in Week 9 in your visual diary or Kraft pad.
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Draw in your shapes very softly at first and once you are happy with your shapes you can increase the shading, contrast and tonal values to gradually build up the picture.
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Some of this metal objects theme is about parallel lines in vertical, horizontal and diagonal directions. Pay close attention to the demonstration videos regarding the issues around parallel lines.
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Remember to look at the theme more than your picture. Glancing at it frequently which will connect you to both in a more beneficial way.
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Metal objects are shiny and reflective, also dull or dark, very variable in tonal values and appearance, mostly smooth but sometimes textured ie. cheese grater.
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They have a huge tonal range from the brightest brights to the darkest darks and everything in-between.
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Composition and contrast - a) Compose image so that you have unbalanced structure and variable subject matter in the cluster of rocks and bull rushes. b) Contrast the rocks against the bull rushes by switching techniques from skating, linework and tracking. Use strong and variable tonal changes to describe the contrast. c) Again remember colourists, that there are many colours to describe a range of greens (i.e blues, greens, bone tones, purples, browns, blacks, whites etc.)
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Perspective and depth of field - a) The golden section was invented in the renaissance to help aid perspective in a more natural way. Throw your picture off balance by not centering the main features. b) Background will be vague and muted, mid-ground will be more informed with more colour and contrast while the foreground will have the most colour meaning strongest and sharpest lights and darks.
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Think of your picture as being in three sections. The top third equals the background, the middle third equals the mid-ground and the bottom third equals the foreground.
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Look at the directional nature of shadows.