Design Principle - Task 2 Visual Analysis

21/2/2024 - 6/3/2024 (Week 3 - Week 5)
Katelyn Tan Kye Ling (0354148)
Bachelor Of Design In Creative Media (Design Principles)
Task 2


INSTRUCTION

Task 2 Recap:
This task requires us students to visually analysis the artwork and it is a method of understanding design that focuses on the visual elements and principles.
Doing visual analysis can go through 3 phrases:
1. Observation
    - To look closely and identify visual elements and describing them without researching anything               about the artist or the artwork.
2. Analysis
    - Requires you to think about your observations and explain how and which design principle apply to        the artwork. Make statements about the work based on the evidence of your observations.
3. Interpretation
    - Find the meaning of the design and why it was created. Go in depth and research on the artwork and        the artist, and even the techniques used in the artwork.

Observation:

This artwork is painted in a portrait format painted by “The Chris Artist”. The first thing I observed was a skeleton of an animal standing in a very dry and hot area. The scenery in the whole painting has many dead and dried up naked trees, along with a very blazing hot sun on the right side of the painting and dark clouds. It also can be seen that the whole ground is dried and cracked as well. As for visual elements, the main colours are red, orange and brown. Overall, this artwork is very simple and mostly uses colours from the warmer section. Furthermore, everything in the design is very neat and can be clearly distinguished. (117 Words)


Analysis:

The first thing I analysed was repetition as there were many trees and clouds found in the background of the painting. There is emphasis used to create dominance and focus on both the skeleton and the sun as the painting of the sun and surrounding of the skeleton is a brighter shade. Furthermore, the golden ratio and rule of thirds is used in this painting which creates visual balance and structure. In addition, there also is unity. There is repetition of particular elements like the colours and shapes which gives the painting a sense of oneness. (96 words)


Interpretation:

This artwork was a personal response from the artist reflecting his anxiety regarding global warming and heat waves of 2022 in the UK. From exploring the page of “The Chris Artist”, I can see that he mostly works with watercolours and he mentioned that he mainly did paintings of sceneries inspired by his local area.  'Watercolour' denotes a painting medium in which colour pigments are bound in water-soluble agents. It dates from Stone Age cave painting when early Paleolithic man first painted pictures on their caves using charcoal, ochre and other natural pigments. (Watercolour Painting: Techniques, Origins, History, n.d.-b)  Fig 1.1 & 1.2 and this artwork both use bold colours and are artworks regarding climate change. (119 Words)


Total Wordcount: 332


Fig. 1.1 Increasing Forest Fire Activity (2015)

Landscape of Change by Jill Pelto (2015)

Watercolour painting: techniques, origins, history. (n.d.-b).  



WEEKLY FEEDBACK

Week 4:
- Add a task 2 recap.
- Can research about history and different techniques of watercolour.
- Find examples of similar artworks by other artists to this artworks.
- Point out the style of this artist and what he usually designs about.

Week 5:
- Cannot be more than 350 words.
- No need to compare the artworks, just write the similarities.
- Further reading can shorten, no need so much.

REFLECTION
Experience
This assignment was quite an interesting but at the same time tough one for me. I enjoyed analysing the painting and closely observing it. It helps me see the details of the artwork and understand it better. Applying and understanding how to use the different design principles was also fascinating as now I have a slightly better understanding of how it can be used in a piece of artwork. Furthermore, researching about the watercolour techniques was also cool as I learnt more about the tips of working with watercolour painting. 

Observation
I observed that design principles are actually really important, it can help make an artwork much more put together which gives it visual balance. I also observed different watercolour painting techniques used in the artwork as previously I did not know that there were so many techniques. I also observed that many artist actually express their emotions or thoughts towards something through paintings. Like the two artists above both express their anxiety and threat towards the recent climate change.

Findings
At first, I thought that doing visual analysis was something easy. However after some further reading and research, I find that it is not as easy. Lots of detailed observation, analysing and as well as research has to be done. Visual analysing is not something you can do by just looking at the surface of an art piece. I also find myself appreciating watercolour paintings more, I really would like to learn it as I only just found out the many techniques there is for watercolour painting.



FURTHER READING

Visual Analysis
"Visual Analysis is the backbone of art appreciation. It takes a bit of practice, but once you have mastered the skills, it can help you to analyze any works of art you come across. It will even help you to understand why things you see every day. In order to perform a visual analysis, you need to realize that in every visual image there are multiple things at work that affect our response to it: the visual elements (also called formal elements) that compose the image; the way these elements relate to one another, called composition; and the cultural context in which the image is made and viewed.(Mittman, 2023)

The Elements of Art
Line: A path either represented or implied
Shape: The property of a two-dimensional form, usually defined by a line around it
Color: The light reflecting off objects, divided into hue, value and intensity
Space: Depth, real or represented, as well as the general area within a work
Form: The property of a three-dimensional object
Texture: The feeling of a surface, real or represented
How to Analyse Art: (Scott D., 2023)
I was reading about visual analysis and came upon this website. There were a few points there that I thought were really good points that I'd like to share.

  • What Are the Main Focal Points and Any Other Key Features?
Have a think about what areas the artist wants you to look at. What areas are being emphasized and what areas are left vague? Where are your eyes drawn towards in the painting? Then, go a step further and analyze how the artist is emphasizing these areas.

  • What Path Do Your Eyes Take Around the Painting?

Look at the artwork and let your eyes naturally follow through the painting. This can be difficult to do
when you are trying to analyze a painting. Try to relax and don’t overthink it. The path your eyes take reveals a lot of information about how the artwork is put together. In the painting below I indicate the path my eyes take through the painting.

  • How Is Everything Connected?
Most paintings seem to be comprised of:|
  • Elements which are connected and flow nicely together; and|
  • Powerful statements which abruptly stop this flow.

  • What Is the Artist Trying to Say?
    This is a very high-level analysis of the painting. Take a step back and think about what the artist is actually trying to say. What was the artist thinking when they painted it? Sometimes it might just be to communicate the beauty of the landscape the artist saw. Or it might be something deeper.

Reference List (Further Reading):

Mittman, A. S. (2023, August 2). Visual Analysis 1: The elements of artPressbooks. https://pressbooks.calstate.edu/lookatthis/chapter/the-elements-of-art/

Scott, D. (2023, March 3). How to analyze art. Draw Paint Academy. https://drawpaintacademy.com/analyze-art/


Jod

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