Shape and Space

The image above is an oil painting i did on wood for the shape project. This image has lots of biomorphic or irregular shapes. Subjective shape can also be seen in this image. For example in the area highlighted below it kind of looks like the shape of bunny ears. Visual dominance is also seen in the stark contrast of the black and orange. This contrasts helps the iguana become the focal point.





Shape is an area that stands out in space because of a difference in value, texture, and color. Shape and color are used in pictures to help create a sense of space. Below you will find some artists i have selected to further show this point.



Above is an image by Ron Davis titled Five Block Row. This image was striking to me right away. It got my attention and kept my attention. Here Ron uses a very simple shape: the cube. The cube is the most primitive shape. The cube is one of the most basic building blocks used in second life. This image is successful because of Ron's use of color and value. The color and value in this picture control the direction and duration of the observers attention. The darkest shadow on the right and the cube next to it are clearly the focal points. The viewers eye starts at this point and scans up and toward the right to the following cubes. This scanning process is easy on the viewers eye because of Ron's use of linear perspective. The wonderful colors Ron has added to each side of the cubes has further the viewers ability to recognize the various planes.

Andrew Wyeth is know to paint space in nature. His paintings are often charged with emotion. The objects he paints are often left to stand as psychological and metaphorical significance. As a child Andrew had whooping cough and because of this had a weak body that got sick often. Below is his tempera painting called Northern Point.



In this painting the focal point is the rod on the roof with the ball. I am not sure what this is. My eye is immediately attracted to it. My eye is also brought back to it after i scan the edge of the land that hits the ocean on the right hand side. It is almost as if the land is pointing at the rod on the roof. Space is created in this painting because the rod is so close and the land so far away. Space is also created in this painting between the difference in value of color. Everything in the foreground is a dark value where the rest is light value.

The next image i have choosen is a painting by Bo Bartlett. I love this painting! The horizon line in this painting helps the viewers eye find the focal point which is Bo himself. the wonderful curve of the whale bone (?) he holds keeps our eyes in the sky and makes the viewer continuously encounter the vast sense of space. Our eyes start on the horizon holding a few seconds and go onto the figure to the bone the sky and back to the horizon. The force of duration and direction are strong here.