Nov 7, 2017

PROJECT 07 - COLOR RELATIONSHIP COMPOSITIONS USING COLOR WHEEL (COLOR THEORY)

DUE DATES: 
Wednesday/Thursday, November 15th /16th 

IMPORTANT: You will be responsible for an additional series of three 9"x12" during the holiday break. Both series of 3 designs will be presented for JURIES.

Create a series of three dynamic compositions (3 of the same). Select 3 different combinations of COLOR RELATIONSHIPS from color wheel for your compositions. You will find the descriptions below from the links provided. Composition will remain the same on all three. Changes will happen with the selection from three of the six different color combinations. 

Next: Select 3 color relationships from the 6 choices below (info provided from links and reference info below). Identify the color relationship and the original hues and write the information on the back of each composition with your name: 

Formal color relationships: analogous, monochromatic, complimentary, split complimentary, double complimentary, triad.

Inspire yourself with images from nature, anything that has interesting details you can reference to build your concepts. You will be required to find a close up of image from nature or other non-represntational elements that has detailed areas of interest where you can see different design elements in the shapes of the image. This an interpretive composition. Use this as your blueprint to draw from. It can be inspired from your own creativity or from the shapes of images that exist in nature. Look at the details. explore, look beyond just the simple image of, i.e…  a flower, leaves, shattered glass, grid systems, etc... Deconstruct the shapes and details, make them work together, reconstruct, interpret the shapes and create your own design. Nature has many dynamic shapes that can inspire ideas. Interpret and recreate your own version. You can use cropping L's or form a rectangle with your hands to focus in and search for select areas in the image. The cropping is to show how scale works in relation to the page size which is 9"x12". Look beyond the actual literal image and use the shapes to elaborate on your ideas for your drawing. Be creative and inspired. Again, variations in size of shapes, create focal areas, unity, flow, cohesive, deconstruct, interpretive, flat colors, solid colors, use contrast in size of shapes, focal areas, scale, broad range of values. Use your judgement on Aesthetics and provide creative visiual solutions please.

THREE (3) Color Relationship Studies will be chosen from the Color Wheel. 
ALL questions can be answered from these links below.
PLEASE READ AND RESEARCH!



Create three repetitive compositions on 9”x 12” paper using the three different color relationships from the color wheel. Repeat same composition on each one. Using paints, execute your compositions using your chosen color relationships, use the pure saturated colors and their shades, tones and tints. you may use white to lighten or desaturate the colors (muted colors).

To choose your color relationship, you will select your main hue as starting point and from that point, you will analyze and develop its relationships according to the color wheel. YOU must refer to the color wheel and the examples from the different combinations from the color wheel posted from the blog. Go back to the reference material on the color theory chapter of the blog. YOU MUST LEARN THE COLOR WHEEL AND ALL ITS RELATIONSHIPS.

Start anywhere on the color wheel, but you must respect the color relationships that are created from the main hue chosen. DO not deviate from the color selections. Where do the colors fall when using each relationship. you are to stick to them but can use pure color and incorporate tones and tints of that particular hue.

    - Complimentary colors
    - Split Complimentary colors
    - Double Complimentary colors
    - Analogous colors - Colors next to each other on the color wheel
    - Monochromatic colors
    - Triad

 Process / RECAP

•  Sketch out 4-6 different thumbnails for your desired composition. as many sketches needed to find
   the right solution for your painting. Experiment with pencil and play with color (color pencils or
   paint or watercolor) in your sketchbook so you can explore and figure out how the different
   relationships work together. Map out your sketch with light pencil drawing to insure placement
   of hues.
•  Write down your 3 final color relation selections and their proper color.
•  Select the strongest composition to execute your final 9”x 12” painting.
•  Consult with teacher for final selection of strongest concepts.

Again you will be graded on understanding of how to use color wheel and and it's color relationships, creativity, aesthetics, craftsmanship, use of color variations, use range of values, hierarchy of shapes in your design, harmony within the composition. Clean edges, solid, flat colors, no shading, Clean brush strokes. Be clean and neat.

Materials
• White Bristol 9”x12” format (3 final paintings)
• Paint with a wide range of values from the pure saturated colors including the tints tones and shades. All solid, flat colors. no blending. clean, well defined shapes. be aware of clean edges. clean shapes.

Check Georgia O’Keefe's work

Students Samples:

Focus on the individual compositions. look at repetition and the different color selections and how they are used. This is past work from prior 9th grade classes. Study them.


 







 






REFERENCE: The Color Wheel / Color Combinations



COLOR WHEEL: A color wheel (also referred to as a color circle) is a visual representation of colors arranged according to their chromatic relationship.

IMPORTANT LINKS TO COLOR THEORY
AND TERMINOLOGY























Monochromatic Colors are shades (add black) or tints (add white) variations of the same hue. There is a risk of monotony but using it with pure colors, white or black can break that dullness.






Analog Colors lie on either side of any given color. Often these are color schemes found in nature so they usually feel harmonious.







Complimentary Color are directly opposite from one another on the color wheel. They are contrasting and stand out against each other; it is a good idea to use a complementary color as the highlight color.






Split C
omplementary Colors is a color and the analogous colors to its complement color. This combination give you a greater harmony than the use of the direct complementary and can give your design a higher degree of contrast.






Double-Complementary Colors are two complementary color sets; the distance between selected complementary pairs will effect the overall contrast of the final composition.








Triad Colors are three hues halfway on the color wheel. When you want a design that is colorful and yet balanced, a triad color scheme might be the way to go.

Nov 2, 2017

PROJECT 06: Figure/Ground Relationships (Space is Shape)

Project Due Date: Critique, Beginning of class

Section 1/Samimy: Monday, Nov. 6th
Section 2/Samimy: Tuesday, Nov. 7th

Project Description

You should have reviewed and understood the reference material on figure/ground relationships provided below.
Now, create a series of 3 abstract (non-representational) compositions using different cut out shapes in various sizes as necessary. Use the three types of figure/ground relationship to create a unique and effective composition. Use contrasting (variation in size) shapes against each other, layer shapes as you need, merge them together or place them stratigically keeping in mind the aesthetics of your composition. Crop, combine, repeat, mirror, rotate, enlarge, and/or reduce the shapes. Think about the following concepts listed below and the meaning of each relationship. Think creatively, aesthetically and be innovative:
  • Figure/ground relationship- stable/reversible/ambiguous
  • Balance- symmetrical/asymmetrica/all-over, equalized tension
  • Composition- dynamic/static
  • Vertical/diagonal/horizontal
  • Hierarchy (emphasis)
  • Movement/directionality

Process

    Homework
    Start doing thumbnails with pencil or black construction paper in your sketchbook, at least 4 different ideas for each composition (total 12 thumbnails on sketchbook.) If you haven't found a strong solution/idea… more thumbnail sketches will be necessary! 
      Class time-
      At start of class, consult with your teacher and select the best pieces. Choose 3 final designs that distribute positive and negative space into fluid, balanced compositions following the three required relationships. Note: You can explore enlarging the whole composition or some parts, cropping, adding or deleting shapes.
        Re-create the three selected compositions with black/colored, and white construction paper. Use the same type of paper for your 3 compositions, so you do not have any change in white/black/colored shapes.

        You will be graded on completion of thumbnail ideas, well resolved compositions, creativity, aesthetics, craftsmanship, neatness, class participation during critique. Deadlines must respected.

          Materials

          • black construction paper or colored paper of your choice
          • x-acto knife/sharp scissors
          • rubber cement or elmers type glue or glue stick
          • (3) 9" x 12" paper 

          Students Samples
            
            






          REFERENCE: Figure-Ground Relationship

          Figure/Ground Relationship

          The figure/Ground relationship is the most basic of all relationships in design. It refers to the relationship between positive and negative shapes, and is used as an aid in 2-D composition. 

          In art/design, one way we define space is by placing objects in it. This creates a relationship (object-in-space). Something and nothing. Placing an object IN space, defines that space, and CREATES a Figure/Ground Relationship. The object becomes the figure, and the space becomes the ground. 

          Here is another way to think about it: The part of a composition that we pay attention to is called figure.  Everything that is not figure is ground. As attention shifts an object can go from figure to ground and back. Positive/Negative shape are analogous terms for Figure/Ground. 




          Three Main Types of Figure/Ground Relationships

          The figure and ground are inseparable. The figure always defines the ground, and the ground defines the figure. If you draw the figure in a composition, you are drawing the ground at the same time.

          Stable-  Unchanging. You know what the figure is, and what the ground is. The focus of our attention does not change. 

          Reversible- The positive and negative space/elements attract our attention equally. Our attention is drawn back and forth between the two. 

          Ambiguous- The positive and negative space/elements challenge the viewer to find a focal point. What is the figure? What is the ground? Figure is entangled with ground without dominance. Ambiguous f/g relationships are usually abstract. See example below.

          Rubin vase—an ambiguous figure/ground illusion. When you see the faces as figure, the vase is the ground. When you see the vase as figure, the faces are the ground.
          The viewer shifts from one figure to the other but do not to see both as figure at the same time.





          Compositional element within F/G relationships

          Active- group elements off-center (asymmetrical) to create visual movement. 
          Neutral- centered compositions are stable, not dynamic. Do not center! 
          Bleeding- dynamic (it bleeds of the page, and can’t be contained)
          Cropping- creates abstraction

          Balance in F/G relationship 

          In Stable relationship- balance (size/shape) = unified design.
          In Reversible relationship-  balance (size/shape) = tension. which is which?
          In Ambiguous relationship- balance (size/shape) = action. all space is active. 




          Tips on working with figure/ground

          • Balancing figure and ground make the composition more clear.
          • Using unusual figure/ground relationships can add interest.
          • Spaces with convex (a), symmetric (b), smaller in area (c) or enclosed (d) shapes are “seen” as figure.
          • An expressive use of white space requires an asymmetrical design. Centering kills the white space (dividing it into unusable emptiness). Asymmetrical design creates a NEED for interestingly shaped white space. 
          • A deliberate use of white space creates + and - space that are equally important.

          Sample Figure/Ground Relationship Studies