COMPOSITION: Parts of the Puzzle

Melissa Milks

Last night the class completed the composition project "Parts of the Puzzle." By using only one type of curvilinear shape, one type of line and one type of rectilinear shape students were tasked with making varied compositions while trying to create additional shapes by cropping, overlapping and joining the existing elements. Notice in the arrangements above how the zig-zag line creates triangles (upper right) or cracked shapes (upper left). Tilting the rectangle also creates triangles (lower left) in the negative space. In addition, she has effectively employed overlap, size change and location throughout the series of collages.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES: Line and the Illusion of Space

Stacey Murphy-Brown

Last night the class completed the Line and Depth drawings and started the Parts of the Puzzle project. Stacey has created a well balanced composition composed of a large circle in the foreground overlapping smaller circles and squares receding up the picture plane into the background. The sense of depth is enhanced by her use of value as well as diminishing sizes and location. In addition, she has incorporated areas of transparency where the shapes overlap which adds greater visual interest.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES: Line and the Illusion of Depth

Katelynn Pizzio

Last night began with a discussion about the Principles of Design. The project employs the principles of design as well as the distal cues. Working with a specific number of specific shapes the class made drawings illustrating a deep sense of space. Each drawing is rendered with horizontal, parallel lines. One thing to bare in mind is when lines are grouped together they act less like line and more like value.

NOTAN: Representation vs. Distortion

Brendan Powers

On Tuesday the class visited the gallery to see the current Abstract Mix exhibition. The remaining time in class was devoted to completing the next Notan project. Remember to achieve Notan, the positive and negative areas must 1. be able to exchange value, 2. negative areas must be sufficiently enclosed and 3. the positive and negative areas must be able to exchange roles (i.e. positive becomes negative; negative becomes positive).
Brendan has very skillfully met all three requirements. The sequence of the distortions is gradual and varied. In addition, his handling of the materials has created very fluid and viscous lines and shapes.

REPRESENTATION vs. DISTORTION: NOTAN

This two part project addresses the balance and reversability of the positive and negative areas. In the first part, students create a composition of rectangular compartments (no squares) using three colors in a 2, 2, 1 combination. In the second part, students choose a tool (ex. key) and modify and distort the tool so that the shape not only fits the space but achieves the primary requirement of Notan; positive and negative areas must be able to reverse roles (i.e. positive areas may be viewed as negative areas and negative areas may be viewed as positive).

TENSION BETWEEN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE

Emily Riordan

Jessi Davis

Sophia Wiley

Spacing, tension and balance must be given total focus when developing a composition. Last night's collage addressed these three aspects. Students made a design of repeating primary and secondary elements moving down columns. The objective was to achieve total balance between the positive and negative areas without one dominating the other. In all three compositions above , the black and white areas are able to exchange roles. It is possible to see the black areas as positive and the white areas as negative and yet the white areas could also be seen as positive and the black areas negative. Great consideration must be given to the tension and spacing between the columns. In addition, the types of shapes (curves, angles, etc) as well as whether a shape is concave or convex profoundly affects the balance between the dark and light areas.

MANDALA

Diana Douch

Jessica Schweizer

Katelynn Pizzio

Last Thursday, we continued working with symmetrical compositions and exploring the balance of light and dark areas. The project was to create a mandala. There were many great designs. The three here illustrate some unique elements. Diana has continued her nature theme by including the central bee character and the winding vine. Jessica has employed bold line and shape elements within a three toned design reminiscent of stained glass. And lastly Katelynn's drawing appears to revolve due to the shark fin and wavy outside shapes.

NOTAN: Expansion of the Square

Bettina Schoefer Gordon

Katelynn Pizzio

Vicotria Le

Last Thursday the class continued exploring positive and negative relationships. Working with a 5 in. square the class made symmetrical compositions by cutting and flipping the pieces without destroying the square or having any waste. The real challenge was creating a composition with a strong central, dominant shape.
Bettina's design has a spider-like quality with arcing diagonals and a bold, convex central shape. The outside curvature is a good contrast to the straight lines of the square.
Katelynn has skillfully introduced a circular shape into the design. The protruding linear elements imply diagonals again in contrast to the square.
Victoria has created a very dynamic design with diagonals inside the the square. Again, the central shape is convex with elements shooting outward from the core.