This reading on the basic elements of art: line, shape, value, and color, was a little bit more down to earth and easier to comprehend than that last reading. Mary Stewart's discussion on the unique characteristics of these basic elements of art and her analysis of their uses in art was very informative. Her basic definitions, cross referenced with excellent examples of how these principles were used by various artists, in different mediums made the concepts easy to understand.
In her discussion of line, one of the most basic and elemental components of design, Stewart began with a basic definition of what a line was and then moved on to discuss different types of lines and the varying techniques that artists use to develope expression and effect, with lines. One of my favorite types of lines is the Calligraphic line, Stewart informs us was derived from the Greek words kalus, meaning "beautiful" and graphein, meaning "to write". I enjoy writing poetry using calligraphy. Like the poetry itself, the calligraphic lines used to compose it tell their own story and have their own expression.
In her section on shape, Stewart describes how powerful the use of both flat and gradated shapes can be for graphic designers. She talks about how different types of shapes can be employed to emphasize different forms of expression. Stewart discusses the different types of shapes and how they are formed; such as Rectilinear, "those composed from straight lines and angular corners", and Curvilinear, "those dominated by curves and flowing edges". She also talked about the precise edges and mathematically consistent curves often used in architecture and industry, as well as Organic shapes, more often found in the world of nature.
One of the most interesting things she discussed, in regards to shape, was "ground reversal": when "figures and ground shapes are equally strong", as in M.C. Escher's Metamorphosis ll.
Texture is described by Stewart as "the surface quality of a two-dimensional shape or a three-dimensional volume". One of the cool things about texture, is that it incorporates both the sense of touch, as well a vision. There is physical texture, using variations in the surface of the canvas, such as thickly applied paint; a technique often employed by Rembrandt. Another form of texture is visual; an illusion employed by the use of descriptive simulation of a visual texture. A form of creating texture I have found quite interesting,
is to use letters, numbers, and words. By varying the size density, and orientation of the text, you can affect strong meaning to a verbal texture. I once created a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, using the text of his Gettysburg Address.
Value, referred to as the relative lightness or darkness in an artwork, can be used for a variety of things, such as: creating the illusion of space, suggesting volume, effecting the balance of the composition, or heightening emotion. Using darker values in a piece adds an element of mystery, or drama, illustrated by Ray K. Metzker's "Philidelphia". Using lighter values emulates optimism, openness, and may express clarity. In the book, the example given is Conley Harris' "Doubles/Triples, Italy". To create a dramatic effect when I draw using charcoal, I employ a technique called "chiaroscuro", literally meaning "light-dark". I use a dark background to create contrast, with the focus being on the strongly emphasized values within the primary light source.
All pretty basic stuff... but still the most valuable tools in any artists toolbox :)
Bentkowska-Kafel, Anna, Trish Cashen, and Hazel Gardiner. "Aesthetics and Interactive."Digital Visual Culture: Theory and Practice. Vol. 3. Bristol, UK: Intellect, 2009. 15-22. Print.
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