visual unity/harmony
DESCRIPTION
Visual Unity/Harmony. No organization: Chaotic. No organization: a mess. No organization: no part of the image is more important the any other. It is an ‘all-over’ image, allowing the viewer to scan the entirety rather than zoom in on any one part. Jackson Pollock, There were seven in eight. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Visual Unity/Harmony
No organization: Chaotic
No organization: a mess
No organization: no part of the image is more important the any other. It is an ‘all-over’ image, allowing the viewer to scan the entirety rather than zoom in
on any one part.
Jackson Pollock, There were seven in eight
Gestalt: A Unified Whole• Gestalt theory: Visual imagery is understood
holistically before it is examined separately. We look at the whole puzzle before individual pieces.
• A succesful composition feels unified, but on analysis can be broken down into: – Grouping– Containment– Proximity– Repetition– Continuity– ClosureThese elements work together to create a unified whole.
Jennifer Bartlet, Alphabet
GROUPING organizing a composition based on similarities, based on location, type, color, etc
Indian Miniature Painting, watercolor on paper
Bruegel, Dutch Proverbs
Bruegel, The Harvesters
October, Janet Fish
Containment and Grouping: edges around objects help us further group them
Proximity- nearby objects are read as being together
Andy Warhol, Scandinavian Airlines
Fusion-shapes share edges, so that new shapes are formed
Frank Stella
Repetition: we see the same visual effect over and over
Edgar Degas, the Millinery shop
Repetition Creating a diagonal orientation
Edgar Degas, Ballet Dancers
Kitagawa Unamaro, Enjoying the cool evening breeze on and under the bridge
Jennifer Bartlett, AIR 24 hours, 11
Continuation: a fluid connection between parts
Balthus, the Living Room
This can lead to a sense of movement
Rosenquist, Women’s Intuition
Continuity creating movement
Thomas Eakins, Swimming
Closure: a mind’s inclination to connect fragmentary information to create a
complete form.
Chuck Close, Phil
Wassily Kandinsky, Circles in a Circle
What principles of Gestalt Theory are present?
Variety
• DIFFERENCEUnity and variety are the basis of good
compositions—a piece should feel unified so that all elements are working together and nothing seems ‘out of place’,
BUTWe Varied enough so that there are elements of
interest, we don’t get bored.
How is variety presented in this piece?
Marilyn Minter, M & E
Alexander Calder, Spirals
Are both unity and variety present?
Ryan McGinness, Aesthetic Comfort