khilieksdesign

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Fundamentals of Composition and Design in Fine Art

This assignment introduces the fundamentals of composition and design in fine art through a structured exercise called the "Four Square Exercise." By exploring how composition influences meaning, students will engage with both their own design choices and the analysis of an existing artwork.

Part 1

Part 2-

 Artwork Analysis Select an artwork that demonstrates strong compositional choices. 

Man at the Crossroads (renamed Man, Controller of the Universe.) was a fresco painted by Diego Rivera in 1933. It originally was painted on the lobby of the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The main theme of this painting was to show the contrasting ideas of capitalism and socialism, although many critics voiced that the depictions were anti-capitalist propaganda. These depictions also include a portrait of Vladimir Lenin, which was asked to be removed by Nelson Rockefeller. When Rivera refused, the painting was plastered over before it was finished.The mural was later repainted after the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes opened on November 29, 1934 in Mexico City.

Man at the Crossroads (Man, Controller of the Universe.) uses a radial composition, with a worker operating a machine in the center. This figure represents how humanity sits in the center of the two separate ideas (socialism and capitalism). The radial composition is also able to separate the contrasting ideas into “pods” that each has its own element from Greek sculptures to modern and violent scenes. With the converging depictions of science and astrology, Riviera expresses how innovation can often contrast with these ideas. 

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Color Theory in Arcane

One of my favorite series is the recent animated show called Arcane. It’s an in depth story-based installment from the MMORPG League of Legends. One thing Arcane does really well is using/associating the color with status. For example, we see a divide between two regions of a large mecha city mentioned in the show: Zuan and Piltover. Piltover was built on top of Zaun and is mostly known for being where the higher class lives. Buildings and its citizen’s clothing in Piltover have fresh and bright colors such as blue, green, bright red, white, and gold. 

 Most pollution and waste gets filtered into the pipes and vents that go directly into Zuan. As a result, Zaun and its population have mostly dull and dark colors such as soiled whites, grey, black, brown, and can appear with  fluorescent lighting like neon green and dark red. 

Colors in Arcane also appear on character design in the form of small streaks or full color palettes. These characters come from diverse backgrounds, their roles in the story stimulated from their values and backgrounds. We can take one character named Powder/Jinx, who’s previous designs in the show had more of an electric blue and a dark pink in their clothing and hair. This character underwent a pivotal moment in the story where they realize change is the solution to peace and their eyes actually turn a more prominent shade of pink.(I would like to say magenta.) This change or “realization” is frequently represented by the color pink throughout the show, with emphasis on how the color is further developed. We also see pink in another important character named Vi. Their original hair color was a light pink, until they too, underwent a pivotal moment where they realized change was beneficial. However, this character instead turned to violence, which is later represented by her hair turning a darker red . 

Vi and Jinx are two opposing figures that can possibly represent change by innovation (electric blue) and brute force (red). They each play a significant role in the story- being leaders and advocates for peace and equality between the two cities.

[khilieksdesign]

The film Prospectus Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer, directed by Thom Andersen, explores the work of Eadweard Muybridge. Muybridge was a notable photographer in the 1890s, who was interested in capturing motion in pictures. He designed and invented a projector that displayed the motion pictures he captured at a fast rate, similar to modern-day animation. Narrated by Dean Stockwell, the film suggests that Muybridge's main contribution to the worlds of visual photography and film made it possible to trick the eye into thinking a still image of an object is moving through a sequence of photos.

The audience is encouraged to take a different approach to Muybridge's work by highlighting how the various muscles of the being captured contribute to the likeness of the subject. The film also includes many still shots of the same subject but from different camera angles. This suggests that all photos can tell a story or state of existence beyond a camera's static image or stillness. There are many references to Muybridge's discovery of motion pictures, including the ever-present horse galloping sequence. This example is commonly found in antiques and children's toys, reminding us of how cinema developed from these photos. As a result, Muybridge's original work has been stored and preserved by the Library of Congress due to its historical and aesthetic significance.

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My Take on Plato's Cave -Sussan Sontag

In "In Plato's Cave" from On Photography, Susan Sontag explores the idea that photographs, much like the shadows on the walls of Plato's cave, offer only a limited and distorted representation of reality. Additionally, Susan Sontag’s take on the interpretation of photos highlights the human desire for power, knowledge, stability and the feeling of nostalgia. Photographs themselves can also be considered a more “simpler” approach to how we personally view and understand the world. Such altered perspectives create distance between a photograph and the viewer as the lack of context and availability for interpretation/ self-constructed narratives.For example, she states, "Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy.”

One message Sontag effectively conveys is that photographs, being mere fragments of reality, are only pieces to a full, complex story or event being represented. The main issue is the audience choosing to ignore such complexities, in reference to my previous post, and create a more ”simpler” narrative for an image. But nowadays, people are more addicted to images than ever before, seeking validation and meaning through captured, and often altered, frames of life. My art teacher once said: “Meaning is dead; only vibes matter. ”And I think that quote directly resonates with Sontag’s example of the various photographs taken during the Vietnamese war like the “Napalm Girl.” The viewer/audience may not have the full meaning/context of the actual event, but seeing something so obscene and prolific is probably one of the best ways to get the viewer thinking, seeking a more complex understanding of the world beyond the images we consume.

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At first glance, Adam Curtis’ documentary on HyperNormalism seems like a collage of archival footage that evokes thoughtful, and often, intense emotions. However, through this visual storytelling, we as an audience are able to look at the world in another perspective, almost like a third point of view. This not only creates a timeline-like narrative, but introduces a sense of tension/build-up as the story progresses. What looked like normal and common scenarios to us, back then, now takes on a completely different meaning as we explore the ideas of distorted realities, balance of power, and the consequences of ignoring human complexities

Curtis often uses archival footage that allows the story to speak for/enact itself, showing the altered psychedelics of the human condition, which often lead to violent and almost surreal events. This surreality is enhanced in addition to the use of sound and music.These qualities play an important role by creating an engaging and luring atmosphere for the audience. Such implications often range from a trance-like, hypnotic lullaby to somber and evocative melodies. But what really sells that cake, is Curtis’ ability to set the audience up for his insight on historical events. His narration comes into play almost like the glue to each piece of footage- it not only provides context but connects the ideas together and provides a critical analysis of the events being shown. 

To me, the film HyperNormalisation feels like a fever dream as I, the viewer, take on a different way of thinking that I am normally accustomed to. (Drawing a connection from W.E.I.R.D.consciousness.)  At times I feel called out, almost undermined for allowing similar complexities of my personal life to fester all for the sake of building my own reality, or rather “echo bubble.” With that being said, one of the main things that archives can discourage is that “confirmation bias” way of thinking. We as academics, working class, even younger generations can learn to step out of our comfort zones, broaden our perspective, and continue to challenge our understanding of the world. 

Because that’s what archives are, storaged pieces of a whole.

Until next time folks… Keep it greasy.🤤

[khilieksdesign]

#ghosting

"Your absence can teach what your presence couldn't. Let the void speak your worth."

[khilieksdesign]

i bought a sketchbook recently. This maybe a new chapter in my life :)