Friday, May 8, 2020

Terms for Image Observation and Music Video Observation


Artists and designers utilize elements and principles of art and design as well as semiotics to skillfully construct meaning and content with a visual image.



WARM COLOR
Reds, Yellows, Oranges. The visual spectrum of these pigments visually suggest a wider, open space. These colors give the visual illusion of more space, open space, vastness. 


COOL COLOR
Violet, Blue, Green. The visual spectrum of these pigments visually 
suggest a receding of space or closed-in/tight space. 



Cool colors in the background give visual illusion of depth. 
Warm colors in foreground appear to suggest an open space. 


A basic overview of color psychology. 



Color symbols in different cultures. 





NEUTRAL COLOR

Browns and Grays. Colors of the natural world. Made by mixing a cool and warm color. Can range in various levels of saturation. Can visually communicate calmness, even moods. 




BLACK AND WHITE

The absence of color. Visually produces high contrast, harshness, shadows. 
Lacks emotional associations that comes with color. 
Includes a range of grays.







LINES CAN BE ACTUAL OR IMPLIED
Actual line is physically drawn/painted.
Implied lines are not physically drawn, we follow these lines with our eyes. 

VERTICAL LINE
Vertical lines are straight up and down lines that are moving in space without any slant and are perpendicular to horizontal lines. They suggest height and strength because they extend towards the sky and seem unshakeable.


HORIZONTAL LINE
Horizontal lines are straight lines parallel to the horizon that move from left to right. They suggest width, distance, calmness, and stability.

DIAGONAL LINE
Diagonal lines are straight lines that slant in any direction except horizontal or vertical. When in use, they suggest movement or lack of stability.






Diagonal and vertical implied lines are noted in above image:
Gaze (eye direction), space between figures, placement of figure standing. 

Actual lines are not noted. However, you can see these lines are created with paint
in the window, shutter, window sill and where the walls meet the floor. 



RECTILINEAR SHAPE
                                      A closed form that has straight lines and right angle corners. 
                                                Can visually imply anger, fear, pain, harshness. 




ORGANIC SHAPE
Shapes that has curved lines. Can visually imply softness, comfort, lazy. 




 CROWDED SPACE
Area around, within or between shapes. Can visually communicate intensity, energy. 




Minnie Evans, Design Made at Airlie Gardens, 1967, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, USA.




EMPTY SPACE
Area around, within or between shapes. 
Can visually communicate sadness, lonely or the opposite such as infinity, adventure. 





TEXTURE
In a two-dimensional image, texture is simulated. This means marks are made on a surface to imitate the appearance of a texture. Marks can be made with a pencil, paint brush and even digital tools. Simulated texture can evoke feelings/memories of comfort or pain. 






REPITITION/PATTERN
A shape, color, line and/or texture that is repeated. These elements can be alternating to create a pattern. This technique can be used to visually create an area with a lot of motion/movement or even emphasis. 






EMPHASIS
One area in the image is more important. Artists and designers can use color, line, shape, texture to visually communicate this idea. In the example below color is used to create an area of emphasis. The person being executed is depicted in bright, warm colors while the surrounding area contains cool colors; greens, violets. blues. 


Francisco Goya
The Executions of the Third of May, 1808
Oil on Canvas




EXAMPLES

                                                                  The Highway Men
                                                                           Painting

Implied Horizontal Line 
Space between clouds, horizon, lake. This line direction dominates - visually emphasizing calmness. 

Actual Diagonal Line 
Slight bend in palm trees. Not dominate, just a slight bend, perhaps suggesting a light wind. 

Actual Vertical Line 
Palm tress not bending. Not dominate, suggests a bit of stability within the vast idea of a landscape. 




Salvador Dali
Persistence of Memory

Organic Shape
Actual Horizontal Line (horizon and edge of pedestal)
Actual Vertical Line (tree)
Actual Diagonal Line (pedestal)
Implied Diagonal Line (two clocks on left, angle of clock/organic form near center)




Kathe Kollwitz
Home Worker
Charcoal on Paper, 22 " x 17"

Black and White - High contrast visually communicates harshness and deep shadows. Perhaps deep shadows are intended to visually communicate despair, a looming presence. 

Texture - Rough, quick marks visually communicate harshness, rough. These feelings add to the feeling of despair. 

Implied Diagonal Line - Gaze (eye direction) away from viewer, to lower right corner, as if looking off into space, not engaging with viewer. 




Music Video Examples


Repetition, Pattern. 
Crowded space. 
Neutral colors with blue emphasize. 
Actual vertical lines. 
Movement in horizontal lines. 
No eye contact with viewer. 



Warm, saturated color. 
Organic shapes. 
Eye contact made with viewer in some parts. 
Soft textures. 
Diagonal movement - subtle. 

Source link here and more videos to see. 




Advertising Examples





Package Design Examples



Sleep Aid Medication. 
Horizontal line used to visually communicates calm. 
The text is carefully, evenly presented in horizontal format. 
Bans of color contain the text. 
Small dots are arranged to imply horizontal lines. 
Violet, blue and green are cool colors -  suggest darkness, depth (night time). 
The package design also utilizes semiotics - the moon is a symbol for night time.




Diagonal lines communicate energy. 
Both cool and warm colors are used - another visual tool to imply energy as cool and warm colors visually vibrate when used together. 
Semiotics - an animated figure, smiling bird swinging on vine, having fun, bird is neutral object - all kids can relate.