Contrast, Balance, Harmony

These are a couple of my own paintings I decided to share. Both of them are focused on contrast. In the first piece, it shows contrast between complementary colors (orange being opposite on the color wheel from blue). It also illustrates different values and shades of the blue shapes, offering another type of contrast, much like what the second piece shows - a contrast of values. Both pieces also offer a sense of asymmetrical balance. The orange figure in the first piece lies on the golden third, and the values and sizes of the geometric shapes in the background are evenly distributed in each piece to pull the piece together, hence bringing harmony to the overall work.

Aside from the physical characteristics that illustrate contrast, balance, harmony, viewers may also receive some sort of psychological reaction to these pieces. For me personally, I see the orange figure in the first piece and I see a lonely girl who, despite all the blue around her, stands out with her bright color and turns away from the rest of the world, shielding herself with her umbrella. It feels like a bitter sweet picture. One may see rain in the background. Maybe another person sees a sad city. Maybe the background isn't sad at all to someone else. But for sure, the figure gives me a sense of individuality and independence.

In the bottom piece, I receive a depressing sad feeling from it. The figure appears to be male. Some people may see two figures, but I see one figure with the gray figure standing closer to the center representing the taller, darker figure's shadow, which could even represent his past. The background gives me a city scape feeling to it, so maybe the figure is a working man who is dissatisfied with where he is, and constantly dwells on his past, whether his past is good or bad. Another question one could as is, which way is he leaning? Is he leaning away from his past or towards it?

Both pieces definitely give one something to think about. I think the pieces are open to many different interpretations, but they definitely do provide, physically, an interesting contrast and balance.

Visceral Response

For my visceral response, I decided to use one of my own paintings that I am fairly pleased with and find exciting to look at.

    I've held on to this piece because I am proud of it and the way it has remained interesting to my own eye. It is asymmetrical. The lines used in the piece creates a lot of movement that pulls the eyes around the piece, which for me, continually bounces back to the center of interest, which is the seahorse.

    The piece demonstrates a strong color contrast between the blue ocean-like background and the orange seahorse. The blue against the orange does not necessarily illustrate different values, and the lines never change, but because of the complementary colors, the shape of the seahorse is defined.

    This piece resonates to me as beautiful through it's excitement and color. I think it is representative of how something can be the similar and different at once, blend in and stand out, as this sea horse blends in with the same lines, values, and patterns as the rest of the piece, but it is unique in it's difference and brightness of color. I think this can be compared to people in society as they exist in the same space and flow as those around them, yet they are still different as they stand out with their own individuality. It's like being "in" the world but not "of" the world.

Hello!

Hi, my name is Audrie. I am a painting and drawing major. I specialize in portrait drawing and I love what I do! I am excited to learn more about visual communication. I think it will help me a ton in finding better ways to communicate to an audience through my own art and designs!

A few things about myself outside of art...I have two cats, Dustie and Simba, and a wolf hybrid pup, Kodi, and that makes up my very own family so far! I also love tennis, camping, fishing, and movies!