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.