Today we looked at the work of Cezanne, Still life with peaches and apples
We discussed Cezanne's use of different elements, line, shape and value as agents of design. In addition to depicting objects on a table, he uses these elements to reinforce various dynamic actions, pointing, bouncing, blocking, directing our gaze from one spot to another. A closer look at this painting reveals a still life in continuous motion. Wait, what--? How can a group of "dead" objects move? Take a look at how the main thrusts of the drapery point in different directions. He uses the rhythmic character of value and shape to shift our eye from one white object to the next. Did you happen to notice the dark triangles in the background and the effect they have on our gaze?
Working from a similar still life to Cezanne's, student's created 4 compositions using line to express how edges of drapery and objects moved their eye. They also looked at patterns of light and dark shapes. They experimented with using these elements as vehicles to move the viewer's gaze across the picture plane and to the parts that interested them. Every student found something unique to share; relationships between objects, the folds and movement of stretched drapery, the repetition of value shapes. Today, we had breakthroughs! Drawing became a system of design and student's began to see the possibilities of mark-making as part of drawing's representational, emotive AND compositional condition. This growth, can create beautiful, ugly drawings that are both shocking and messy. It certainly takes courage to shift our focus to unfamiliar territory.
Good composition produced drawings with relationships, contrasts, and energies that convey a sense of balance that was exciting, an overall sense of unity. However, these conditions can also exist in very dull drawings. Unless the overall sameness is relieved by some variety.
A LESSON IN-- Composition + value
