Shapes and Texture Essay Example

Shapes and Texture Essay Example Shapes and Texture Essay Shapes and Texture Essay Roman copy after an original Greek fresco of c. 300 b. c. Mosaic, 106. ? 201. in. (271 ? 512 cm). Also known as the â€Å"Alexander Mosaic†. In 2D, actual textures are found in collages which may glue on a surface real objects such as newspaper clippings, tickets, cloth, coins as elements of the composition. Girl with a Mandolin Pablo PicassoTexture from the artist’s handling of paint and brush Impressionist and Expressionist paintings possess an immediate physical presence that invites TOUCH. Alfred Sisley, Bridge at Villeneuve-la-Garenne Vincent Van Gogh, The Red Vineyard TEXTURE IN 3D Actual texture can be found in the natural quality of the medium. The sculptor may also choose to enhance or to modify the original qualities of the material. Praxiteles enhanced the marble medium which he polished to a high sheen, giving the marble a sensuous glow to simulate the texture of the skin. Hermes bearing the infant Dionysus French sculptor Auguste Rodin turned away fro m the classical â€Å"finish† and cultivated a rough and lively surface to the effect the interplay of light on the sculptural form. He often leaves a part of the work unfinished for the viewer to complete in his or her imagination. The Walking Man T’ang potters (618906) usually leave the lower section of their jars unglazed to bring out the contrast between the glazed area and the even neutral biscuit of the body. Two traditions can be distinguished in the study of textures in art. – Ideal of the finished surface.Long dominant tradition of placing value on smooth, lustrous textures that are associated with costly materials accessible to the elite, such as different kinds of marble, gold, precious silks. – Zen aesthetics of Asian art. The zen concept of sabi (the values of rustic unpretentiousness of archaic imperfection, apparent simplicity of effortlessness in execution) The ideal of the â€Å"finished† surface The European beaux arts academi es strengthened the old tradition by formulating a hierarchy of materials in art. Marble was the most favored material in sculpture. Oil on canvas for painting. Donatello, â€Å"David† Only works in these media could be considered for salon competitions, and those in other materials were not deemed to merit serious consideration. Raphael’s Marriage of the Virgin The ideal of imperfection Sabi literally means â€Å"loneliness† or â€Å"solitude† In Zen aesthetics, irregularities of form, imperfections of glaze, slight damages and scars, and a certain air of incompleteness show that â€Å"beauty is not captive to perfection† CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO TEXTURE Modernist artists (Impressionists, Cubists and Futurists) reacted to the structures of the academy. They released art from the obligatory conventions of medium and opened endless artistic possibilities in terms of new materials and textures, as well as techniques producing textures. Fuma ge in which the paper is darkened or smoked with soot from a flame. Wolfgang Paalen’s fumage One can create art from all kinds of materials and textures, that the artist does well to respect and appreciate the natural beauty of materials derived from the living environment. It is best to work with locally available materials to convey the character of the natural and social setting.SHAPES Shapes are twodimensional or threedimensional. Two-dimensional shapes exist as planes having length and width. Three-dimensional shapes possess length, width, and volume. Classification of Shapes Geometric (rectilinear or curvilinear) Biomorphic Free inventions – As signifiers, their meanings are often derived from cultural codes and symbolic systems. GEOMETRIC SHAPES Rectilinear Angular geometric shapes Made up of straight lines and angles Generally hard, firm and more cerebral, unemotional, impersonal than curvilinear shapes. Definite, measurable, predictable, masculine in character. Basis of stability of the universe. In symbolism, the cube stands for the earth or the material world of the four elements. It also symbolizes unyielding structures, whether reason or law. The broader its base the more stable. Small base = sense of precariousness and danger, since it becomes mentally associated with sharp points, spikes and slivers of glass. Signifies stability when it rests on its base with the apex pointed upwards. Symbolizes fire and the aspiration of all things toward a higher unity.Curvilinear Circle as a selfcontained form without angles or corners signifies perfection, eternity, a closed universe or the state of oneness. No beginning nor end Represents circular movement. Other curvilinear shape are oval, cylinder and cone. GEOMETRIC SHAPES IN DIFFERENT CULTURES Mandala – geometric shape used as an aid to mental concentration and meditation. Three basic principles: – Center – Symmetry – Cardinal points The c ircle or disc as emblem of the sun, the primal source of light and energy. Yin-Yang signifies the interactive dualism or dialectics.Idea of opposites. Islamic Art Molded tile panel, 13th–14th century lkhanid period; Iran, Nishapur Ceramic with turquoise and cobalt glaze A perfect expression of radiation from a central point, the star is the most popular design element in Islamic art. The six-pointed stars in this pattern are molded with a lotus design from China, an important influence on Islamic art. GEOMETRIC SHAPES IN CONTEMPORARY ART Paul Cezanne advanced the theory that the entire universe can be reduced to three shapes: – sphere, cone, cylinder Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904-6, Oil on CanvasBridget Riley, â€Å"Pause† 1964 Victor Vasarely, â€Å"Gestalt 4† 1970 BIOMORPHIC SHAPES Biomorphic shapes are derived from living organisms. Some are microscopic and unicellular – amoeba Egg, internal organs, are also biomorphic shapes Leaves, flowers, and fruits are biomorphic shapes of an infinite variety. Shape implies a defining outline, â€Å"form† implies structure as well. Nature in Art Rococo decorative design characterized by floral and plant motifs forming garlands and wreaths. Egyptian column with papyrus leaves for motif.FREE SHAPES Found in painting and sculpture or the visual arts in general as inventions of the artist. They are neither geometric following mathematical definition nor biomorphic following patterns of organic growth and the shapes of living things. Often found in abstract art where they may suggest fantasy and whim. Also related to doodling and automatic writing of Surrealist art which draws images from subconscious level of mind. Joan Miro, â€Å"The Garden† Wassily Kandinsky, â€Å"Composition no. 7† Alexander Calder Cow, 1926 Elephant, 1928