Design Principles | Final Project : Visual Analysis
04/06/21 - 02/07/21 (Week11-Week14)
Heng Yuan Wei | 0347739
Design Principles | B' in Creative Media
Final Project: Visual Analysis
Final Project: Visual Analysis
Lecture
Week 11: Visual Analysis
Visual analysis is a method of understanding art that focuses on an
artwork’s visual elements, such as color, line, texture, and scale. In its
strictest definition, it is a description and explanation of visual
structure for its own sake. Yet the purpose of visual analysis can also
recognize the choices that an artist made in creating the artwork, as well
as to better understand how the formal properties of an artwork communicate
ideas, content, or meaning. Visual analysis is often used as a starting
point for art-historical writing.
Visual analysis is not just for art. It is also a critical part of
visual literacy, a skill that helps people read and critically
interpret images, whether in a museum, on social media, in
entertainment, advertising, or the news. As citizens of the 21st
century, we are constantly confronted with visual media. Practicing
visual analysis sharpens critical judgment skills and helps people
seek out answers instead of passively receiving information. This is
especially important when exposing hidden ideologies that may motivate
seemingly neutral images. (Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art)
How Visual Analysis work?
- Phase 1 | Observation:Observation means closely looking at and identifying the visual attributes of an artwork, trying to describe them carefully and accurately in your own words. The observation phase encourages us to look, think, and find good language to communicate what we notice, all without reading about the work. This phase tends to be the most challenging for students, so make sure to spend adequate time modeling and rehearsing these skills in the museum if possible. Focusing on visual elements such as color, line, space will help temporarily suspend any symbolic or interpretive impulses. Informal descriptive exercises can be helpful for this as well.
- Phase 2 | Analysis: Analysis requires you to think about your observations and try to make statements about the work based on the evidence of your observations. This phase encourages us to think about how the specific visual elements they’ve identified combine together to create a whole, and what effect that whole has on the viewer. We could comment about how the viewer’s eye is led through the work and why, and/or address the artist’s choices and what effect they have. There is still no reading in this phase, save for basic information such as the title and date of the artwork on the museum label. A visual analysis paper is thought piece that does not require any research, though it does have a central argument or thesis.
- Phase 3 | Interpretation: The difference between visual analysis and interpretation is research. To use visual analysis as the basis for an interpretation of an artwork, have formulate research questions based on what we have observed and argued thus far. In this final phase, your observations, description, and analysis with facts about the artist and historical context from trustworthy published sources.
Part 1
Visual Chosen
Figure 1.0
"Chimera Tombstone 2010" by Takato Yamamoto
Visual Analysis
- Phase 1 | Observation: The first thing come in my mind is that it is a Japanese art work/ folktales painting and it gave me a sense of darkness, violence, death and sexuality. There is a skull faces across the girl and an eye on the top of the skull. As visual elements, red, black, and overall, brownish are observed as main colors. There are lines applied on the hairs and also what happening behind the skull looks a human body is corrupting and I also spotted dragon at the middle right side.
- Phase 2 | Analysis: This is an asymmetrically balance and good composition design as everything is pointed to the centre. The second design principle- movement is made by the dragon and hair. In the other way, I found repetition of the flower petals on the top of the design, hair, corrupted body and repetition of dragon's scales at middle-right side. Emphasis of this design work is the skull and the sense of death, violence and sexuality is created highly symbolic imagery. The unity is the overall composition when all the elements are aligned in a way that complement one another, for example, the girl and the skull and flowers and hairs. Lastly, hierarchy is created as first, I see the girl at lower part, followed by the skull, dragon and flowers.
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Phase 3 | Interpretation: The artist of this design work is done
by Takato Yamamoto from Japan. After graduating from Tokyo
Zokei University, Takato Yamamoto began experimentation with the
Ukiyo-e Pop art methods. From there, his creative evolution led
him to develop his own unique style, which he branded “Heisei Estheticism.” The style he created combines Japanese ukiyo-e
painting influence with Western gothic art, portraying an
incredibly unique and dark but beautiful effect. If you’re unfamiliar with Japanese art, then we should take a minute to go back to the 17th century, where the genre of Ukiyo-e began. The term “Ukiyo-e” translates to “pictures of the floating world.” In Japan, this art method was used to produce woodblock paintings with scenes of historical events, folk tales, landscapes, and travel scenes. 17th-century Ukiyo-e artwork also featured female beauties, sumo wrestlers, and actors. In the late 1600s, ukiyo-e works became popular by a well-known artist named Hishikawa Moronobu. Many great Japanese artists followed in Moronobu’s footsteps, taking the ukiyo-e style to the next level. Perhaps the most famous and well-known ukiyo-e artist was Katsushika Hokusai, who created ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa,’ known as one of the most recognizable pieces of artwork in the world. The work of art pictures a gigantic wave off Sagami Bay’s coast with Mount Fuji in the background.To give you an idea of the importance and significance of Hokusai’s ukiyo-e style, ‘Great Wave’ work of art, Vincent van Gogh was known as a great admirer of Hokusai. It was said that Van Gogh remarked the painting had “a terrifying emotional impact.” Modern-day artist Keizaburo Matsuzaki recreating the Ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking style. The intense details and methodical technique for this incredible style of Japanese artwork really need to be seen to be fully appreciated. A viewer in the YouTube comments section remarked, “and I can’t even stick the screen protector on my phone.” That describes my feelings exactly as I watch this incredible artist. (TakatoYamamoto)
Part 2
So, I decided to do something that have the feel of Heisei Estheticism, but colour scheme is totally different with the art of Takato Yamamoto as I want to create the creepy element from it, for example, dead, depressed and so on, I will also add Ukiyo-e style, the Great Wave off Kanagawa.
Visual Research
Idea Exploration
Figure 1.3, 1.4 sketch
After the sketching is done, I start adding colour on it, and then try to create some texture.
Principles of design that I applied here are Movement from the wave and tears that flow into the sea, and Repetition of the head, and the Harmony of colour.
Figure 1.5 outcome for final project
Figure 1.6 outcome with texture
"At that moment I seemed to have a tsunami in my heart but I quietly did not want to let people know"
The story behind this digital painting is featuring me back in the year before last year which is 2019, it was a tough year for me as a lot of things happened out of the sudden at that time. I did not want to talk about it to anyone and always cried alone. I felt like the tears almost formed into the sea that was downing me. I also felt helpless and hopeless so that I created the paint with blank eye. Luckily, I feel better now with my family.
Final Design Outcome
Reflection
This final project was a great experience to me as this is my first time did digital painting. I noticed that I still have a huge improvements to make after this, I love express my feeling through drawing so this was a great opportunity for me to make it! I hope I can make more art work to express my inner voice after learning the elements and principles of design.
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