Thursday, January 26, 2017

Contrast, Balance, and Harmony



This picture was taken by @ownthelight, who is a photographer that I follow and admire. The first thing that strikes me when I see this picture is the contrast of the bridge interrupting the forest of really compacted trees. The fact that the picture is cropped to have the bridge right in the center acts at a very symmetrical divider of the picture adding good balance.

I especially love the colors. The overall tone really appeals to me because you can set yourself in the environment and almost feel what the weather would be like, crisp and cold. The dark browns and oranges of the dirt contrast well with the light blue of the river water and green of the pine trees. For me, the color of the bridge slightly mimics the color of the river acting like a second "man-made" river structure in the picture.

In addition, something about the river underneath the bridge, the trees, and the bridge itself all bring a sense of harmony because when you first glance at the image it appears abstract. Then you gradually pick out those individual pieces that are making up the picture. That is my favorite part. You realize that the line down the center is a bridge and the curvy line through the forest is a river and then it all makes sense.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Visceral Response



This image is a painting by Caspar David Friedrich from the Romantic movement in the early 19th century titled Monk by the Sea. From the moment I saw this painting it struck me, and the more I learned and studied it, the more I fell in love with it. Friedrich also has grown to be one of my favorite artists because of his use of negative space and scale. At first glance I am intrigued by the tiny person looking off into an unknown abyss. The painting was made with the intention to put yourself in this person's position. Because he made the figure so small in size, the rest of the sea and mostly sky seems so grand. Also, the contrast of the light, sandy rock in the foreground compared to the dark, ominous sea in the background is very striking to me. I love the color scheme because he masters a blending technique that creates very muted but realistic colors. Overall this painting hits me with a sense of peace but underlining mystery that always keeps me going back to look at it.