|
 |
|
|
Form:
Introduction |
 |
|
|
What's it like to create a
work of art?
Most artists will tell you they
begin an artwork with a specific
approach or plan, but that their
actual experience is different
every time. Many say that as
they work, the form seems to
suggest itself. In fact, the
creative experience appears to
be much like what athletes call
"flow" or "being in the zone" —
as they focus intently, time
seems to flatten out and their
creative drive takes over. Many
artists will also tell you that
it almost feels as if they are
only spectators to the creative
act — their creative energy
seems to flow through them and
into their work. Like graceful
dancers who've learned not to
look at their feet, artists hone
their craft for years to create
the forms that emerge fluidly
from their hands.
Working toward a vision
The creative act is a complex
mix of intuition, intellect, and
mastery of materials. The basic
idea for an artwork tends to
evolve as artists explore their
initial inspirations on paper,
wood, or other materials. Many
artists refine their vision as
they work with their materials,
and create several preliminary
pieces before they arrive at a
finished piece that expresses
their inspiration. In order to
create complex, nuanced art,
artists must have complete
control of their materials and
technique.
Order from chaos
Artists create form from the
chaos around us — so in a sense,
they bring order to the world
with each piece they produce.
Artists build this sense of
order with the building blocks
of form known collectively as
formal elements: line, shape,
light and shadow, texture,
color, space, and perspective.
We refer to the decisions
artists make about these formal
elements as their technique. To
combine these formal elements in
a convincing way, artists apply
organizing principles such as
rhythm, balance, and proportion.
The way an artwork is organized
is its composition.
Formal introductions
The creative act is largely the
process of giving form to ideas
using the formal elements of
line, shape, light and shadow,
texture, color, space, and
figure/ground relationships.
Line is an invention that allows
an artist to describe an edge.
Shape is created when a line
turns or starts to enclose an
area. To give dimension to
shapes, artists create light and
shadow effects. Artists also use
space to give the illusion of
three dimensions to a
two-dimensional image, leading
us to imagine that the image
stretches into the distance.
Some artists add texture — an
actual or implied tactile
quality — to their artwork. They
also draw us in with color,
which is the most universally
expressive element of form
because most people respond to
it emotionally. The artist also
helps us differentiate between
the foreground and background of
a work by establishing a clear
figure/ground relationship. How
an artist composes with all
these visual devices determines
the artwork's final appearance.
It's not all in the wrist
A finished work of art is much
more than the sum of its
constituent elements — but by
understanding the many decisions
an artist makes about technique
and composition, we can develop
a deeper appreciation of their
work.
How do I evaluate an artist's
technique?
Artists use many different
techniques, from very abstract
to hyper-realistic — but you can
still judge each artist's skill
on its own merits. An artist's
technique is one means of
conveying his or her vision in a
convincing way. But technical
skill is not in itself enough to
create a work of art. Only when
artists successfully match their
technique to a distinctive
vision does an artwork
compellingly illuminate their
ideas and feelings.
Next:
Line
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
