Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Interpreting Art - The Critique

Review your reading from"The Critique Handbook". We have been having critiques all semester, but this is a good time to start focusing on their function, and how to make them productive and useful.
In "The Critique Handbook", Buster & Crawford discuss the relationship of form (size, color, texture, shapes - what an artwork LOOKS like) to content (what an artwork MEANS and how we respond to it).
In the two versions of a portrait by Picasso pictured below, how do you respond differently to the formal aspects in each? And then further, how do you interpret the mood of the subject, or the feelings that painter has about the subject differently? What if, as on page 4 of your reading, the titles were different? How does the face read differently when it contrasts with its background, as opposed to when it is the same color scheme as the background?


14 comments:

  1. Vinman says "Hello"

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  2. Test: Nafisah Insanally-khan

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  3. test - thomas orrico

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  4. comment - desiree

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  5. Ken's test comment

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  6. Test - Joe S. Blocker

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  7. in the response to the readings and readings to james Rosenquist art work the painting is named after a plane called F-111 which is a fighter plane used by the U.S air force.the painting was made during the cold war in which explians the nucler blast and F-111. the U.S Economy is also mentioned in the video is also in the painting in respones to the U.S taxes dollers being used to build this police.this painting was also created in the Beginning of the Vietnam war. poeple veiw the painting as a anti-war even Though its not the intention of the painting. cole

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  8. The compositions of the two images are largely identical with the exception of their color schemes/palettes. The subject (a woman) is slightly off-centered (to the right) which, thanks to the rule of thirds, makes the composition as a whole more interesting than if the subject were positioned dead-centered.

    The original image features a cooler color palette (shades of blue) which, coupled with the expression depicted on the woman's face, establishes a somber tone.

    Meanwhile, the color palette for the second varies from the first in that the general color palette is comprised mainly of reds, which contrast with the blue tint of the woman's depicted face. This in turn causes the face to stand out more so that it does in the first image. Also, rather than help create a somber tone, the shades of red create a somewhat murderous (probably too strong of a word) mood seeing as how we associate the color red with blood…

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  9. I agree with Cody. The woman is placed a little off-center (following the rule of thirds) and she is not turned straight her shoulder is turned outwards sort of. The first version of Picasso's picture has a cooler value which involves shades of blues and darker values on her clothing. Her clothing has a strong contrast to the background because of the cooler color palette. The background has a lighter shade of blue compared to her clothing which makes her face more dramatic. In this version of the picture, the dark values express sadness and it is more depressing than the other picture. Her facial expression also convinces me that she is down and upset because when I think of the different shades of blue, sadness pops in my mind. In the second version of the picture, the background has a warmer color palette while the woman's face and clothing contrast from that. Her face has a light blue value while her clothing seems to be a brownish color. While looking at this picture, it gives off a evil mood. As Cody mentioned, the background has a dark red color value which seems to represent blood.The color of the woman's face makes her seem evil and that she has done something bad. -Desiree S

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  10. Yes Desiree and Cody good thoughts. It's interesting to think about the more saturated red: we typically think if this color as transmitting energy ad is often used as a cheerful color or to symbolize love. But here the clor is insidious when paired with the somber blues. It seems foreboding.
    -Tiffany

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  11. When I look at these, I feel like I'm looking at two different forms of evil. The blue seems like a more cunning and sly... almost passive evil, and the red seems aggresive. This old lady is either going to turn into a dragon or poison some apples...

    -kevin

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  12. These two compositions have two different emotions, the red composition is rather dark and evil, what strengthens this is the fact that the person in the composition may be blind. It adds an emotion to the piece and helps the viewer perceive a certain emotion. I feel that the composition overall is warm unlike the blue composition, the blue composition has a rather cold feeling to it and is rather depressing to look at. Some words that one may feel are sorrow, grief, sorry and helpless. It is amazing how a change of hue can change the overall emotion and feeling of the piece once it is altered.
    -Brianna

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