Paintings

Tuesday, August 18th, 2015

This blog studies paintings and what filmmakers can take away from them when creating their films. I personally believe that directors, cinematographers and cameramen should study paintings before even picking up a camera.

 

Perspective
 
Post-renaissance paintings have a single point of view, that of the viewer of the image. It is an attempt to give depth to a 2D image.
 
Jesus_before_the_call
Giotto’s Jesus before the Call is one of the first western paintings to show perspective.
 
Perspective is arranged around the central viewer of an image, presenting lines. Diagonal lines will give 2-D images vibrancy and fools the eye into a false perspective. This perspective ‘excites’ the brain in to analyzing the image more closely.

 

Line
 
The key element of beauty in architecture, sculpture, metal work,, etching, line design and line drawings. Line refers to the borders of shapes and the interrelations of lines and spaces.

 

HorizonLines
 
HorizonLines 2

 

Opposition
 
Using two straight lines that meet together to form a simple and severe harmony can create opposition. Using only two opposing straight lines however can convey abruptness, severity and violence because of the contrast within their movement.

 

Transition
 
The arrangement is not complete with just the use of opposition. Two opposing straight lines meeting convey an abruptness, severity and violence because of the contrast within their movement. If a third line is introduced the opposition is then softened by a sense of unity and completeness. Transitions also occur within nature in the branching of trees where the lines are unified.

 

Subordination
 
To form a complete group, the elements are attached or related to a single dominating element which determines the character of the composition. This creates a harmony to the piece as the elements are now organized into a whole. These elements can be grouped around an axis, by size or by radius around the subordinate.

 

Graduation
 
A gradient from dark to light will pull the viewer across a painting. Subjects within the light area of the gradient will draw the eye and subjects in the dark will be hidden.

 

Gradient

 
 

Rhythm
 
In order to maintain a natural rhythm, subjects should not be placed in the middle of the painting, in neat rows or adjacent to objects of the same size. Rows of similar objects should not be restricted to a single repetitive shape. Such images can lack rhythm and appear unnatural.

 

Rhythmn

 

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