When I first heard the word "Abstraction" I thought it meant when you take a very intresting and imaginative photo. Also when you are not able to tell what you are looking at.
Dictionary definition- An abstract idea or way of thinking is based on general ideas rather than on real things and events.
Abstract art makes use of shapes and patterns rather than showing people or things.
"You cant look at abstract art without thinking." -Patricia Cole-Ferullo.
"All art is an abstraction to some degree."-Henry Moore.
Dictionary definition- An abstract idea or way of thinking is based on general ideas rather than on real things and events.
Abstract art makes use of shapes and patterns rather than showing people or things.
"You cant look at abstract art without thinking." -Patricia Cole-Ferullo.
"All art is an abstraction to some degree."-Henry Moore.
1st Abstract photoshoot.
To see my evaluation hover over my photos.
We got given a sheet of paper with this drawing on it and was asked if we though it was abstract. We also got given a post it and had to write what we had thought abstract meant. We then drew a sketch of the photo from Paul Strand.
Focus: Light: Line: Repetition: Shape: Space: Texture: Value/Tone: |
Which areas appear clearest or sharpest in the photograph? Which do not? Which areas of the photograph are brightest? Are there any shadows? Does the photograph allow you to guess the time of day? Is the light natural or artificial? Harsh or soft? Reflected or direct? Are there objects in the photograph that act as lines? Are they straight, curvy, thin, thick? Do the lines create direction in the photograph? Do they outline? Do the lines show movement or energy? Are there any objects, shapes or lines which repeat and create a pattern? Do you see geometric (straight edged) or organic (curvy) shapes? Which are they? Is there depth to the photograph or does it seem shallow? What creates this appearance? Are there important negative (empty) spaces in addition to positive (solid) spaces? Is there depth created by spatial illusions i.e. perspective? If you could touch the surface of the photograph how would it feel? How do the objects in the picture look like they would feel? Is there a range of tones from dark to light? Where is the darkest value? Where is the lightest? |
Photo by: Man ray
Photo by: Aaron Siskind
I feel as if I prefer Aaron Siskind's photo the most because of the use of lines and how it is a very dark tone. This is a example of a very good abstract photo I think this because, it is very hard to tell what the picture is of but you can describe it in a lot of detail for example it looks like it has a very rough texture from what i can tell.
Independent learning-Artist research
Henry Holmes Smith is an American photographer. He was inspired by the work that had been done at the German Bauhaus and in 1937 was invited to teach photography at the New Bauhaus founded by Moholy-Nagy in Chicago. Here is some of his work that I find to be interesting and very abstract.
In 1948 he began an ongoing series of dye transfer prints, in which he applied thick syrup onto a glass negative, using it to create various forms. This is called chemi-gram, Adding water to refract the light he made an exposure yielding vibrant images of round , abstracted shapes often suggestive of figures. The prints were intended to create a different kind of sensory experience: characterized by vivid, eye-catching hues.
PHOTOGRAMS.
Photograms are made by getting a light sensitive paper and placing objects onto them when in a darkroom. You use a enlarger to capture the silhouette of the objects onto the paper for approximately 8seconds, you then use the developer to finish of your photogram.
My photograms.
My photos go in order of when I had first made them.
My cut up photogram
In order to make a cut up photogram you ned to get 2 or more printed photograms that you have already made and just cut them up then, you make that into a photogram and you have your final piece.
Duo tone
Independent learning:Artist research-Aaron siskind
Aaron Siskind questions.
- Why are all of his photos black and white?
- Why did he decide to take these specific photos of walls?
- what type of camera did Aaron Siskind use? He used a medium and large format camera
- Why was he so interested in textures?
How to achieve these photos.
- Find a camera to take your pictures with, could be a phone or digital camera
- Then make sure you camera is on the square option if your using a phone. if your using a digital camera crop it into a square
- Then set your camera as black and white and if you don't know how to photoshop it as black and white.
- Find a wall that has a weird/Abstract texture.
- make sure your camera is in focus.
- Then you can take your photos.
Aarons Siskind photos.
WWW- I like the colour in the last photo.
EBI- I should have taken them all in focus and photoshopped them to be black and white.
EBI- I should have taken them all in focus and photoshopped them to be black and white.
Puzzled'em
This project is inspired by a game called 'Puzzled 'Em'. This was seen in an exhibition in south east London.The curators had brought abstract items from eBay and asked writers to respond to them. One of the objects they had happened to pick was 'Puzzled 'Em'. In our lesson our teacher had printed out all 24 of the cards including the key and then put us in pairs. We had 10mins to identify as many of the objects as possible. All 24 of the cards were photographed from unusual angles which made it harder for us to tell what the items were. Here are some of the cards which featured in the game:
Here is another game like this:
For my project we have to photograph a range of objects from unconventional angles so that we have lots of different cards to make a game with that is similar to 'Puzzled 'Em'.
My ideas:
- Photograph objects on a white background to remove them from their expected context.
- Photograph from a high angle.
- Photograph the object really close up.
- photoshop some of the photos to be black and white.
- You can crop the image so you don't see the full object.
- You can photograph the image upside down.
- Photograph from a shallow angle.
My objects photographed in unusual angles.
Photoshopped to black and white.
Independent learning:Saul leiter
My painted version of Saul Leiter's photograph
The first thing i saw when i was given this image was the bright pink umbrella in the corner of the image there a two different colours in this image which is pink and red. Everything except the umbrella is out of focus and the image is very empty and plain. We dont really see much in this photo as Saul Leiter decided not to include much of the objects in the photo.
4 characteristics that define Saul Leiter's photographs
- When taking a picture the use of one colour
- use of bold colours contrasting with lighter colours
- use of the reflections/unusual perceptions
- surprising composition
WWW: I like how in some photos the view finder is out of focus.
Abstraction- personal project
For my personal project I am focusing on colour and focus. So i then researched Bill Armstrong who done work on focus and had a lot of vibrant colours.