Content
the subject matter, story, or information that the artwork seeks to communicate to the viewer
Form
the purely visual aspect of a piece
The Creative Process
Thinking, Looking, Doing
“Chance favors the prepared mind” is attributed to whom?
Louis Pasteur
“Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us get to work” is attributed to whom?
Chuck Close
Thinking
The usual first step. • What is to be achieved? • Visual stylistic requirements? • Physical limitations? • When is the solution needed? • The relationship between form and content?
Looking
Deriving sources from:
• Nature
• Artifacts
• History and Culture
Doing
Thinking with materials.
• Visual experimentation
• Doing and redoing
• Sitting and reflecting
Pentimenti
Traces of the artist’s revisions
Latin: “the artist repents”
Critique
Input from peers and mentors meant to increase understanding through examination of the project’s successes and shortcomings.
Unity
A congruity or agreement existing among the elements of the design; they look as though they belong together, as though some visual connection beyond mere chance gas caused them to come together.
How can unity be achieved?
- Proximity
- Repetition
- Continuation
Proximity
Simply being close together
Repetition
Something repeats in various parts of the design to relate the parts to each other. Can be almost anything- color, shape, texture, direction, or angle.
Continuation
Something “continues”- usually a line, edge, or direction from one form to another and carries the viewer’s eye smoothly from one element to another.
Variety
Slight changes that make a design more interesting than if everything was exactly the same.
