1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
•What is the title of the drawing?"Birds"
•What is the name of the artist?
Kentridge
•What is the year the drawing was done?
2003
•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc)
Charcoal on paper
•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?)
The theme of the drawing is about birds. The birds are standing on the floor and railing. We can see the birds are in the city but not a nature place. It shows the birds are difficult to find a nature place to live and try to live into the city.
•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory?
I think the painter is trying to show the living environment of birds which is in the city to reflet the nature places are decreased due to the development.
2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL
•How is line used? What does it do/express?
The lines are thick, rough and unclear. . Some lines are blurred and
smeared, they seems messy, but the direction of line is regular and in
order. Moreover, there are some horizontal and vertical lines crossing. It
creates a linear perspective so we can see the depth of field.
•How is tone used? What does it do/express?
The tone is contrast. We can see that the light and dark contrast is obvious. The
central of the picture is darker than other parts. It makes a big contrast and
get the focus on the central. Also, there are two types of birds which are
light and dark contrast. The heavy and dark line makes the color and tone on
some birds is darker. There are just two birds without adding dark tone. It makes
us focus on the two light tone birds. One looks like lying down on the floor,
another seems looking at the opposite side.
•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the
effect?
The shape is powerful and directly. The line is thick, rough and straight, and
it makes the shape very strong and powerful. The main characters, the birds on
the paper are sticker to highlight them. And the window and curtain just use
the thin lines to make the contrast.
•Is texture a feature of the drawing?
I think the texture is a feature of the drawing. The Charcoal on paper gives
people some feeling or experience that it is very rough. It helps to create a
feeling of nature, primary and raw. It highlight the feeling that the
birds are not belong to city and trying to melting into it.
•What can you say about the composition of
the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall
drawing?
The composition of the drawing is obviously
stressing main characters, the bird. The window and curtain create a square
frame at the centre and the birds are included in this frame. Moreover, Kentridge
is using some horizontal and vertical lines to create a linear
perspective. And it also leads viewers to focus on the centre. So
I think the composition of this drawing is concentrating to the centre.
•Is rhythm important in this picture? If
so, say more about it...
Yes, the rhythm is an important element to express the perception of this
drawing. The spacing between the lines and the black and white tone are
balanced. And the position of the birds is allocated well; it is concentrated
on the centre but not too crowded. The rhythm provided a comfortable space to
the picture.
•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
The composition of this picture is balanced. Although the composition of
the drawing is obviously concentrated on the centre, the window and curtain
create a square frame at the centre all-around. However, the figures
on the drawing are equally placed. It makes the drawing being
symmetrical and looks comfortable.
•Is perspective used in the picture? If so,
describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
The use of line and figures forms the linear perspective and creates
the illusion of three-dimensional. Moreover, the use of shading creates
the illusion of three-dimensional too. The birds are drawn with light and dark
and making they do not look like two-dimensional surface only.
•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
I think the picture is not harmonious. All the
elements like the tone, line, composition make this picture very depressed. The
black and white tone drawn by charcoal makes the feeling of picture simple but not
boring, because the use of line provides the movement in the picture. But the use of them are very thick and heavy. And the
composition is concentrated. So, all the elements are
providing the feeling verydepressed.
•Are there any strong contrasts in the
picture? Say more...
The strong contrast in the picture is the color and line of the birds and the
background. The birds are using dark shadow and with thick line on their bodies.
But, the background is clean and use thin lines. It is easy to catch the
attention of audiences on the dark birds.
•How is line used? What does it do/express?
The lines are thick, rough and unclear. . Some lines are blurred and smeared, they seems messy, but the direction of line is regular and in order. Moreover, there are some horizontal and vertical lines crossing. It creates a linear perspective so we can see the depth of field.
•How is tone used? What does it do/express?
The tone is contrast. We can see that the light and dark contrast is obvious. The central of the picture is darker than other parts. It makes a big contrast and get the focus on the central. Also, there are two types of birds which are light and dark contrast. The heavy and dark line makes the color and tone on some birds is darker. There are just two birds without adding dark tone. It makes us focus on the two light tone birds. One looks like lying down on the floor, another seems looking at the opposite side.
•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?
The shape is powerful and directly. The line is thick, rough and straight, and it makes the shape very strong and powerful. The main characters, the birds on the paper are sticker to highlight them. And the window and curtain just use the thin lines to make the contrast.
Yes, the rhythm is an important element to express the perception of this drawing. The spacing between the lines and the black and white tone are balanced. And the position of the birds is allocated well; it is concentrated on the centre but not too crowded. The rhythm provided a comfortable space to the picture.
The composition of this picture is balanced. Although the composition of the drawing is obviously concentrated on the centre, the window and curtain create a square frame at the centre all-around. However, the figures on the drawing are equally placed. It makes the drawing being symmetrical and looks comfortable.
The use of line and figures forms the linear perspective and creates the illusion of three-dimensional. Moreover, the use of shading creates the illusion of three-dimensional too. The birds are drawn with light and dark and making they do not look like two-dimensional surface only.
•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
The strong contrast in the picture is the color and line of the birds and the background. The birds are using dark shadow and with thick line on their bodies. But, the background is clean and use thin lines. It is easy to catch the attention of audiences on the dark birds.
3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify
your answer using information from your responses above
In my opinion, the mood of this picture is
quite depressed. The use of the thick, rough lines, strong shape and mono tone
to create an oppressive atmosphere, I will think all the elements are very thick
and heavy. But a bird should be soft that can fly everywhere. So I think the
painter create an opposite feeling to strengthen the depressed feeling.
•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
I think the drawing expresses the change of time. The birds were living in nature at the past and they could fly in their own ways. However, due to the change of time, the living environment is different. They are difficult to find a natural environment for flying and living. Moreover, they will be caught by human and feed them in a house or a birdcage.
•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
I think the drawing expresses the change of time. The birds were living in nature at the past and they could fly in their own ways. However, due to the change of time, the living environment is different. They are difficult to find a natural environment for flying and living. Moreover, they will be caught by human and feed them in a house or a birdcage.
•In your opinion, why is this work
interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......? Choose
the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusion in
terms of specific features and qualities of the drawing.
In my point of view, I appreciate the connotative meaning behind this drawing. It is a picture which is not just simply depicts the realistic objects from the reality. The painter used the thick lines, strong shape` and mono tone to create an oppressive atmosphere to express the meaning of the drawing. I think it is great and well expressed in the drawing.
In my point of view, I appreciate the connotative meaning behind this drawing. It is a picture which is not just simply depicts the realistic objects from the reality. The painter used the thick lines, strong shape` and mono tone to create an oppressive atmosphere to express the meaning of the drawing. I think it is great and well expressed in the drawing.
Many: hi Ryan. i see your view that the birds are in the city but not in the nature as the birds seem standing on a building. But i would focus more on the bird which is in the center of the picture. As i think like it is dead, and the really rough line in the middle part make me feel like the birds was fighting each other and that is why the bird in the center died. Also, there is another bird that is not in black at the left bottom. I think you may talk about why there are some birds in white and some are in black. Anyway, these are just my own opinion. Hope that can help!
ReplyDeleteLily: It is a funny picture which shows the movement of the birds.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the rhythm plays an important role in this picture. However, I do not think it shows the harmonious feeling because there are some rough lines in the middle to give a sense of moving, somehow I think it is the situation after some conflicts between the birds.
Carol: This is satisfactory work Ryan, but keep working on making your analyses of art as detailed and in-depth as you can. Some very constructive comments on others' work. Well done.
ReplyDelete