Sequential Movement

With the advent of photographic technologies, there was a revolution in the way we see movement, especially movement at great speed. The artist accustomed to creating the singular images of a moment and displaying them on painted canvas now had access to an portion of time outside of normal perception- the movement the occurs faster than the eye can register  (let alone draw or paint.) Artist and scientists now had access to the ability to slow down or stretch a quick moment for further study. The following two photographers led the change. Notice the different approach to displaying the information.

Eadweard Muybridge

Etienne- Jules Marey

In turn, these studies of movement influenced many artists in painting and sculpture-Duchamp, Bacon, down to animators such as Walt Disney, etc.

Francis Bacon

Marcel Duchamp

In time this knowledge of sequential movement came to appear in animation, and developed into is own language for better communication. Using exaggerations, curves, dynamic balance, etc., animators were able to imbue their creations with more personality and distinction. Using the concept closer to Muybridge's approach (individual cells with one distinct portion of an action) they were able to reproduce this sequence and put it to greater speed. Essentially slowing down the motion to study and draw it to speeding it up to display the activity closer to our expectations. 

Examples from  animation resources 

(a great site for animation know- how!)

In recent years, there has been a revival of animation fine arts world in the form of palimpsest style drawings. The concept is exemplified by William Kentridge. He essentially keeps erasing and redrawing a portion of the movement on the same paper, photographing it each time. This differs from the cel- shaded animation in which each frame is a separate drawing. His process archives the drawings underneath and builds upon them, leaving behind ghost images and marks from the previous. This effect creates a history, sense of memory and time passage through out the work. Another artist using this approach is Blu, although the scale and location of his projects are quite different!

William Kentridge "Pain & Sympathy"

Blu- "Muto"

For our project, you will choose a subject to study its basic movement and create a palimpsest style animation. It is best to find video reference or multiple images of the movement to draw from. Once chosen it is important to make a basic storyboard for the major changes- markers in the movement we can organize around. The drawing is to be done on 18 x 24 in.  paper in vine charcoal, photo'd, and erase and redrawn. This will be then be edited in Premiere to create a 10 second animation. For next class, bring your paper, drawing materials, camera, tripod, references and basic storyboard. If you plan on standing up to draw on the wall, which is encouraged, bring tape and tacks. I will try and have tacks as well.  The drawing must be completed and photographed (loaded on computer) for Monday's class.

Upon completion of the animation project, upload the animation to your blog and please write a post that compares the two processes of time at work in the project- The drawing (Palimpsest) vs. the video (Documentation). 

STORYBOARDS

Storyboards are essentially the blueprint for your video or movie creations. They are a series of sequential art frames in which your story or concept is told. Storyboarding is the foundational stage of the process in which the creative vision is first layed out IN time.  They are more than merely a planning stage (although crucially important!) they give form to the the visual mechanics of video, literally how the scene looks, what type of shot, camera angle, composition and transitions etc. While they have a similarity to comic book frames (whose narrative content is carried out through the frames) their main purpose is to direct the camera, animators or editors etc. It is much more an informational tool than a finished artwork, yet heavily influences what the finished video will look like.

Some examples below may help clarify.

Spiderman

Irk Spector

In these examples above, all frames are the same format, follow chronologically and even contain notes or symbols to assist in planning. It is not imperative to be an excellent draftsmen, only that the information be expressed clearly. Stick figures can get the job done! Each scene should be planned out from beginning to end. This includes the establishing shots, character close ups, truck in or out, pans and transitions. This will be used to aid in your filming, timing, and expression of your content. It is expected that you will not shoot your video in linear format but rather in sections and reconfigured during the editing process.

The following is a presentation of terminology and examples of camera shots.

Example taken from the floobynooby.com

A few things to consider:

Rule of Thirds- basically a compositional awareness. The frame is divided horizontally AND vertically to make 9 boxes. These lines demarcate the location the eye natural tends to focus on. It also serves as a quick way to consider the positive and negative space in the composition.

The 180 Degree Rule (Line of Action)- When showing a character, the filmmaker must consider how the viewer identifies this character through vantage point. Simply consider the the left and right side of the character each consisting of 180 degrees of the full 360. If we view the character from the left side, we would be confused, if immediately following, we were then presented with the character from the right side. We can show the character from any angle within those 180 degrees in different shots or close ups etc, without confusion. Breaking that 180 degree plane and crossing over MUST be shown or the viewer is lost.

For homework, I am expecting you to collaborate with your partner to create the storyboards for your documentary. This should address the issues mentioned above and aid in the planning and execution of the filming/ editing. Fully rendered storyboards are to be presented (one per partnership) at next class.

MURALS

A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. This can include painting on a wall surface, fresco (painting onto wet plaster) parachute cloth, large canvases, stencils, aerosol, wheat paste application and tile, etc. 

Murals can be a relatively effective tool of social emancipation or achieving a political goal. Murals have sometimes been created against the law, or have been commissioned by local bars and coffeeshops. Often, the visual effects are an enticement to attract public attention to social issues. State-sponsored public art expressions, particularly murals, are often used by totalitarian regimes as a tool of mass-control and propaganda. However, despite the propagandist character of that works, some of them still have an artistic value.

Murals can have a dramatic impact whether consciously or subconsciously on the attitudes of passers by, when they are added to areas where people live and work. It can also be argued that the presence of large, public murals can add aesthetic improvement to the daily lives of residents or that of employees at a corporate venue.

- wikipedia 

Some examples:

 Julie Mehretu

David Guin

 Kent Twitchwell

 Victor Henderson, Terry Schoonhoven, Jim Frazin of the L.A. Fine Arts Squad.

 Jose Clemente Orozco

  Jose Clemente Orozco

Diego Rivera

 David Alfaro Siquieros

David Alfaro Siquieros

Siqueiros

Siqueiros

Banksy

Banksy

Swoon

COMPOSITION

Composition is the arrangement of elements within the rectangle. At its most basic, the rectangle must be considered in a vertical format (a statement) or a horizontal format (a story.) We can begin by thinking of the square/ rectangle as having certain inherent energy zones- the center and four corners. Deciding how these are activated is the function of composition. It is created to move the viewer in and around the image, create interesting balance and harmony. When beginning to layout a compositional idea, it is important to consider the big shapes that make up the internal skeleton of the drawing (both positive and negative space.) Some ideas to consider:

Distribution- filled vs. un-filled

Balance- interesting tension of differences not 50/ 50 equality

Diagonals- lines of of movement, fast

Verticals or Horizontals- lines of stasis, slow

It is useful to re- look at something familiar to help us make sense of Composition. Below is a world map. Considering it as Positive and Negative Space (land and water, respectively) allows us to see the integral nature of the two. It also lets us consider the tectonics of shape and how they inter relate.

Below we will see examples of how artists use composition.

The Raft Of Medusa- Gericault. The composition has strong diagonals, pointers, and geometric shapes (specifically multiple triangles.) On the right, the grouping of figures form a triangle shape mirrored by the rigging and sail of the left. On the apex of the right triangle we find the focus or destination of the composition (further emphasized with the figure having the high value contrast.) Beyond the architectural layout, notice the organization of lights and darks, how these move you through the composition.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin- Titian. This composition reinforces the concept of the painting, The Virgin Mary's ascension to Heaven. To assist the story, Titian used a specific red to sequence the viewers gaze. Follow the red on robes of the men at the bottom, as it appears again higher in the Virgin's robe, as it reappears in the robes of God above.

The Rape of the Daughter of Leucippus by Peter Paule Rubens. In this example we can see the strong vertical lines (parallels) in the arms and horses legs. We see diagonals running through the hands, body, horse's feet in both directions. Finally there is the arc of movement or swing lines, follow the arc as it traces from the figure's head (angel) at left as it comes around to the head of the lower women at right. All the heads of the figures rest along this arc.

Another classic example of Rubens using diagonals, pointers, and light dark orchestration. All the diagonal spears point to the focal area (lion's bite) it is almost a wheel hub with spooks. Notice how certain edges of form rest on compositional diagonals.

A classic example of a zig zag progression through the artwork in this case a print byHiroshage.

A Degas pastel in which the clear use of diagonals to leads us around the drawing through one dancer to another.

Here we see Degas using repetition of shape. Each dancer makes a circle-ish (maybe a hexagon) shape with their arms, legs, skirts and even the negative space between two dancers.

Degas was heavily influenced by prints from the the far East, and in this example displays a unique use of balance. The composition is heavily loaded on the left side with and equally interesting weight of emptiness on the right. He further enhances the composition with diagonals and scale of shape (horse and rider.)

Jose Clemente Orozco's study for his Prometheus mural. Here we can see the skeleton of the drawing and more importantly how he organizes his composition. His goal is to make sure the eye visits all portions of the design and aligns certain elements to direct those movements. He sets this up first by laying out diagonals connecting different edges of his work surface. At its basic he draws a line between opposite corners and through the half way points of both vertical and horizontal edges (this is sometimes referred to as the British Flag layout). He goes much further and subdivides. Eventually he begins his drawing and uses these lines as guidelines as to where to place elements, rest limbs, etc. Below is the finished mural.

Here is an example of a Diego Rivera mural in which we can see symmetry worked into the composition. Each side reflects basic positioning and shapes of the other creating a parallel.

A silhouette by Kara Walker again showing the symmetrical approach.

Gestalt principles

Similarity
Proximity
Symmetry
Closure
Continuation
Figure & Ground

Koffka- " The whole  is OTHER than the sum of it parts"

Gestalt theory came about in the 30's and 40's as it was applied to visual preception. This is the phenomena of seeing structure or intention in an arrangement or environment. Think- seeing an image or form rather than a collection of shapes or lines.  This act of grouping makes preception possible.  It tackles the process of how the human mind frames visual information to understand it quicker, noticing an arrangement whole first rather than looking individually at each part and adding them together. The above principles make up these concepts.

Some examples to help illustrate these principles:

Gestalt

Symmetry

Asymmetry

 Continuation/ Closure

 Contrast/ Similarity

Proximity/ Repetition

 Dominance

Hierarchy

Figure Ground

 Closure

Similairity

Proximity

Ambiguous Figure Ground