This chapter is all about where the artist demands attention. The artist has very powerful tools to force you to feel exactly what they want you to feel or get you to look exactly where they want you to look. We are diving into the latter. The use of emphasis on contrast, isolation, and placement, as well as one dominant element or the whole over parts are ways to do this. Just like a magician uses misdirection, these tools are used by the artist to create magic.
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| 1 Tuber, Brandon "Wifey" 2011 Photograph |
Emphasis by Contrast: This style of design uses an element of surprise. Giving a piece an over all feel allows them to direct attention to a specific focal point. In picture 1 the photographer uses the contrast of light versus dark to direct your attention to the beautiful woman in the picture. (who happens to be my lovely wife) This can also be obtained by creating a pattern and then breaking it, using a specific color scheme and then adding a contrasting color or even using unnatural images and introducing a splash of reality.
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| 2 van Gogh, Vincent. "Irisas". 1980. Oil on Canvas. 92x72 cm. Van Gogh Museam, Amsterdam. |
Emphasis by Isolation: Isolating an image or a fragment of an image can create intense subplot. When thinking about isolation, I immediately thought of the painting Irises by Vincent Van Gogh. (2) A vase of carefully placed beautiful blue flowers and vibrant green leaves look as if they are still alive reaching for the sun, yet my ears continue to wander to the lifeless wilted grouping at the bottom right corner of the painting.
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| 3 Callen, Kerry. Princess Leah. Star Wars. 28 March, 2011. <http://kerrycallen.blogspot.com/2011/03/star-wars-deleted-scene.html> |
Emphasis by placement: This is as plain and simple as putting the focal point right where you want it and making it undeniable. By putting the object directly in the center of the painting, as we see in 3, there is no doubt where the artist is directing your eyes. It never hurts to make it really big either.
Emphasizing One Dominant Element: This is similar to emphasis by placement, but utilizes ideas of theme and not just imagery. Many times this is a design element in advertising, where you have limited time to get your point across and need it to be undeniably caught.
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| http://www.paulaner.com/high/ |
Emphasizing the Whole over the Parts: This is taking in the whole design and not questioning how or why, but the feeling of the whole. In 4 we see a piece of art depicting legendary rocker David Bowie. It captures the essence of his shining star and doesn't matter that it's completely made out of glitter.
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| 4 Glitter Morris. "David Bowie, aka Ziggy Stardust" 12x12 Glitter on Card Stock. 1 January 2012. <http://www.etsy.com/transaction/68522379> |
No matter what emphasis the artist chooses to use, it as a sharp tool in their metaphorical toolbox.
Try to look away, I dare you.
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