23. Unity with Variation

Unity with variation refers to a variation in some sort of unifying characteristic in an artwork by having something different that stands out. It tends to give a nice pop to a piece. In this photo, the wall has a very unifying repetitive pattern from the white brick, or rectilinear shapes. The several bright red bricks add as nice variant in the image, giving it a nice pop. The vertical rust line also adds variety in the unity.

-ShaeBethPhotography

22. Unity through Continuity

 Unity through continuity occurs when two or more images or designs have a unifying relationship through similar characteristics or repeated themes. These particular pair of photographs express this unification through various ways. They are both taken from the same perspective, giving the images similar lines. The cars themselves are closely designed Corvettes, with similar features and body styles, giving them continuity.

-ShaeBethPhotography

21. Unity through Continuation

Unity through continuation is the unification of an image by having an object, line, or shape that stretches through the whole image. This photo is an example of this from the way the guitar neck continues across the image. It draws the eye from end to end.

-ShaeBethPhotography

20. Unity through Repetition

Unity through repetition occurs when an image has a reoccurring object, shape, or theme that unifies the image. In this photograph, the lamp posts on and the lights on top of them are repeated all the way down the bridge, causing repetition. This brings the image unification not only from the lamp posts on the top half of the photo, but also the bottom half by casting repeated lights and shadows on the bridge itself.

-ShaeBethPhotography

19. Unity through Proximity

This photograph demonstrates unity through proximity because the viewer can see the grouping of the windmills by the closeness of them. The main line of windmills are grouped together because they are all near each other. There are windmills in the background that appear grouped together because they are all relatively close to each other, but not near the main row.

-ShaeBethPhotography

18. Visual Texture

This photograph demonstrates visual texture because you can look at the image and see the texture that the slate rock formation has. The viewer can almost know what the touch of the rock would feel like just by looking at the image.

-ShaeBethPhotography

17. Tactile Texture

An artwork has tactile texture when you can physically touch the piece and you can feel a texture. In this image, you can tell that if that were physically in front of the wall, you could touch the grouped bottled caps and feel their texture. However, because this is only an image, it does not have tactile texture. It is impossible for a photograph to have the physical characteristic of tactile texture.

-ShaeBethPhotography

16. Value as Emphasis

This photograph is an example of value as emphasis because the subjects are silhouetted in front of a light background. While they have a very dark value, the rest of the image has much lighter values, bringing the viewer’s attention straight to the dark subjects.

-ShaeBethPhotography

15. Value as Pattern

Value as Pattern is a combination of different values in a piece which, together, make a pattern. In this photography, the dark tree branches against the light sky is repeated. This making a patterned image.

-ShaeBethPhotography

14. Curvilinear Shape

Curvilinear Shapes are those that are curved is in nature. Often used to give a movement effect and makes for a smooth effect. This is an example of this because the artist created a very curved shape. there are no straight or edged lines, creating a smooth and flowing effect.

13. Rectilinear Shapes

Rectilinear shapes are shapes that are straight edge, 90 degree angles; in other words, rectangles. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwaters is an architectural example of the use of rectilinear shapes. He stacked rectilinear shapes upon each other, both horizontal and vertical.

12. Nonobjective Shapes

Nonobjective shapes indicate that the content of an art work have no subject matter or object reference. This photograph depicts nonobjective shapes. The image is a variation of colorful circles and shapes. There is no subject to make out of it.

-ShaeBethPhotography

11. Abstraction

Abstraction occurs when the subject is brought to its most basic form and illustrated with no realistic intentions. In this abstract painting, the viewer can see two trumpet players, but they are depicted obscurely, with their faces mended together. There is just enough detail to be able to recognize the the subject.

10. Idealism

Idealism occurs when images don’t necessarily depict reality, but what would be ideal for that subject matter. This painting of Napoleon Bonaparte by Jacques-Louis David is a good example of this. In the image, Napoleon is depicted as very handsome, tall, strong, and a courageous leader. The painting was commissioned by Bonaparte, so he wanted to look perfect to the people. However, in reality Napoleon was short and not very attractive. This is a realistic depiction of the same scene by Hippolyte Delaroche:

9. Distortion

Distortion occurs when the subject matter of the image is altered or exaggerated from reality. In this Salvador Dali self portrait, Dali exaggerates the features of his face to cause a very interesting self depiction. It would be impossible to have facial features like these depicted in reality. Dali is known for his extremely distorted images.

8. Naturalism

Naturalism, or realism, is when a work of art depicts the subject matter as realistically as possible. This M.C. Escher example depicts an eye very realistically (with the exception of the skull in the pupil). He even stays true to reality as far as to add the wrinkles underneath the eye.

7. Lost and Found Contour

Lost and found contour is when a portion of the subject is clearly seen, then it looses detail and the viewer cannot see where the subject ends and the background (or foreground) begins. This photograph is a good example of this because the viewer can see detail of the truck towards the left/center of the image, then gradually looses detail until it disappears into the shadow.

-ShaeBethPhotography

6. Line as Value

In this image, M.C. Escher uses line to illustrate value. The lines between the dark and light extreme values give a transition using different separations of lines.

5. Gesture Lines

Gesture lines are typically seen in drawings where the lines are not fully constructed shapes, but show a sense of emotion or motion. In this photograph, the background of ground underneath the skateboarder are blurred in a way that gives an effect of diagonal lines. These undefined lines show the direction the skater is going, diagonally up to the right; this gives the image motion.

-ShaeBethPhotography

4. Contour Line

This photograph is an example of using contour lines because it is a silhouette of a skateboarder. The viewer only sees the outline of the man, with no additional details.

-ShaeBethPhotography

3. Line as Emotion

Line of emotion is the use of line to express a particular emotion in the viewer. This example expresses a hectic, busy emotion. The tilt of the camera, making the lines of the Times Square billboards and street diagonal, gives the image a hint of confusion for the bustling NYC streets. There are no horizontal or diagonal lines, so the viewer should feel a sense of hectic emotions.

-ShaeBethPhotography

2. Line Direction

Line direction is the use of line that intentionally leads the viewer’s eye in a particular direction. In this example, the viewer’s eye, assumably, is first attracted to the bottom right of the photograph. Then is led up the railroad track’s definitive line towards the top of the image. Directing the viewer through line. When taking this photograph, I kneeled down closer to the track in order to pull the viewer to the line to capture this effect.

-ShaeBethPhotography

1. Line as Shape

Line as Shape is simply the use of lines to create shapes in an image. This M.C. Escher image is an example of this because he uses lines to present the viewer with images of the birds and the fish. It is also interesting because it shows how the lines can demonstrate two different images simultaneously.