The need for humans to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas about a situation an event or a place necessitates the application of different forms of creative skills such as art. Artists typically employ specific visual types of art including paintings and sculptures to produce artworks that provoke the target audience’s thoughts as well as imaginations as they tend to relate with the pieces of art to decipher their meanings as regards the artist's intents. This paper presents a visual analysis of a 19” X 39” artwork “Tamper view” done on oil on linen by Bruce Mash in 2014. The review aims to examine the manner in which Mash applied the various components of art such as the formal elements and the principles of design to compose such a beautiful painting.
Formal Elements of Art
Lines
An examination of the artwork reveals that the artist has intensively applied the use of lines. Lines of varying width, length and direction are evident all over the art. For instance, to create edges, the artist has used curved lines to create water ripples and smaller waves. An audience is as such able to tell that there are more ripples in the depth of the water compared to the shore. It is through the curved lines that the continuous mass of the water body has been created to represent the further horizon of the vast, beautiful beach view. Correspondingly, vertical lines have been used to communicate a sense of separation between the sea level and the sky by depicting a difference in height. In essence, the vertical lines extend upwards to separate the water body and the sky. Comparatively, the use of diagonal lines has been used to exhibit moving clouds which have the feeling of ever a sense of moving. The clouds are unstable and are often in a continuous movement.
Space
In the context of art, space use has been applied by the artist to ensure that the area displayed within the picture plane is used adequately to convey the intended message that the beach extends extensively into the sea. In contrast, space has entirely been used to represent the primary object of interest in the positive space whereas there is little or no negative space. The ratio between the positive space and the negative space which is probable zero to one indicates that the area covered by the beach as it enters the sea or the water body is not in isolation with other areas bordering the beach.
Color
It goes without a say that it is the color which gives the painted picture the life and breath that can be sensed by the audience. Color in this painting serves to influence the amount of light that become reflected. The major characteristics of color including hue, value, and intensity are seen to result in a clear distinction between the clouds in the sky and the water mass. For instance, color’s value creates an impression of light and darkness which reveals the changing depths of the water body as an audience moves his eyes from the shore to the further edge of the sea. A combination of hue and intensity of the colors easily leads to identifying what the sky is and the movement of the clouds as well as the water mass which is comparatively darker and grayish while the sky is blue. It is also through the color’s intensity that a reflection of the clouds is eminent on the water body.
The Principles of Design
In understanding whether or not the artist has applied the principles of design, the artist has efficiently coordinated the elements of artwork with the principles of design including the effect of balance, contrast, movement as well as rhythm. Firstly, it can be inferred that there is a perfect balance between the sky characterized by massive moving clouds and the water mass. In particular, symmetric balance as shown in the painting exhibits equality in the use of space where an equilibrium exists between the sky and the land occupied with water.
Secondly, there is the rhythm. Looking into the sky, there is the repetition of different types of colors including white, blue, black and dark blue colors. The combination of the colors above creates a pattern where an audience can imagine that the clouds are in constant movement. The rhythm as in this painting creates an opportunity for the viewer to be guided through the picture. For example, repeated lines which are of varied thickness filled with a light mixture of colors show continuous water ripples where the audiences’ eyes are guided through do discover the vast nature of the water body. The application of rhythm to portray a water body with fewer waves, nevertheless, demonstrates a high level of organization of the artist’s thoughts and feelings about the represented object. In a closer look, it is evident that there is a clear distinction between the changing water depths as an individual’s eye is guided by the lines towards the vast areas covered by the water body.
Thirdly, Bruce March has effectively applied the effect of contrast to appeal to the audience from different aspects. In particular, contrasting colors have been used to highlight respective patterns. Like, rhythm, contrast has been used to manage a high level of organization. Size contrast is, nonetheless, eminent since there is an equilibrium of object representation between the sky and the water body. The sky is quite clear while the sea is darker manifesting a greater contrast on the effect of color value.
The combination of the elements of art and the principles of design have resulted in the creation of an object that is both representational and real. As noted, viewing an extension of the beach as it extends into the sea or the water body often represents a magnificent scenery. It is, thus, this beautiful view of an equal representation of nature that the artist wanted the audience to relate to. In most cases and in realistic situations, many people visit the beach to view the beautiful sceneries as well as to have an attachment to the cool breezes. Moreover, the artist would want the target audience to see what is to be at the beach while looking at its origin.
In summary, artists do employ the different artistic forms to ensure that their feelings about places are shared with the world. To make their works effective and able to generate a seamless flow of thoughts, it is imperative that elements of art, as well as principles of design, are used. Through such elements, the targeted audiences can relate to different pieces of paintings the sublime nature of art notwithstanding.
