Sunday, August 25, 2013

Visceral Response


Being a complete novice in design, I wouldn't have been able to tell you what makes this image great a couple of days ago. Now I can see that it is a combination of lines, colors, space and even textures that makes this particular piece of art so compelling.

The eye is immediately caught by the shape of the tree, with it's dark value contrasted against the vibrant intensity of the white shining behind and through it. The white directs the eye up and to the right as it swirls into other hues. The bright light of the white also allows details of the leaves and branches to be seen. Another major contrast is that of the intensely white stars against the darkest parts of the sky.

With all the vibrant pops of color and the overwhelming sense of vastness created by horizontal lines, which suggest an endlessness to the image, one might be tempted to have an anxiety attack. However, the slightly curved horizontal line of the grass plain creates a feeling of being at rest. The texture makes the grass itself look soft, and the slight lean of the blades suggests a light breeze. The disproportionate amount of negative space in the sky increases the feeling that the tree is solitary. Also, the dulling of the colors as they blend into each other adds a softness that wouldn't be possible if the vibrancies were consistently intense throughout.

All of these details add up to create an image that is both exhilarating and peaceful. They create a scenario in which I feel I could lean up against that tree, gazing out across the wide expanse of the universe, and discover the answers to life's greatest mysteries. These elements of design, combined with something I can't quite put a name to, create in me a visceral response. And when art can do that to a person, it's amazing.