OPTICS Perceptive Aesthetics
Minimalism:
The Art of White Space Minimalist Logos The Minimalistic Lifestyle Making Minimalistic Art Art Tips Featured Art Issue 3 - Minimalism Cover Image - Bliss, Inspired by Pierre Voisin
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CONTENTS 3
A Letter From Bliss Featured Articles
9 Minimalism: The Art of White Space Minimalistic Logos 21 29 The Minimalistic Lifestyle Making Minimalistic Art 37 Artists
5 7 8 17 18 19 25 27 33 35 36 45
Anne Truitt Das Sasha Naoto Fukasawa Regine Schumann Larry Bell Bert Danckaert Frank Stella ThingDesign Parallel World Ammiki Qiqiart Franรงois Morellet Community Works
45 47
Featured Art Image Credits
A Letter From Bliss
never really addressed what I wanted Optics to be in the past, but I can explain what I want it to be now. Optics, at least in my eyes, is like a mood board with a few articles sprinkled in. Based on some random topic that changes each month, I go out onto the internet and look for a way to design the articles. Whenever I’ve finished writing and designing the articles I go back and find (with some luck because I’m not smart enough to type them onto a list) the artists that inspired the designs created. If you’re reading this on Issuu.com, there are links scattered around this publication that’ll send you to the sites of these artists. If you’re interested, I suggest you look into these artists because they not only inspire what makes the bulk of Optics but also inspire the other works I make! Alongside my plans now, I'm also looking to make Optics a physical publication at some point (though this is less probable than the other ideas). I hope to do much more but in the meantime, please enjoy this issue of Optics!
ANNE
TRUITT
Bull bench B&B ITALIA / Italy / 2019
MINIMALISM The Art of White Space
Minimalism is simple. Although its designs and visuals are sometimes extremely basic, many people look at minimalism as a very complex and broad art form. It plays a part in modern graphics and patterns. From photography to storytelling, here’s a short dive into the minimalistic artform
WHAT IS IT?
Minimalism is an art form that began rising in popularity around the 1950s, based on geometric shapes and architecture. The art form focused around using white space (or blank space) to ensure the viewer doesn’t stress while looking at the artwork or sculpture. While the ideas of minimalism can be slightly confusing, it can be boiled down into just three words.
LESS = MORE
WHITE SPACE
That term has come up a few times while describing minimalism, so what is white space? Basic minimalism can be divided into 2 parts: white space and an area of detail. White space, in contrast to detail, is an area of low detail or space. to add to it, not all �white space� is white. The term is just a generalization for a blank area, whether it has colour or not. White space gives the minimalistic art style the upside of allowing your brain a break from clutter.
DETAIL
While white space is a very important part of minimalism, detail also plays a hand in the final product. The right contrast of white space and detail can provide focus onto something while ensuring the area around the object isn't too cluttered. There are many different levels of detail, too. Some art uses simple forms, while others more complex figures for a greater sense of contrast and focus. It's not too uncommon to see forms built of white space for a simple or geometric look.
Graphite https://www.graphite.com
DESIGN
#313333
GRAPHITE
The design of minimalistic graphics usually follows the first described way of making minimalistic visuals. Using a decent amount of white space, text and designs are spaced around. It isn't entirely seen above, but it is common to see designs with only whats needed. For example, a promotion for a product looking to create a minimalist look may only have the product, the name, and the necessary information. Others might use simple details also stated before.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Minimalist photography has been around for many decades, gaining traction in the late 1900s with models and shots of simplistic buildings and architecture from the ground level. Many common themes are used in this style of photography like visuals of walls, simple sculptures, landscapes, and people. Minimalist photography is extremely broad but mainly focuses on the use of detail surrounded by white space
THE MODERN LOOK
Minimalism is so engraved into the modern age that it is practically impossible to not see it at least once each day. Whether it is an advertisement or even just the front of a modern fridge, it's extremely common to see anything minimalistic. Minimalism is so engraved in modernism, it seems to be a common idea that the future holds a haven for minimalistic design and architecture.
2020
Run A
Run B
AN EXPERIENCE
Minimalism was such a weird art style to me. Upon learning about it, I felt it was a lazy art style for those who didn't feel like putting in the effort to make a ‘full’ piece of art. Simply said, I was very wrong. When I first started trying to make it, I found it very hard to find inspiration or had trouble feeling that my pieces were busy. My opinion of minimalism has changed drastically over the years from negative to positive by simply trying it.
colormirror
Larry Bell Untitled Maquette (True Sea Salt / Kelp), 2018 Laminated Glass Unique
BERT DANCKAERT
Minimalistic
LOGOS
IN WITH THE NEW
CAT AND MOUSE
COLLECTORS
Frank Stella Marquis de Portago, 1970
Creative Minimalistic Canvases
Minimalist Philosophy A minimalist lifestyle is a very simple one, but for very important reasons. To put it simply, a minimalist is a person free of the desire to have more material wealth and prefers to indulge in only what they need. The space saved in their area for activities like exercise or relaxing with their family. Sadly the basics of a minimalist lifestyle can be idealistic and hard to follow line by line. Many people find it hard to let go of items due to an emotional attachment or a need to feel prepared for the worst. Alongside that, many people rush into the process and get confused as to where they should start by getting rid of items. Since people can sometimes have a bit of a bump in their process of following this modern and popular lifestyle, this short article could give a few tips that could help you understand and follow a process that could help you fulfill what you're looking to accomplish by living minimalistically.
Misconceptions Many people hear how minimalists live and interpret it differently. Here are a few common misconceptions and the truths behind them. - Minimalist’s lives are bleak and boring. While minimalists use less space, the empty areas are used for activities with others. Alongside that, a minimalist’s lifestyle only affects how they purchase and use items, not experiences. - Minimalists are not sentimental. Many minimalists hold on to personal items. Anyone can follow a minimalist lifestyle based on just a certain set of items or everything they own. Either way, minimalists are more attached to the memory than the items from the memory. - Minimalists can’t own nice things. Minimalists aren’t tied to the price of things, but how useful they are. They certainly can have nice items but they aren't drawn to the prestige of just having objects.
Getting Started Living minimalistically is a process, it doesn’t just come to you one afternoon while throwing out old paperwork or clearing a shelf. The best place to start is by addressing how you’re currently living. If you need a lot of items, you can still be minimalistic by selling larger items for smaller, space-saving versions. From there you could start grouping the items you know you absolutely don't need together and sell or donate them away. Afterwards, you should group items in groups based on their importance to you. While you’re going through items you’re attached to, you should start asking yourself the hard questions: “What is my attachment to this item?”, “Do I need to hold onto this?”, etc. Don’t worry if you can’t quite let go of items that are important to you because of a memory, there’s nothing wrong with keeping a few important items. Once you’ve whittled down the items you don’t need, its time to start getting used to taking less in. Whenever you see something in the store you like, be sure to ask yourself if you really need it, or if you just want if for decoration. If you don't need it, you probably don’t need to buy it.
Parallel World Parallel world is a continuous effort to record certain aspects of contempo rary Japanese urban spaces. Main focus lays on often–unconscious physical manifestations of various cultural, social, economical, technological or spatial phenomena and their mutual intersections, such as ubiquitous construction sites resulting from metabolizing of Tokyo, various urban elements and highly pragmatic architecture built without architects; formed almost purely by forces forming the city (as opposed to “high” architecture with conceptual and aesthetic ambitions) or void spaces resulting from rapid depopulation of the nation. Some images portrait isolated subject, other capture often–uncanny relationships and spaces “between”, which ultimately define the face of the city. In many cases, links between the photographed topics and existing discourses in the fields of architecture theory, urban design theory or cultural anthropology can be drawn. All together, the images present vast array of fragments of Japanese urban space, allowing viewer to compose his own overall picture. Result is place that is both real and fabricated: real in its details given the very nature of photography as a media, fabricated through the highly selective choice of captured topics. The name “Parallel World” thus refers not only to specific position of Japanese city within the context of the rest of the world, but also to author’s methodical creation of its alternative image.
AMMIKI
Foreward Making minimalistic art takes a bit of study, hence why unlike the other issues, the bit about making art is separate from the first article. Taking notice of the philosophy of minimalism is very important when it comes to making art and designs in this style. We’ve already covered what minimalism is and the philosophy behind it, so in this article, we’ll cover the idea behind it, the most popular ways to make minimalistic art, and how you could start your art syle from minimalism.
Using Less Focusing on just a single object or design is a very simple way to create your minimalistic art. Items that are just as basic as a single number or a basic geometric shape could work as visual treats to some people. This method is a very good way to start if you’d like to make your art. A lot of prominent minimalist designers and artists began their art styles starting with this method. If you plan to start here, be sure to experiment with whatever you think might look nice.
Text Text is one of the more popular ways of using minimalism. Text in a design is extremely important. If you have a point you want to get across and can't simply do that, text is the most probable stand-in for your information. The art of turning that text into a minimalistic design becomes very simple once you know what you absolutely must get across. After that, working with spacing and deleting what isn't needed can finalize your design. On the other hand, one simple letter that has no real meaning could just stand in the center of a white background and you still have made an art that is preferable.
Forms By far the most popular method of using things to make minimalistic art is the use of shapes and simple forms. From paintings to sculptures, the use of forms upon a palette of white space has been very prominent even when minimalistic art styles were just being idealized long ago in the 1950s. Alongside the use of geometric shapes and forms, the use of textures is commonly seen. For example, ink on a canvas is very common and adding water to create a minimalistic yet a piece varying in texture. As stated on the page before, using less can allow you to achieve more, and in this case, you can find a
Detail Some of minimalism is all about detail, and other more the lack of it. The use of compressing detail forces focus onto the object while giving space around the object the ability to ensure the focus isnt too crowded. On the otherhand, using very little detail spread out onto a canvas can also be affective. For example, this minimalistic human form sketch allows for an aesthetic look while still being extremely simple.
Beyond There are so many more ways you could make minimalistic or minimalist-style artwork, so many that it’s practically impossible to list every way you can work this art style to how you wish. This is where the earlier mentioned ‘research’ is suggested. You could work with almost any materials, any medium, and any method, just as long as you understand the basics of white space and how you can use the lesser detail to a visual advantage. If you're reading this planning to make your minimalistic art, good luck and remember: less is more.
Franรงois Morellet 10 lignes au hasard , 1975
FEATURED ART Sorry ladies and gents, In my scramble to finish up this month's issue, I forgot to reach out to any artists for art to feature in this couple of pages. To add to that, the artists I usually reach out to feature art don’t really make ‘minimalistic’ art as far as I know. While there isn't any art to be featured, ill take this chance to set up a poll regarding the featured art section. Every time I put art in the featured art section, I look for an art based around the topic being covered. I would like an opinion as to what people would like to see between just regularly featured art and topic-based art. Also as always we are looking for any artists looking to share their art! Feel free to join connect, social/art Discord server and home of optics! Strawpoll
https://www.strawpoll.me/20459434 Discord
http://discord.gg/DAtp8Ad
Page 1 & 2
IMAGE CREDITS Optics is a non-commercial magazine that tries to respect the copyrights of all artists with work featured. I’d like to give as much credit possible to the creators of the lovely images and designs used to put together this issue. Here is a list of each artist/designer/photographer in order of the page, from right to left and down on each (figure at the bottom). Please go and check out their work! Also, if your work is featured in this issue and you feel that you prefer it not to be included or that your work is misrepresented, please email me at blissful.acc@gmail.com so I can fix my mistake. Thank you!
Qiqiart - https://www.qiqiart.com - https://www.instagram.com/qiqicanvas
Page 4 Papers.co - https://papers.co - https://apps.apple.com/app/id963687014
Page 18
Page 19 & 20
Larry Bell - https://larrybell.com - http://www.artnet.com/artists/larry-bell
Bert Danckaert - https://www.bert-danckaert.be - https://www.instagram.com/bertdanckaert
Strawpoll
https://www.strawpoll.me/20459434 Discord
http://discord.gg/DAtp8Ad
(fig. of credits)
Page 36 Qiqiart - https://www.qiqiart.com - https://www.instagram.com/qiqicanvas
Page 45 & 46 François Morellet - http://www.artnet.com/artists/françois-morellet - https://www.artsy.net/artist/francois-morellet
Page 5 & 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 17
Anne Truitt - http://www.annetruitt.org - http://www.artnet.com/artists/anne-truitt
Das Sasha - https://unsplash.com/@dasdasha2015 - https://www.pinterest.com/stefania2011
Naoto Fukasawa - https://www.naotofukasawa.com - https://www.dezeen.com/tag/naoto-fukasawa
Regine Schumann - https://www.regineschumann.de - https://www.axelpairon-gallery.com/regine-schumann
Page 25 & 26
Page 27 & 28
Page 33 & 34
Frank Stella - http://www.artnet.com/artists/frank-stella - https://www.artsy.net/artist/frank-stella
ThingDesign - https://www.instagram.com/thingdesignartist - https://society6.com/thindesign
Jan VranovskĂ˝ - https://www.instagram.com/janvranovsky - https://janvranovsky.tumblr.com
Page 35 AMMIKI - https://shop.ammiki.com - https://www.etsy.com/shop/AMMIKI
Issue 3 - Minimalism Designed and Written By Bliss
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