Foundations of Design : REPRESENTATION, SEM1, 2017 M2 JOURNAL - FLATNESS vs PROJECTION
Hugh Foster
(916339) Hana Nihill Studio 22
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WEEK 3 READING: LEGER, LE CORBUSIER, AND PURISM
Question 1: What is Pictorial Space according to Le Corbusier? Pictorial space according to Le Corbuiser is “that which cannot be entered or circulated through; it is irremediably space viewed from a distance and therefore eternally resigned to frontality. Thus the pictorial space, which is the space in which ads depth to a 2d medium allowing it to recede backwards into the page from the picture face is bound by frontality. The pictorial space must be aligned in a plane parallel to the picture surface (frontal alignment). For example, it is like looking at it through a window frame, it is a flat space but it is the viewer that employs the depth. He sees that we project our own perception on depth and reduces the representational aspect of the drawing to the most rudimentary form of 2 dimensions in the hope to get rid of all sense of depth.
Question 2: The Flatness of Le Corbusier’s painting’s are attributable to two properties. What are they? And what are these pitted against? In order to to create the flatness in Le Corbusier’s painting’s he utilizes colour and texture. The clear lack of colour and use of texture as only singular lines allows one to separate the distance that would be experienced in the real world into the conceptual distance represented on the page, thus creating flatness. He purposely avoided shadows in the way in which Gris utilized them to add depth instead choosing to use texture, only to infer the material used. He then uses the white background again to promote this ideology of flatness only allowing the viewer to add depth by inference.
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MARIO’S WORLD
Mario world 1: first projection
Mario world 2: second projection
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1ST MARIO’S WORLD The drawings were constructed by placing the initial Mario image at a 45-degree angle. With the use of a T square and a set square the images were then able to be projected through a measurable and precise manner to form an axonometric representation of the 2D Mario world. When drawing mine I flipped it thus drawing at -45 degrees. I found it initially hard to rap my head around generating depth for each object, making many mistakes before I was able to get to this point in the design. Although still rough and in its rudimentary from. This was by far the most challenging part for me in the design process. as you can see the curves still need work and no detail in terms of texture still need to be added. yet to both projections. however both were constructed with measurable accuracy allowing me to form to move onto overlaying them and constructing the full world.
second axonometric projection
First axonometric projection
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COMBINED MARIO’S WORLD
Using fine line, I was able to use another piece of trace and go back over the combined penciled Mario world. I then added texture in order to show each specific material, specifically in showing the different layers of grass and the angles they each formed. By doing this I combined Le Corbusier’s method of texture with a certain element(still no colour) of El lissitzky’s form of projection. Utilizing Cartesian measurement to form a 3 dimensional form, however the piece still lacks depth without the inclusion of colour and can still be considered flat.
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WEEK 4 READING: TITLE OF READING Complete your reading before attempting these questions:
Question 1: Explain the difference between Pictoral (in this case perspectival) space and Projection? (Maximum 100 words) perspectives depend on distortion ( constructing the visible). Whereas projection is the product of active subjectivity and construction of illusion through the irrational means. With projection anything is possible, whereas perspectival space is limited by the fixation of a singular point. Pictorial space is unable to map the complexities of perception and fluidity of gaze. Pictorial space is bound by a singular point of perspective where as projection has infinite depth and infinite foreground. Perspective or in this case pictorial space records what already exists whereas axo projection constructs what does not exist. Pictorial space is finite where as projection allows design and shapes to come from the cubic box they were in into infinite possibility.
Question 2: Where did Axonometric projection first arise, and why? (Maximum 100 words) Axonometric drawings have their origins in ancient visual practices. however, the first systematic description of axonometric drawings was utilized by military to 3D map trajectories of artillery. 18-19th century it was used in engineering practices for machinery and technical drawings. It was then taught in architecture and utilized in drafting to combine measurability and transmissibility of orthographic drawings with the immediacy of perspective view. The Modernist artist movement in the 20th century pushed the ideology again by pushing the vanishing point to infinity, transiting abstract info in a precise and measurable manner. Architectural axonometric is a healthy montage of Cartesian space which is utilized as a guideline for the viewing of the fragmented object which is the axonometric projection creating complete geometry transparency.
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ILLUSTRATED MARIO’S NEW WORLD: GREYSCALEW The Greyscale, Mario world is one of by favourite designs. Utilizing gradients, I was able to generate a clear and elegant 3d abstraction of the Mario world. The almost metallic texture clearly embodies the 3 dimensions of the design as it almost levitates in a field of infinite foreground and infinite depth, clearly juxtaposed against the bright white background.
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ILLUSTRATED MARIO’S NEW WORLD: TEXTURE
The Texture Mario world, was very much an experiment to see if I would be able to generate a Mario world utilizing real wold textures. Although my knowledge of rendering is only limited to AI I feel as though this was the best I could do given the program given. I spent little time on this instead choosing to include it as an abstract experiment only. With the use of texture and colour the world is again given a new form to capture the fluidity of gaze and third dimension only able to be portrayed by a correct axonometric projection.
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ILLUSTRATED MARIO’S NEW WORLD: FINAL The colour Mario world is a clear representation of an Axonometric projection. The design has clearly gone beyond the realms of pictorial space and entered into the complex and infinite world of projection. Through the use of colours, precise measurements and textures the 3 dimensions of the world has clearly captured the complexities and fluidity of gaze. It has gone beyond the 2nd dimension to create a measurable and completely new realm in which Mario can be viewed and engaged. The subtle yet elegant transformation of colours and gradients to create not only an accurate representation of the colour used in the initial Mario has also been utilized to precisely portray depth and shadow. The elegant Mario world can be seen floating simultaneously in in both time and space. El lessitzky once quoted “The artist constructs a new symbol with his brush. This symbol is not a recognizable form of anything which is already finished, already made, already existing in the world it is a symbol of a new world, which is being built upon” I believe the Mario world created relates directly to this quote. with the use of Ai instead of the brush it has embodied a completely new world, inspired by original images in which one can engage, perceive and most of all enjoy.
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APPENDIX
set up of first axonometric. materials used include, T square, set square, o.1 fineline, o.4 fineline and HB pencil
set square and T square set up in order to measure accurately
Second image tracing set up
overlaping of drawings to trace onto one single page of trace
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APPENDIX 2
joined pencil draft. from here texture and more detail was added in the pen drawing stage
el lissitzky inspired Mario experiment 2
el lissitzky inspired Mario experiment 1 el lissitzky inspired Mario experiment 3
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APPENDIX 3 El lissitzky inspired projections. portrayal of infinite background and foreground. black background.
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APPENDIX 4 El lissitzky inspired projections. portrayal of infinite background and foreground. White background
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APPENDIX 5
Initial character development, these images were then scanned into there proposed sizes and traced onto the final fineline drawing.
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