Question Selection
To what extent has Illustration constructed our understanding or view of historical events and perceptions of truth? AND/OR c To what extent does aesthetic ‘style’ reflect the context, audience and/or function of contemporary Illustration?
Introductory Statement My interest lies hugely in the field of colour; I’ve always been engrossed by the way that colours can change moods, behaviours and influence thought patterns. In my recent studies, I’ve invested time in examining the ways that the retail industry can utilise the persuasive powers of colour. A large part of my image-making process revolves around colour, thus in COP3 I intend to further research the role colour plays. I would like to combine the two suggested questions outlined above, perhaps rephrasing it slightly to make ‘To what extent has aesthetic style constructed our perceptions of truth?’ (aesthetic style =/= colour) By using the information I've compiled this year, I aim to have a more informed understanding of effective research techniques for my dissertation investigations. For example, I am aware of scientific journals that produce relevant information. I’ve also discovered prominent researchers in the field. I believe this will validate my foundations for COP3. Embracing primary and secondary research techniques, I hope to find relevant sources and points to answer the question I pose; which will become more specific as I conduct preliminary research. I have chosen this field because it directly relates to the direction my practice is taking and will continue to in Level 6. It would also inform my future endeavours beyond the course. I’m particularly looking forward to the practical work as I can experiment and make my own discoveries, an initial thought to link the practical and theoretical is to use the practical as a research tool, perhaps using it in studies to prompt findings I can then input into the dissertation.
5 Contextual Images
One of the 1st colour wheels by Goethe a foundation for future research
Boutet's 7-color and 12-color color circles
Dispersion of light - chromatic dispersion from white colour to the colours the eye perceives
Demonstrating different perceptions of colour in varying cultures
CMYK vs. RGB - must understand the differences in today’s heavily digital world
5 Books & Journals
A consumer’s response to visuals and how they can be persuaded.
This book outlines systems of representation and how colour comes into play.
Communicating through colour.
Colour semiotics is a key and established field to research for this topic.
“Rather, in looking at an object, we reach out for it.”
5 Websites
‘The Secret Language of Color’
‘Color Hunt’
Joann is a leading colour consultant and interior designer. Arielle is an author and on the committee of the Colour Association of the US. It explains why we see what we do. Good for understanding the fundamentals.
A social platform to share and discover colour palettes. This could be very handy when it comes to the practical exploration in my investigations! I can make my own.
A concise explanation of the effects of color. Interesting imagery also. Informative and visually inspiring.
5 Websites
‘Interior Design Colour Trends’ If I’m investigating aesthetic style I need to be aware of current trends, as they can be very powerful in influencing my own design decisions.
‘Do colours really warp our behaviour?’ BBC articles on current news - be good for my research to keep on any developments in the world.
5 Quotes
Colour is a language and connotes meaning
Perception of colour is individual
“It's hard to not like a man who not only notices the colors, but speaks them.” ― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
“The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” ― Coco Chanel "All this universe is perfused with signs, if it is not composed exclusively of signs" ― Charles Sanders Peirce
Colour harmony is combining colours in a way that is harmonious to the eye
“Why do two colours, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this?” ― Pablo Picasso
We organise the world through signs and symbols “In visual perception a color is almost never seen as it really is - as it physically is. This fact makes color the most relative medium in art.” ― Josef Albers
Colour is not constant
5 Examples of Illustration
Iconoclast David Hockney breaks every rule, taking delight in deconstructing colour theory Georgia Loveridge’s degree show piece: ‘Inspired by nondescript, hidden crevices and unusual viewpoints, my textile pieces were formed and inspired by my intrigue to source beauty and light from sometimes dark, unseen spaces. My interest to study colour, shape and scale became prominent through previous projects
5 Examples of Illustration
Atelier Bingo - influenced hugely by their love for experimenting with print, colour, shape and line
Ophelia Pang “Colours are my closest friends and I fear none of them. Even if he's a fierce red we could still have a funny chat.�
Anne Laval An own personal preference for her illustration and selection of colour palettes - a large part of the messages I read from her work is based on the colours
Practical Proposal
Initial research prompted by this proposal has stimulated so many creative ideas that are coming into form in my mind. I’m thinking of going more abstract than with COP2 Practical - less literal and more deconstructed, similar to the ways that Hockney breaks rules, whilst embracing the sense of free exploration that seeps from Atelier Bingo’s prints.
This is a mock-up of a poster idea I created to tie together my visual synthesis this year, I discarded it in favour of a design that involved more recent work that moved towards fashion, however I would like to return to it and toy with it further as I think I dismissed more abstract work because it’s out of my comfort zone, but I feel as though experimenting with colour palettes and shape could lead to exciting results next year. Experiment In order to combat the potential lack of scientific research into colour in the arts, I could construct illustrations that incorporate different tones & hues and conduct my own studies, inspired by the arrangements by Georgia Loveridge. E.g. asking groups for thoughts and moods that come to mind when they are surrounded by certain palettes, then integrating this into my dissertation.
Bibliography Contextual Images; -
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Goethe, Johann., (1810), ‘Theory of Colours’, London, England: John Murray. Guerin de Tubermont, (1708), ‘Traite Des Contrats de Mariage’, France: Hachette Livre McCandless, D., (April 2009), ‘Colours in Cultures’, London, England [online] available from < http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/colours-in-cultur es/ [date accessed: April 2017] Wiley, (2008), ‘Chromatic Dispersion’, Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology Vanholten, D., (2012), ‘RGB versus CMYK’, Rotterdam, Netherlands: available from < http://www.printernational.org/rgb-versus-cmyk.php [date accessed: April 2017]
Books and Journals; -
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Garber, L. L., (2003), ‘Persuasive Imagery’, Oxfordshire, England: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Hall, S., (1997), ‘Representation: Cultural representations and signifying practices.’, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage in association with the Open University. Gage, J., (March 2000), ‘Color and Meaning’, London, England: Thames & Hudson Ltd. Eckstut, J., (October 2013), ‘The Secret Language of Colour’, NY, America: Black Dog & Leventhal Arnheim, R., (1954), ‘Art and Visual Perception’, CA, America: University of California Press
Websites; -
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Eckstut, J., (2017), ‘The Secret Language of Color’, America, [online] available from < http://secretlanguageofcolor.com/ [date accessed: April 2017] Shir, G., (2016), ‘Color Hunt’, Israel, [online] available from < http://colorhunt.co/ [date accessed: April 2017] Brown, K., (Oct 2012), ‘The Effects of Color’, America, [online] available from < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX0DHd5QNS8 [date accessed: April 2017] Riberti, G., (Oct 2016), ‘Interior Design Colour Trends’, America, [online] available from < https://www.wgsn.com/blogs/interior-design-colour-trends-2017/# [date accessed: April 2017] Hammond, C., (April 2015), ‘Do colours really warp our behaviour?’, England, [online] available from < http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150402-do-colours-really-chang e-our-mood [date accessed: April 2017]
Bibliography
Quotes; -
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Zusack, M., (2007), ‘The Book Thief’, London, England: Black Swan Gould, H., (July 2014), ‘Best Chanel Quotes’ Marie Claire, England [online] available from < http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/news/a9366/coco-chanel-quot es/ [date accessed: April 2017] Peirce, C.S., (1974), ‘The Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce’, America: Harvard University Press Albers, J., (1963), ‘Interaction of Color’, Yale, America: Yale University Press Davies, L., (Apr 2014), ‘Picasso’s palettes’, UK: The Telegraph [online] available at < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/10758308/Why-Pi cassos-palettes-were-a-work-of-art-in-themselves.html [date accessed: April 2017]
Examples of Illustration; -
Hockney, D., (2009), ‘Winter Timber’, Oil on canvas, 108 x 240” Loveridge, G., (2015), ‘Gamut’, Screen-print onto fabric. Atelier Bingo, (June 2013), ‘Screen-print on fabric’ Pang, O., (March 2017), ‘The pink pods’, Gouache painting Laval, A., (December 2016),