Light in the Context of Shape and Mass

Breanna Castaneda

Professor Long

ARTH 102.01

26 September 2013

Light in the Context of Shape and Mass

            Like many art forms, it is sometimes easier to understand a drawing or painting by trying in one’s own way to re-create through imitation. Through this we visualize and re-create the works of the masters, pictures that spark our interest or objects that demonstrate depth, despite its level of difficulty or simplicity. The goal is to train the eye to understand an object or subject’s shape and form, its mass, and to create something that resembles the real thing. The relationship between light and an object’s shape and form makes all the difference when viewing a piece or creating it. Light plays a crucial role in creating something naturalistic or realistic on paper or canvas. It can be argued that an artist must understand their subject’s light source at all times as it is what produces the life-like realism in a piece. By this I mean understanding the subject’s shape in relation to the light, how does the shadow on the shape form and how does one as an artist recreate it?

            Understanding shape requires information that the artist must consider when attempting to recreate an image or begin a piece. The artist must consider straight edges and planes, curves, comparisons between the different shapes within the object or subject, and their proportion sizes. When the artist is able to visualize subjects in terms of shape they have the ability to create anything. But the skill itself comes from studying previous artists and learning through their success. By this I mean imitation or copying; which “allows you to share something of the experience of that master, to empathize with the artist” (56 Dodson). It is essentially sitting with the artist and manipulating mediums to produce what they have. It leaves the student finding a piece of the master themselves, which in turn allows the artist to develop their own personal style but with the knowledge of those who knew their craft so well. This technique becomes almost default to an artist; with it they can achieve anything regardless of difficulty, intensity or simplicity.

            However, bringing the pieces to life comes from knowing how to manipulate the illusion of light. The masters have done so; in re-creating them the artist can grasp the concept of naturalism that which is heavily dependent on lighting. Light is so pertinent because it “is such a pervasive part of our sensory and emotional experience” (102 Dodson). Light brings about the difference between looking at a drawing and merely seeing it versus feeling the subject’s presence in its most natural form. An artist will come to understand that “the way light falls on objects, though often subtle and complex, is invariably logical and consistent” (105 Dodson). This creates the skill to make sense of the complexities within a subject and becomes a basis for observation.  In the works below, we can see the artist’s utilizing their understanding of all three elements of drawing and basic skills necessary to produce the ultimate product.

 

http://www.fletcherfineart.com/mobile/Portrait%20Drawings/files/img2_0.jpg