Challenge # 36 Transparency with Horizontal High, Low or Layers

Challenge # 36 - Friday, 28 August, 2008 Guest Hostess – Sandy Snowden, Bracknell, Berkshire, England

Working in Series: Continued

Color Concept: Transparency

Rosemary Claus-Gray works with transparent fabrics. Check out most of her recent works on her website. http://www.rosemaryclaus-gray.com/abstract.htm http://www.rosemaryclaus-gray.com/organic.htm Look at this piece as well. http://www.rosemaryclaus-gray.com/a-sheerfloral.htm

Another artist using transparent fabrics is Kathleen Laurel Sage. Kathleen layers sheer fabrics and then cuts back with a soldering iron to reveal colours. I can not find a website or blog, but if you do an image search on her name, you will find a lot to inspire you.

The illusion of transparency can also be achieved through strategically placed value and color choices. Katie Pasquini’s ghost layers are good example http://www.katiepm.com/bgettylarge.html http://www.katiepm.com/icebklarge.html

Elizabeth Barton’s work has a transparent look to it achieved by light values and shibori fabric. http://ebarton.myweb.uga.edu/watercityscapes.htm
And take a look at Carol Shin’s Sheer Curtains http://www.carolshinn.com/i/sheer-curtains.jpg

Composition Concept: Low Horizontal, High Horizontal or Horizontal layers

http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Lessons/606.php

High horizon –importance for what is below the horizon emphasises depth.

http://www.artistsnetwork.com/article/The-Allure-of-a-High-Horizon/ http://tinyurl.com/lejeof

Artist example – Sidney Nolan http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2085557.htm several of these paintings show the High Horizon.

Low Horizon – give emphasis to what is above the horizon, such as a dramatic sky, emphasises height.

http://www.thedigitalstory.com/blog/2005/11/low_horizon_line_for.html

http://tinyurl.com/n5baj7 Very good description of the use of low horizon by Dutch landscape painters.

Artist example –Elina Brotherus http://www.elinabrotherus.com/photography/the-new-painting/ click through the photography of horizons. The 12th photograph begins the series with Low Horizon and moves on to Very Low Horizon.

Horizontal Layers-
Investigate the work of Ferdinand Hodler who introduced the horizontal layer composition, particularly evident in his series on Lake Geneva http://tinyurl.com/m6z9yj http://tinyurl.com/n5pew8 http://tinyurl.com/nfcp9n
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ferdinand_Hodler_003.jpg http://tinyurl.com/ktshxd

Discussion - The following is included for informational purposes only:

Transparency
From Wikipedia – “In the field of optics, transparency is the physical property of allowing light to pass through a material. The opposite property is opacity. Transparent materials are clear (i.e. they can be seen through). Translucent materials allow light to pass through them only diffusely (i.e. they cannot be seen through clearly)…. Some materials allow much of the light that falls on them to be transmitted through without being reflected or refracted; such materials are called optically transparent. More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_%28optics%29
Light passing through transparent material which has colour can change the look of other things. For instance, sunbeams through stained glass throw rainbows of colour onto interiors. Looking through coloured glass also changes the perception of the colours of objects. At the same time, layered transparent fabrics have a similar effect, so one needs to consider knowledge of colour mixing when doing so.
Horizon Line
From the Drawing Professor - “The Horizon Line is an imaginary line positioned at eye level and is the primary line of reference when constructing perspective. It is important to understand that the horizon line referred to in drawing is not the same as the horizon we would typically refer to in daily life (the line at which the sky and earth meet). When it comes to drawing, the horizon line is not constant; it changes according to the position of the viewer. To establish the horizon line from any working position, hold a ruler in front of your eyes horizontally so you see only its upper edge. Make a mental note of the line the ruler makes across the scene in front of you. Mark this line across your drawing to represent the horizon. Depending on the composition you wish to create, you can draw this line anywhere on your paper to incorporate subjects above and/or below this line. One can also affect the illusion of depth in a drawing by altering the position of the horizon line.”
Excellent images of Horizon lines can be found by searching Google with the words Low Horizon or High Horizon.
Due - Saturday, Noon EST, 5 September, 2008

One final requirement - HAVE FUN WITH THIS!