Pictorial Space throughout Art History: Cézanne and ... - ARAS
Pictorial Space throughout Art History: Cézanne and ... - ARAS
Pictorial Space throughout Art History: Cézanne and ... - ARAS
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<strong>ARAS</strong> Connections Issue 2, 2012<br />
In psychological terms, the young girl's composition suggests that the<br />
instinctual layer of her personality has not been repressed by consciousness. The<br />
bold contrasts of color <strong>and</strong> form suggest the same.<br />
How can you learn to create pictorial space?<br />
What follows is not the only way to approach pictorial space but it may be<br />
the easiest way. Because pictorial space is so difficult, easiest is probably best.<br />
Work small <strong>and</strong> simple. This throws the problem into relief <strong>and</strong> will help<br />
you to focus. Otherwise you will be seduced by other visual effects. A canvas eight<br />
inches by six is big enough. To have more control over forces due to color, use<br />
only a few colors <strong>and</strong> dilute them greatly with gray. To see the proportionate<br />
relationships more easily, paint only rectangles. This will also protect you from<br />
seduction by shape, line, or detail. Do not be discouraged by these restrictions.<br />
They will not make your painting dull. If they empower you to play with pictorial<br />
space then such play will offer infinite possibilities. Hofmann's Memoria in<br />
Aeternum (plate 15) shows what can be achieved with several rectangles. Your<br />
purpose is to become more sensitive to pictorial space.<br />
Work in acrylics <strong>and</strong> make repeated changes: wipe off paint before it dries<br />
or dry it with a hairdryer <strong>and</strong> paint over it. Paint a single rectangle, changing it<br />
until all the proportions work so that it seems to belong on the canvas. Then try<br />
to add a second rectangle: it could be the same color. Since all proportions must<br />
work you will be forced to change the first rectangle.<br />
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