In 1960, Jasper Johns created his lithograph “0 through 9”, using stone in black on Arches paper. His lithograph uses several principles of design which supports the design elements to create an impressive piece of art work. The principles utilized include proportion, rhythm, and balance.
Viewers viewing “0 through 9” immediately recognized there is proportion. The lines which form the numbers cover the whole paper. Proportion refers to size in relationship between parts of a whole. (137) The many lines used to in creating the numbers “0 through 9” create rhythm. Rhythm is based on repetition. (141) Those viewing “0 through 9” are immediately drawn to the visual weight of the lithograph being equally distributed. Johns employs symmetrical balance. By placing an imaginary line down the middle, one can see the sides are equal. Symmetrical balance is equal weight. (125)
Joseph Mallord William Turner created his oil on canvas painting the “Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight” in 1835. Turner uses the design principles of emphasis, unity, and variety to support the design elements in his painting.
In this painting, Turner uses emphasis which grabs the viewer attention with the moon, and its reflection on the water leads the way to it. This can be seen by Turner's use of color to lighten and darken the sky. Emphasis means that our attention is drawn more to certain parts of a composition than others. (134) Turner also uses unity and variety in this painting by creating a visual harmony of the harbor and ships as well as the smoke coming from the coal mines. Unity is a sense of oneness, of things belonging together and making up a coherent whole. (122) Variety is the difference in the art work which provides interest. (122)
In conclusion, both pictures use very different principles. Jasper Johns art work exhibits symmetrical balance in contrast to Turner. Turner uses emphasis in his painting to draw attention to certain parts while Johns does not.
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Renee,
this essay does a good job of using art terms, defining them and using the citations from the book. But there are some errors.
The features of the artworks are complete.
The connections and critical thinking is weak.
For example the following sentence from the essay states:
"Viewers viewing “0 through 9” immediately recognized there is proportion. The lines which form the numbers cover the whole paper. Proportion refers to size in relationship between parts of a whole. (137) "
However, it never states what in the Jasper John's lithograph is in proportion to.
The numbers are larger than life size numbers. Usually we see number written small on a piece of notebook paper. But here John's makes the numbers large and he uses a serif font reserved for billboards and such. So the numbers are large in comparison to numbers that we usually see.
The essay completely leaves out this explanation leaving the reader wondering how John's uses porportion.
There are other such example throughout the essay.
The essay is disorganized. The conclusion should be the first paragraph.
the conclusion of this essay makes no sense.
It states:
"In conclusion, both pictures use very different principles. Jasper Johns art work exhibits symmetrical balance in contrast to Turner. Turner uses emphasis in his painting to draw attention to certain parts while Johns does not."
When the essay states that Johns uses symmetry in contrast to Turner. The reader expects to read next what kind of balance Turner did use, instead the topic jumps to emphasis.
Niether artsist uses symmetry, in fact symmetry is rarely used in compostions by artists because it is a static arrangement.
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