2: Introduction to 2D Art Making
From the beginning of our species, humans have been object makers. The first things made were items for survival (tools, weapons, and clothing) or for spiritual use (representations of animals or gods). As human cultures evolved, the kinds of objects also evolved to serve a vast range of purposes and functions. We are on that evolutionary makers continuum as we make things that are relevant to contemporary culture.
This course deals with the construction of 2D objects. One major difference between this way of creating artwork is that it takes place on a flat plane and only gives the illusion of physical depth and material texture. It tries to create the illusion of space. The objects illustrated do not take up 3D space with the viewer and often only see limited sides or points of view.
At its core, art and design are about communication. The goal is to communicate with the viewer or user. There are three components to any work that can be examined to see how well it communicates to the viewer. They are:
- Subject : [What] this is what is being presented. Is the object meant to be representational of something, non-representational but an abstraction of something, or conceptual (where the idea becomes the subject)?
- Form : [How] this is the overall arrangement or organization of the work. This uses the elements (building blocks/words) and principles (organizing elements into relationships/sentences) of art to build the work.
- Context : [Why] this is the emotional I intellectual message of the work. The context is the artist's intention and the message they are trying to get to the viewer.
The challenge of making interesting 2d subjects and ideas is a complex and rewarding process. Breaking down the basics and building up an effective art making process will be discussed in the rest of the studio handbook.