Art 100: Aesthetic Scanning Practice homework

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Big, long document analyzing this picture:
Tattered Flag Flying This is a link because I am having trouble getting the image to show.



Title: Hurricane Katrina, Monday 29 August, 2005: "Tattered Flag Flying"

Artist: AP Photograph by Bill Haber; www.NOLA.com

1. Elements of Design: write at least two comments on each of the following elements.

• Shape: There are two kinds of shape in this piece: negative and positive. Most of both are rectangles; either the angular regularity of the buildings and the storm-sky shapes they define, or the distorted rectangles of the two flags. One of the flags is still recognizably quadrilateral, while the other is a scrap, a once-rectangle folded into triangles and string. There is one round shape: the finial of the flagpole.

• Line: There is a strong linear element to this piece. The flagpole and the edges in the foreground that frame the flags are sharp, straight, definite. The stripes on the flag are bold and clear. The edges of the buildings in the background and the lines that give them texture are misty, less definite, and contrast with the sharpness of the foreground. There are many verticals, most of them slightly tilted or skewed: only the flagpole is truly vertical. The horizontal lines of the flag stand out against the diagonals of the rooflines. This contrast provides a strong sense of motion.

• Color: Most of this picture is in shades of grey, value rather than color. This invokes ideas of dimmness, storm-light, water-filled air. The only real color is the flag: strong, pure red and blue, set off by white. The brilliant color pops out, stark against the heavyness of the sky. It is defiant, almost shocking in its contrast. The symbolism of the colors and their arrangement into "Our Flag" heightens the impact.

• Texture: Texture is used sparingly in this image, found primarily in the ragged edge of the flag and two of the buildings. The architectural texture - the floor/window lines in the building to the left of the flag and the columnar face of the small building to the right - is set against the fluid, irregular tatters of the flag. The very lack of texture speaks in the blank faces of most of the buildings, the bare hints of turmoil in the sky.

• Space: The use of space in this piece is effective. The entire frame is used. In the interplay of positive and negative space a suble tension is established between the buildings and the sky. There is a sense of truncated distance created by the assymetrical retreat of the towers into the mist. The paleness of the negative space blends into the edges of the background shapes, bringing the menace of the storm forward. The slightly off-center placement of the flagpole and the high center placement of the flag - the focus of the piece - makes for a sense of looking up, while the heavyness of the overhanging wedge, the edge of building leaning into the frame, press down, weigh on the viewer, effectively compressing the center.

• Value: Value is an extremely important element of this work. Since there is little color - and that used to precise and special effect - value is used to define the shapes, the distances, the sense of space. While the range of value goes from very dark to very light, there are predominantly only three actual values used: very light, very dark and medium. Within these three there is variation, subtle shadings that emphasize the heavyness of the sky, the uncertainty of the light. The lightest part of the sky, and the lightest value in the image is directly above and behind the flag, making it stand out very strongly in the general greyness.

1. Formal Properties: write at least two observations on how the elements of design are organized.

• Balance: How are the elements organized to achieve balance? Imagine a centerline - are the elements repeated exactly on each side of it? If not, describe how each side is arranged by looking for implied visual weight of the elements by describing color, value and size.





• This image is poised in an uneasy, assymetrical balance. There are at least three aspects balanced against each other: foreground/background, up/down and side to side.

• The foreground is balanced against the background primarily through use of value and size. The very dark (heavy) edges that frame the image are thin, while the background is larger and much lighter, both in value and weight. The only thing in the midground is the flag and flagpole, the pivot, focus and visual center of the piece.

• Vertically, the piece is balanced by the fairly smooth progression from dark to light up the image; buildings grounded and dark/heavy at the lower edge, becoming mistier and lighter and the eye travels up. The sky is greyer deep between the buildings, lightest at the upper edge and behind the flag. The high placement of the bright, strong color of the flag along with the heavy dark wedge of building raise the visual center of gravity. Conversly, the pale negative sky space reaches nearly to the bottom of the frame in several places, stopped only by a narrow dark strip.

• The horizontal balance is achieved again with value and size. One large, slightly darker, nearer, taller building with interesting texture to the left of the flagpole is set against several smaller, fainter, less textured and farther away buildings to the right.

• The piece as a whole is balanced by the strong high central placement of the only element of color - the flag - against the greys and blacks of the rest of the image.
  
  



• Repetition: Describe the location of any repeated elements. If they are not repeated exactly the same way every time, describe how they are different.

• Unity: The primary repeated element is the rectangle - rectangular buildings, rectangular fingers of sky, rectangular flags. There is also repetition in the stepped edges of the buildings, the stepped rooflines. The texture of the stripes on the flag is echoed by the buildings textured with windows, columns, floor lines. There are two flags, several sheets and lines angling out from the flagpole.

• Variation: Only the stripes on the flag are regular - and their regularity is broken by the tattered edge. The rectangles are all different, the vertical buildings and sky-fingers are all different widths, heights, shades. All of them are askew, at slightly different angles to each other. There are only two horizontal rectangles - the two flags - and they are very different: one a recognizeable flag, the other a flying scrap.

• Rhythm: How does the repetition of elements affect the speed or movement (real or imagined) in each area? If there are faster or slower areas, describe them.





• Movement: The regularity of texture and value gives the buildings a stillness: subdued repetition fading back into the storm. The raggedness of the edges of the flags flutter, stream, twist against the high wind, very fast. The distortion of the stripes and the bowing of the lines of the flagpole put the violence of the movement front and center.

• Speed: The flags are moving fast, torn by the invisible but palpable wind. The buildings are still, holding their breath. The sky is moving in a slow, implacable roil, shown by the value changes and repetitions.

• Hierarchy/Dominance: The most dominant element in the image is the red-white-and-blue flag on the strong vertical (the only true vertical) flagpole, set against the 'neutral' background. It is the only color used. The placement is central, high. The flag is framed by the darkest elements: the overhang at upper right, the edge of building leaning in from the left, the narrow ledge at the bottom as well as the second flag and the flagpole. The sky is the second most dominant element. It is the single largest shape (many overlapping rectangles) and the lightest, as well as having the most variation, in value.

1. Technical Properties: write at least two comments about how the artform was made. What medium was used? What tool(s)?

• Medium: This is a photograph, a digital image viewed on a reasonably high resolution screen. The reference image is 400 x 283 pixels, printed on a good printer at highest available quality, on good glossy photo paper.

• Tools: No data is available as to the camera the image was taken with, or what kind of film/digital media was used.

1. Expressive Properties: write at least two comments about how the sensory properties and the way they are organized contribute to a metaphor. Remember all expressive properties come from within the work.

• General: The way the buildings lean in toward the flag, shown by the use of three-point perspective, line and value, creates a sense of struggle and endurance. The strong verticality of the flagpole, with the bright color, emphatic placement and rapid movement of the flag shouts defiance against the storm.

• Mood language: Write two mood words that describe a feeling present in the work, based on what you wrote about the sensory and formal properties. Consider such words as somber, frivolous, happy.





• Defiant - see general expressive properties answer.


• Disturbing - the skew in the verticals, the tilt in the perspective, the rapid, ragged energy of the flag.


• Also: "Oh $&%!" and "Hang on!"
  
  



• Dynamic State: Write a descriptive phase about the forces and tensions you saw in the work as you described the sensory and formal properties. Consider such words as electric, calm, relaxed.





• The work captures a moment of precarious balance, of struggle and endurance: the strain of the wind on the flag - up and out - yet one corner of the flag tightly grips the pole, a fast, desperate heartbeat of motion against the slow boil of the sky; the buildings huddle toward each other, toward the flag, away from the storm.
  
  



• Idea and Ideal language: If the work seems to express a "big" idea or ideal such as freedom, courage, wisdom, describe that quality.





• Endurance, struggle and defiance against huge, overwhelming odds. Human courage will outface the worst violence of nature.