Comments for Ideas Made of Light http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis Art Analysis: What Makes Illustrations Tick Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:24:05 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 Comment on #27: Spewing Rubik’s Cubes by Kimberly Hermesch by Kimberly Hermesch http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=655&cpage=1#comment-1259 Kimberly Hermesch Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:24:05 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=655#comment-1259 My goodness, you spent more time writing about this than I did painting it. I'd love to have you critique something of mine that I actually believe in. Let me know if you're interested. Kim My goodness, you spent more time writing about this than I did painting it. I’d love to have you critique something of mine that I actually believe in. Let me know if you’re interested.

Kim

]]> Comment on #34: Once there was a poor old woman… by Arthur Rackham by Tweets that mention #34: Once there was a poor old woman… by Arthur Rackham -- Topsy.com http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=932&cpage=1#comment-920 Tweets that mention #34: Once there was a poor old woman… by Arthur Rackham -- Topsy.com Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:59:45 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=932#comment-920 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by maiasylba, Terri Robin Vernon. Terri Robin Vernon said: fascinating! http://bit.ly/dAZ3uV In-depth formal analysis of one Arthur Rackham illustration. [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by maiasylba, Terri Robin Vernon. Terri Robin Vernon said: fascinating! http://bit.ly/dAZ3uV In-depth formal analysis of one Arthur Rackham illustration. [...]

]]> Comment on #28: The Men’s Bathhouse, by Albrecht Dürer by Tweets that mention #28: The Men’s Bathhouse, by Albrecht Dürer -- Topsy.com http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=702&cpage=1#comment-911 Tweets that mention #28: The Men’s Bathhouse, by Albrecht Dürer -- Topsy.com Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:03:52 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=702#comment-911 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dirk Johnson, Dirk Johnson. Dirk Johnson said: Brought to mind Durer http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=702 http://twitpic.com/25lewj [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dirk Johnson, Dirk Johnson. Dirk Johnson said: Brought to mind Durer http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=702 http://twitpic.com/25lewj [...]

]]> Comment on #20: Tales From Topographic Oceans, by Roger Dean by Matt http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=337&cpage=1#comment-690 Matt Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:06:17 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=337#comment-690 I think Dean had a large part in Avatar's inspiration also. Also, that line isn't cryptic at all...They're spaceships (Shining flying purple), and wolfhounds is just a reference to seeking out prey. I think Dean had a large part in Avatar’s inspiration also. Also, that line isn’t cryptic at all…They’re spaceships (Shining flying purple), and wolfhounds is just a reference to seeking out prey.

]]> Comment on #30: The Steampunk Harem by Aly Fell by Tweets that mention #30: The Steampunk Harem by Aly Fell -- Topsy.com http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=779&cpage=1#comment-514 Tweets that mention #30: The Steampunk Harem by Aly Fell -- Topsy.com Wed, 12 May 2010 17:54:38 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=779#comment-514 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Commodore Creazil. Commodore Creazil said: @SpecMinds Let us attempt this communication again. - http://is.gd/c4onG - http://is.gd/c4opC - http://is.gd/c4oro [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Commodore Creazil. Commodore Creazil said: @SpecMinds Let us attempt this communication again. – http://is.gd/c4onG – http://is.gd/c4opC – http://is.gd/c4oro [...]

]]> Comment on #32: Snake Women by Boris Vallejo by Scott McDaniel http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=865&cpage=1#comment-489 Scott McDaniel Wed, 05 May 2010 20:47:43 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=865#comment-489 @Stephen - I think it is, primarily, a fantasy painting. The book its in explores different aspects of sexuality and eroticism through fantasy paintings. While I mentioned the trinity aspect, snake-people also show up in other cultures, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C4%81ga" rel="nofollow">Nagas</a> from Indian folklore. Another common archetype is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moirae" rel="nofollow">three fates</a>. Then there's the mother/maiden/crone trinity. That's a stretch since these three are pretty much identical. @Stephen – I think it is, primarily, a fantasy painting. The book its in explores different aspects of sexuality and eroticism through fantasy paintings. While I mentioned the trinity aspect, snake-people also show up in other cultures, like Nagas from Indian folklore. Another common archetype is the three fates. Then there’s the mother/maiden/crone trinity. That’s a stretch since these three are pretty much identical.

]]> Comment on #13: Daybreak, by Maxfield Parrish by Scott McDaniel http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53&cpage=1#comment-488 Scott McDaniel Wed, 05 May 2010 20:37:19 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53#comment-488 @Jane - I did look at it with the square on the right and didn't find much. The diagonals did intersect with the standing character, though. @Jane – I did look at it with the square on the right and didn’t find much. The diagonals did intersect with the standing character, though.

]]> Comment on #13: Daybreak, by Maxfield Parrish by Scott McDaniel http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53&cpage=1#comment-486 Scott McDaniel Wed, 05 May 2010 19:30:34 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53#comment-486 @Deb - I hope you like his book. I found it straightforward and clear for a math book written in the '20's. It's better than a lot of math books today. I don't have a whole lot more for you, though I think it would be quite helpful in iconography. Take a look at these links for a couple of interesting Youtube movies involving the concepts, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ogkIFJMT0 (How the band Tool based a song on the Fibonacci sequence) @Deb – I hope you like his book. I found it straightforward and clear for a math book written in the ’20’s. It’s better than a lot of math books today. I don’t have a whole lot more for you, though I think it would be quite helpful in iconography. Take a look at these links for a couple of interesting Youtube movies involving the concepts, though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ogkIFJMT0 (How the band Tool based a song on the Fibonacci sequence)

]]> Comment on #13: Daybreak, by Maxfield Parrish by Scott McDaniel http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53&cpage=1#comment-485 Scott McDaniel Wed, 05 May 2010 19:25:17 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53#comment-485 Many artists do paint based on what's appealing to the eye. It's often hard to know how systematic they were. In Parrish's case, though, he explicitly stated that he used Dynamic Symmetry as the foundation for Daybreak. I've returned the book to the library but could certainly find that attribution for you if you like. So, in this case I'm pretty comfortable saying that he did use the system and it's not over-analyzed. In particular, look at the study at the end with all of the different divisions and diagonals mapped out. I certainly realize that not every artist is not as analytical or AR as these analyses. However, I think they've largely internalized the principles I'm looking at. They may be doing things by intuition, but only because they've developed that intuition through art school or self-study. This blog is part of my attempt to do that for myself. Many artists do paint based on what’s appealing to the eye. It’s often hard to know how systematic they were. In Parrish’s case, though, he explicitly stated that he used Dynamic Symmetry as the foundation for Daybreak. I’ve returned the book to the library but could certainly find that attribution for you if you like. So, in this case I’m pretty comfortable saying that he did use the system and it’s not over-analyzed. In particular, look at the study at the end with all of the different divisions and diagonals mapped out.

I certainly realize that not every artist is not as analytical or AR as these analyses. However, I think they’ve largely internalized the principles I’m looking at. They may be doing things by intuition, but only because they’ve developed that intuition through art school or self-study. This blog is part of my attempt to do that for myself.

]]> Comment on #13: Daybreak, by Maxfield Parrish by jane http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53&cpage=1#comment-484 jane Wed, 05 May 2010 15:02:28 +0000 http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=53#comment-484 Thank you very much for this. It's such fun to read, not just for how Parrish uses the section, but as a translation into reality of Hambridge's words. Did you try beginning the original square from the right? I tried, without much success, to do it by eye, as I read. I wondered what it might illuminate. I have worked with the golden section in architecture for many years. The information about historic - and current - use of these proportions in construction and design is scant. I think there is much more to be discovered and described. Thank you very much for this. It’s such fun to read, not just for how Parrish uses the section, but as a translation into reality of Hambridge’s words.
Did you try beginning the original square from the right? I tried, without much success, to do it by eye, as I read. I wondered what it might illuminate.

I have worked with the golden section in architecture for many years. The information about historic – and current – use of these proportions in construction and design is scant. I think there is much more to be discovered and described.

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