| DESIGN ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES DESIGN ELEMENTS: point line shape form tone texture colour letterform FOR TEACHERS DESIGN PRINCIPLES: figure-ground balance contrast cropping hierarchy scale proportion pattern |
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| DESIGN PRINCIPLE SCALE SCALE is how large or small something is compared to something else There has to be some standards against which to measure scale. You can make a scale model of a car that will fit in your hand. Next to a real car the model is much smaller in scale. It is possible to make an object appear different in scale without changing its size. Click here Scale refers to overall size and proportion refers to relative size. Scale and proportion principles help the viewer organize an image and they can be used to create or minimize points of emphasis. If an object is out-of-scale or oddly proportioned, then it will create a point of emphasis. Also, large scale objects create obvious visual weight. We automatically perceive larger objects as closer and more important than smaller objects. The artist, James Rosenquist, plays games with SCALE in his painting 'Nomad' www.california-pawnshop.com/overture/rosenquistjames.htm Before you click this link, READ THE INFORMATION BELOW ACTIVITY Choose a very small object and draw it on a large scale. Then do the opposite and choose a very large object and draw it on a small scale. Combine the two objects in one composition. MAPS Scale is usually depicted on a map, or can be calculated from features of known size. The scale of the map is shown as either an expression of values or as a graphic, usually a line on the map labelled with an equivalent and whole number length on the ground such as one kilometer or one mile. Scales are almost always much less than 1.0, because usually the map is much smaller than the area being mapped. This is not always the case: consider a 'map' of an integrated circuit, for example. Of two maps that are otherwise the same size, the one with the larger scale shows the smaller portion of the earth. A good way to remember it: when you give a friend a map to your school or home, that's most likely a large scale map. Large scale and small scale To understand the use of the terms, first think about the ratio method of showing map scale: the ratio 1:10 000 - means that the size of objects on the map is 1/10 000 of their size on the ground. the ratio 1:250 000 - means that the size of objects on the map is 1/250 000 of their size on the ground. 1/10 000 is a larger fraction than 1/250 000, so 1:10 000 is the large scale map. In the same way that 1/2 of an apple is a large piece of apple when compared to 1/8 of an apple. more HOME |
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| A nomad is someone who travels around from place to place and doesn't have a permanent home. Paintings usually have one part that stands out from all the others; this is called the "focal point." James Rosenquist's painting doesn't have a focal point. Our eyes just keep moving around, like a nomad. How many things in the painting can you recognize? Very few people can figure out the large grey object in the upper right-hand corner. Can you guess what it is? In real life it's much smaller than a picnic table, and almost every grown-up has one when they're out of the house! One of the reasons people have trouble identifying some of the objects in Nomad is that they were not painted to scale. One definition of scale is how large or small something is compared to something else. Scale is important in Mr. Rosenquist's work, and he plays games with it. For example, a light bulb is smaller than a ballet dancer in real life, so this painting tricks us. Can you find some other examples in the painting where Mr. Rosenquist plays games with scale? The composition of Nomad,in part, reflects the fascination Rosenquist holds for the way people are constantly bombarded with images, through printed materials, signs, television, movies, and so on. It can be distracting and hinder the ability to focus. No element in Nomad stands out as a focal point of the composition. This is due to the artistís skillful manipulation of scale, color, and repetition of shapes such as Xs and Os. Choosing the word Nomadfor the title might reflect the way our eye roves around the painting trying to make sense of the fragmented information that he presents. Another important factor that influenced the appearance of Nomad was Rosenquist's earlier career as a commercial billboard painter. Since billboards are read very quickly as cars drive by, there is no need for a lot of detail. Objects must be large and easily identifiable. Rosenquist became intrigued by the fact that while painting a billboard, he could only see a fragment of it at a time. Also, he realized that even an everyday object could attain a certain visual power when enlarged. |
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