Research
Mode
2
Battle of the Year 2013
Poster
This
Illustration is by Mode 2, one of the main reasons this piece appeals to me is
the fact that it has such a unique and dynamic art style, it is very detailed
but the way the lines are drawn in a very rough and messy way, this adds to the
action in the image as the lines reflect the movement. The layout of this image
draws attention to the action that is going on and gives the image a feel of
depth, there is a clear conical shape in which all of the characters are neatly
within. The colours used in this piece also appeal to me, the artist used the
directly contrasting colours blue and orange, and this makes the image look
vivid and also helps the characters to stand out, it also helps the viewer
notice the distinction between the illustration and the background photography.
Cat
in the Park
I particularly like the
colour in this image, the use of faded watercolour paint gives it a very
calming look to it, and a soothing tone. The illustrative style is very
technical, and the use of blue lines to contrast the red background. The image
has good composition as well, the focal point is clearly centred, and gradually
as you go to the edges of the image less and less is happening. I also love the
way white is used to define the shading and creases of the clothing, this gives
the image a unique look and does not divert from the already established colour
palette. This creative use of colour in both this image and the one before has
opened my mind on how colour can be used.
Life
Expectancy
This
is one of my favourite works by Mode 2, quite a different tone than the other
two, this one paints more of a picture of fear, abuse and anger. This is
reinforced by the excellent use of colour, reds and oranges contrasted with
pitch black silhouettes helps convey the aggressive vibe we get from looking at
it. The composition in this image also furthers the tone, the man with the
machete is suggested as being powerful, this is done by placing him in the
foreground, he is much larger than everyone else and therefore visually
overpowers them, and this is opposed to the masses of people in the background who’s
fragility is suggested by their small size in comparison. The man’s aggression
is also suggested through the composition, by the fact that the point of focus
is on his machete, we also don’t see his face, he is dehumanised through this.
This image also makes good use of the rule of thirds, positioning the man with
the machete at the side while the majority of the image is made up of the
civilians. The way lighting is used in this image, and the use of shillouetes
casts an ominous look over the whole image, this gave me inspiration on how I
could use lighting in my own project.
Andrea
Wan
Fakelore
I
love the surreal tone to this image, the composition really adds to the simple
style of the piece, as there is a lot of breathing room between objects. The
use of colours is sparse and the choice of colours is refreshing, the image is
mainly comprised of white, but the other colours, green, brown and yellow which
add to this feel as they are all very natural colours. I liked how the image is
stylised, it is quite a simple style but it is also quite original, this
simplicity would surely be an asset to my own style in this project.
Little
Ghosts
This image has beautiful
use of watercolours, the choice of colours combined with this creates a
beautiful calming tone to the piece. I am quite fond of the simplicity, and the
ability to create characters from simple shapes, I think I could take something
from this in regards to my own characters in my final piece. The image is well
centred and there is all together a very balanced mix of foreground and
background in regards to where the ghosts are positioned.
Night
Travelers
I think the main reason I
like this piece is the contrast between the very blank expressions of the
characters and the absurdity of the events going on, it altogether makes it
very humorous. This piece has a very similar palette to that of the ‘Fakelore’
piece, very natural but bright colours.
Jeremy
Fish
The Last Duel Ghosts of the Barbary
Coast
This
image is noticeably centred, there is also a strong use of symmetry which adds
to the overall appeal of the image. This is a very technical image done on a
digital format, the texture used gives the image a semi realistic look, I
particularly like this use of texture in conjunction of use with a cartoony
style, I think it can give a piece of art a quite quirky look, I am thinking of
doing something similar with my own final piece.
Bunny Skull Ride
This
piece uses bright, block colours which gives it a very vibrant and bold look,
it also goes well in conjunction with the simple, cartoon art style. It also
has a good use of line width, exaggerating the outlines and making the image
stand out. The subject is also very interesting, it is quite a unique concept
of having a snail using a skull as its shell, and this kind of wacky fantasy
influences my own ideas and outlook on how I can make my fantasy world more
interesting.
The Bikers Zip Hoodie
The
use of a monochrome pallet in this piece gives it a dark gritty look to it,
like the first piece I looked at by this artist it also has a strong use of
symmetry with a few deviations. The lines used for shading gives it a rather
comic book look in terms of style as well as the bold lines used across the image
in general.
Amy Sol
The
work of Amy Sol is a great inspiration; I was considering doing a fantasy based
concept for my final piece. I really admire the way this artist creates
stunning fantasy and surreal works, for a start her use of lighting and shading
is always very softly blended in with the other colours, she avoids using bold
colours to maintain this natural and realistic feel. The composition in this
image perfectly points out the centre of focus, positioning all the main
subjects in the middle. There is also a great contrast between the black
background and the lighter objects in the foreground, making the image stand
out to the viewer.
I
particularly like the composition in this image the arc overhanging the girl
highlights her position and helps her stand out, this is further enhanced by
the contrast of colours, from the dark blue outside the arch to the bright
yellow and greens on the inside of the arch. The way she draws the objects in
her art always conveys a sense of grace and delicateness, there is nothing
violent or extreme, this can be seen in this image in the way she draws the grass,
as it is positioned in a way which conveys the movement of a gentle breeze,
also in the way she slightly fades some of the objects that are further in the
background to create a kind of ‘ghostly’ impression.
Kozy
N Dan
Conflict Resolution
I
have looked at Kozy N Dan’s work before and it never fails to impress. In this
piece what is visible amongst the vibrancy of the colours are two apes having a
tender moment. The use of colours in this is similar to that of Lora Zombie,
the light blues of the guns especially. What I get from this piece is that
there is a sense of tranquillity amongst it, the rainbow signifying that the
remnants of guns have been abolished and that they are at peace now. Though
this does not influence my work it motivated my style and colour palette. What
I’m unsure about is whether the apes in the middle are supposed to be
transparent so that the viewer can see the rainbow. I believe that these apes
are the souls of the apes that perhaps died.
Drowning
Party
This piece looks a little
more morbid than the last, with a rather eerie title.
This
piece is made with gouache on paper with a very cloudy texture to it. In this
piece there is what appears to me as a kind of whirl pool of bodies in
different positions of the water. Some people have legs out, others have hands
or head and some even have genitals above the water. I really love the look of
the water and especially the colours, the purples, blues and greys make for a
very soft look overall. The depth of line on the limbs of the people gives them
a much cleaner look so that the viewer can see them much easier. It looks like
there is a layer of water between each person giving it a rose effect.
Tossed
I absolutely love this
piece. Much like the last we have the choppy ocean, very aggressive waves with
a very soft looking texture. Inside the waves if you can’t quite see them are
bunnies made out of the sea foam. It’s very pleasant to look at and is easy on
the eyes, it leaves me very content. Made
once again with gouache on paper and like the last you can see very defined yet
subtle line depth. Some of which blend in with the sea foam making it evident
these rabbits are just figments of the imagination seen within the choppy sea
water.