Part 2 - Elements of Design - Exercise 2 - Multiple Points

The exercise required the set up of a still-life to show the implication of lines and shapes created by the positioning of objects. To link them attractively in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static.

The following set of photographs show each addition to the still-life step by step with a note below giving my thought when doing so and what I felt it did to enhance the final composition. All the images were taken with the camera fixed to a tripod and using 1 strobe light from the left of camera.

Image 1

This was my starting background. A grainy piece of loft flooring with a circular saw sitting just on the top edge of the shot.

Image 2

I placed the first object in the lower half of the image to be almost symmetrical to the saw with the circular shape coiled and the end piece almost pointing back up towards the saw which I felt directed the eye up into the image.

Image 3

Here the steel wool was placed in the middle of the shot to break up the gap between the saw and the coil bringing everything closer together.

Image 4

I felt the image needed a contrasting shape so placed the piece of straight copper pipe diagonally across the image which helps highlight the implied straight line of the lettering on the flooring. The pipe seemed to dissect the image creating 2 parts to the image but still being connected with the lettering from top to bottom.

Image 5

Another circular object was placed here to try and create a link to saw from the main grouping with there being an implied straight line of circles running from the bottom to the top of the image.

Image 6

Again another circular shape was added keeping the line (although deliberately not straight) from bottom to top created in Image 5 but this time bringing them closer together by being placed in the space between the saw and the main grouping.

Image 7

This time I added the group of rawlplugs to the main group but had them point towards the bottom left of the image similar to the piping. I started to feel the whole image begin to have the implied shape of a backward C from the saw down the lettering and out through the pipe and rawlplugs.

Image 8

The plastic nossil was placed alongside the main group with another straight line down from the saw and lettering. this begins to create a triangular shape in the front portion of the image.

Image 9

This object has both straight and curved elements to it, by placing it next to the nossil I felt it continued the lines but also reinforced the circular shapes that where possibly getting lost in all the straight lines and triangle.

Image 10

The screw was placed in front of the point of the nossil to stop the eye wandering too far down the image and helps bring us back round towards the rest of the grouping.

Image 11

The spark plug was used to soften the straight edge of the pipe but maintain the line it creates.

Image 12

Here I put an object next to the lonely bolt in the middle of the image, the aim here being to try and bring it all together whereas before I felt the bolt looked too separated from everything. I was unsure about this one, I changed my mind a few times as to whether Image 11 was already complete and this object wasn't needed. Eventually I settled on the fact that something was needed to just bring it all together as a still-life.

Image 13

Here I have drawn the lines and shapes in red that were created in the still-life. The main one for me was the backward C or a J shape that runs from the top left through the saw, down the lettering, round the nossil and screw eventually coming back up around the coil into the main group of the image. In the main grouping there are triangular shapes, a network of straight lines and most obviously the circles. The implied straight line of the circles running up through the image helps bring the saw into the whole image and making it a complete group of objects that to me at least are "linked attractively in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static".