Based on "Picture This: How Pictures Work" by Molly Bang

1. Principles
Based on: Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang
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2. 01 - Horizontal = Stability and Calm

3. 02 - Vertical = more active, reaching up

5. 3 – Diagonal = implies motion or tension, thus dynamic

9. Exercise:
Use 15 black shapes to create
a dynamic sense of motion.
10 minutes

10. 4 – Upper half of picture plane = freedom, happiness, triumph, “spiritual”
“top of the charts”, “top gun”, “top dog”, “things are looking up”, “high as a kite”

11. 4 -- Lower half of picture plane = grounded, yet, threatened, heavier, sadder, and constrained
“down on the dumps”, “feeling down”, “low life”, “low-down dirty dog”

12. 5 – Center of picture plane = Point of greatest attention

15. Closer to edges and corners = Greater Tension
“He’s cornered”, “She’s in a tight corner”, “Edgy”, “On edge”, “Being pushed over the edge”.

17. 6–
Light Backgrounds vs. Dark Backgrounds
=
Safe vs. Dangerous - - - - - - - - - (context depending)
Washed out vs. Glowing

18. 7 – Pointed Shapes = Threatening
Knives, arrows, spears, missiles, rockets, rocky mountains, saw blades, fangs, etc.

19. 7 – Curved Shapes = secure
Rolling hills, rolling seas, boulders, rivers, curves of the body, etc.

20. 8 – Larger shapes = Stronger Shapes

22. Exercise: Cut out the displayed shapes
and arrange into two groups.
10 min.

23. Exercise: Cut out the displayed shapes
and arrange into two groups.
10 min.

24. 9 – Association of similar colors is stronger than association of similar shapes.

25. 10 – Contrasts enable us to see.

26. Exercise:
Using black shapes on white paper,
create a picture which evokes repetition
and confusion/regularity and
irregularity/ order and disorder.
40 minutes

27. Notes on Space

29. Space creates isolation and vulnerability.

30. Figure/Ground -- Positive/Negative Space

31. Overlapping

32. Furthest ---------- BACKGROUND ----------- top of picture
MIDDLE-GROUND
Closest ------------- FOREGROUND ----------- bottom of picture

33. Greater sense of space = Progressively smaller/thinner/lighter shapes

34. Misc. Notes:
Gestalt = Sum is greater than its parts
-Figure/ Ground
-Similarity
-Grouping
-Closure
-Continuity

35. ?s