No, and no (but a little knowledge goes a long way)! I've said it once, I'll say it yet again - the biggest advantage you'll ever get in figuring out what the heck I'm yapping about is to have a good understanding of the basics of art. Okay, let me be more specific - read this freakin' post.
The whole point of this exercise is to make me (and maybe you ) learn how to capture a particular mood thereby achieving an emotional connection with the viewer. ImagineFX.com’s got some great ideas that would help me (and maybe even you) in achieving this.
Legend Faerie by Leonid KozienkoSo aside from preplanning everything you want for the mood in your work, and the color choice, convey the emotion you want through your subject. It really can’t get any more obvious that that. The main question you want your audience to think is ‘What the hell is that bloke thinking?’ Trying to convey an ambiguous expression is also something you can try – a smile can mean so many things, or laughter. Could this character be a maniac? Or just a good-natured idiot?
Different weather condition also tells a lot about what you’re trying to say. I need not remind you what sort of weather or season generally makes a person sad, happy or empowered.
Megapolis by Daniel Rutter Environment. From dungeons to skyscrapers, we all have a preconceived idea of what emotion a particular setting offers. Now here’s something weird – what if you want to convey something that is emotionless? Isn’t that like a contradiction to what we’re learning here? Hahaha… I’ll shut up now.
Body language is also telling of the idea being conveyed in a scene. If I wanted a bondage scene with Marie Crystal, her pose has got to be all twisted and uncomfortable and stuff. It’s related to the first idea, which was the facial expression or mood of the subject.
Everyday Routine by up-and-coming talent, Luis MeloIn art, the interaction between characters or elements can also be symbolic, and tells a lot of truth to the viewer. To reiterate: The combination of facial expressions, body language, and the interaction of two characters of elements, allows you to tell an entire story in a single panel. Blindingly obvious, ain’t it?
Spring by Pheonix FengThe power of colors is pretty universal. Here’s a breakdown on stuff you might’ve known, but required a parrot like me to say it to you:
Red / Pink – Anger, love passion. Great in gaining attention.
Yellow / Orange – Signifies a warning, or impending danger. Yellow can hurt eyes when viewed for an extended period.
Greens – The most sensitive color, it signifies life due to association with nature.
Blues / Purple – Cold, tranquil. Color signifies distance, since it is the color of the atmosphere.
The Gathering by Philip StraubLighting can be crucial in how a scene plays out. Backlighting adds dramatic effect, and is also great for ‘character studies’. This is something I really suck at, where most of my pieces don’t have a definite light source. Also note that use of natural light can produce a playful/calm effect.
Samurai Landing by Leonid KozienkoTones – dark tones add drama, and well-contrasted tones allow you to provide the viewer areas of interest, emphasis on certain details and stuff.
Sci-fi Lab by spworksAnd finally, composition – where your art elements (like a model or a spaceship or a or a dark tower are strategically placed in an image to bring balance and harmony. A certain level of experience in art is required to get this aspect right – I would definitely like to expand on this topic in the future.
Symbols add meaning. What do I mean? I have no clue.
*Phew!* Talking about art sure makes me tired. I really need a break from all this art and blogging stuff. Or better yet, I need to blow off some steam! And right now, the only way I can think of is shooting s**t up. Doom-style.
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