Author: Chongjiang Yu

This term relates to the abstraction and juxtaposition of narrative structures or storytelling tools, traditional cannons, and communicative vehicles. These approaches question and build film language, challenge perception and exploit semiotics metaphor and symbolism.

The arrangement or contrast of formal elements evokes sensory and emotional reactions. In mainstream cinema, their application may be subtle or hidden, whereas in abstract works, these elements are often openly and unapologetically displayed.

From Hollywood’s silent era to Surrealism, and from children’s stories to Expressionism, the absence of dialogue as a primary tool for narrative or thematic development challenges creators to rely on gesture, performance, cinematic techniques, special effects, and alternative audio elements to convey meaning.

Animation was starting to catch the eye of the modernist movements who stated

‘cartoons—which rebuff so ferociously painterly realism and filmic naturalism—are set-in a universe of transformation, overturning and provisionally’.

The ‘cartoon’ provides the experimental artists with anew realm to explore abstraction, geometric forms, flatness and space, non-linear time, logic and the illogical, many dropping their paintbrushes in favour of animation. (Malovich geo over figure)

In terms of art, form refers to objects that are 3-Dimensional, or have length, width, and height.  The world we live in made up almost entirely of forms. As artists, we must have a strong understanding of form and how to create the illusion of form in drawings and paintings.

Color is the element of the art that refers to reflected light.  Color theory is defined as a theory because it cannot be proved. Theories are generally accepted, despite the fact that they cannot be proven. Laws are accepted because they can be proven. 

There are volumes and volumes of information available about color.  This page, while thorough, will present color theory in an “easy to understand” fashion. It is an exciting, ever-changing science.  Color has an affect over how we feel about objects, how we behave, and how our bodies react to circumstances. 

Many new artists overlook the importance of creating space in a drawing or painting.  The result usually looks flat or objects can appear to be floating.  Luckily, however, creating space in an artwork is very simple to accomplish and there are a number of ways to it.

Texture refers to the way an object feels to the touch or looks as it may feel if it were touched.  Texture is one of the seven elements of art.  Understanding it fully will lead to stronger drawings and paintings. 

In terms of art, line is considered to be a moving dot.  It has an endless number of uses in the creation of art.

Line can control an viewer’s eye.  It can describe edges.  It can indicate form as well as movement.  It can also indicate value and a light source in drawing.

When line is used for value or shading, we most typically see it used in the form of hatching or cross hatching. Although these are arguably the most common forms of using line for adding value, there is an endless number of ways that it can be used.

We typically think of a shape as a closed contour.  So, if you take a line and enclose it, then you will have created a shape. Shapes can play important roles in the creation of art.  They help to create complex drawings and paintings, affect composition, and contribute to the balance within a work.

Understand the paper assignment and paper structure to be completed in this semester to determine the topic selection and research direction of my paper