David composing the Psalms is an illumination from the renowned Paris Psalter CA, 950-970, in which the artist employed the illuminated manuscript medium (McClanan, FIG.14-9). A plane is a horizontally oriented flat surface that functions in two and three dimensions. When studying the surface of a relief sculpture, it is referred to as a plane relief; while analyzing a flat surface of art, it composes the picture plane. An example of a plane in the artwork is a circular plane where David is surrounded by sheep and goats while playing his harp on rocky terrain.
Balance refers to the overall distribution of visual weight in art composition. The harmonious blending of standard components establishes balance in a good design. Symmetry is the most basic kind of balance, in which pieces on opposite sides of an axis or separating line are the same. In another form of description, it is where the work on the left side is a reflection on the right side. However, non-equivalent components may also bring about balance in the painting. Asymmetrical balance is the term used to describe the weight that is not uniformly divided on either side of the center of the axis. The figure weight is not uniformly divided on either side of the art. Although the components in the art are not correctly organized, there is an aesthetic balance.
A line is the moving point path; the tip of a crayon, brush, pen, or any other component used to make an image on a surface is the touching point of an artist. A line has no volume or width; its quality is defined through the location where a straight line is insinuated as the shortest distance between two points. Although in art, a line can have various attributes that depend on how it is drawn. In the painting, the artist has an excellent sense of movement; in this painting, he enjoys personification and backdrops. One of the significant expressive aspects of art is a line.
In comparison, an individual who follows a straight clear pathway in behavior or thinking is regarded to have a purpose, while referring to a crooked person suggests a polar difference. Straightness is connected with honesty, truth, and righteousness, while crookedness is the opposite. An upwards curve creates a happy face while a downwards curve displays the downwards; the curves correlate to emotions. In the art, the artist uses straight lines in the painting, demonstrating a responsible individual for the scenes he depicts David composing psalms and Isaiah prophecy.
A shape is a line that encloses spaces; they are formal elements or basic units used by artists. Two types of shapes are regular and irregular shapes. Geometric shapes are regular shapes with particular names, such as Triangles, squares, and rectangles. An example of a geometric form in the art is the harp David is playing rectangular. Biomorphic forms are irregular shapes analyzed in nature and human-made objects such as technology and building (Adams 52). Clouds, flowers, and leaves that flow, move, and glow may inspire this type of form. An instance of a biomorphic form is the plant behind David while sitting on the rock.
In artwork, shapes may be employed to manage ideas and emotions in the painting. Squares represent stability, symmetry, and reliability, while a circle has a unique meaning for painters and is considered a sacred shape. Too much use of rectangles in the art may imply monotony or dullness. An example of a shape used to manage emotion is a rectangle in the harp, which outlines its capability in David. Lines are two-dimensional; however, modeling lines to form crosshatching or hatching makes a shape appear three-dimensional as it creates the illusion of volume and mass. Shading is the use of crosshatching or hatching to represent the shadow of an object facing the opposite direction (Adam 53). An example of shading in this art is the town behind David.
Colors relate to reflected light and are an art element. Wavelengths create the sensation of color that can be demonstrated by passing a light beam through a prism. The primary colors are those that an individual cannot make by mixing colors; the actual colors are blue, yellow, and red. An example of primary color in the art is the blue sky and the red knot tied to the pillar. Secondary colors can be generated by combining an equally essential portion of primary colors: green, orange, and purple. Examples of secondary colors in this art include the purple backdrop and the orange loth the prophet is wearing. Green is a combination of blue and yellow, purple is composed of blue and red, and orange is made up of yellow and red. Tertiary colors can be mixed proportionally with the main and the secondary they include red-orange, green-yellow, yellow-orange, and red-purple. An instance of tertiary color in this art is the ground that lies in between the color yellow and orange.
Achromatic is an indefinite color of grey, black, or white. Complementary colors are opposite on the color wheel: green-yellow, purple-red, orange-blue, and red-green. Artists choose colors based on their effects; just as lines have expressive characters, so do colors. Warm or bright colors outline a feeling of happiness and delight. Yellow, red, and orange are considered warm, perhaps for the substantive reason associated with sun and fire. Moreover, through psychological tests, red has been outlined to produce happiness. Green, blue, and violet are interrelated with coolness; probably due to their relation to water and sky, they generate feelings of pessimism and sadness.
Colors can also suggest abstract qualities and can have symbiotic significance. A color like red can have several indications, such it can be a symbol of death or a let letter day which is implicated in a happy day. Yellow can link with cowardice, purple with wealth and luxury, and white with purity. Moreover, individuals can be linked up with green to mean envy, purple with rage, and brown with quiet gloom. An example of a color that expresses emotion in the art is red on Saul’s body to speculate he is straining out of his condition.
A piece of art’s texture refers to how it feels on the plane’s surface, which can be seen or felt. The physical or actual texture is the fundamental physical surface of an artwork. An example of a 3D texture is the harp, which is smooth for it to be played. Simulated texture refers to generating texture impressions on the canvas without providing a tactile feeling. The artist uses contours on the ground to give the appearance of a floor surface to be rocky.
Naturalism is a term that defines fine arts as representing an authentic live approach that incorporates the depiction or portrayal of nature with as little distortion as possible. An instance of naturalism in the art is the presence of animals in the natural setting. Realism is an authentic life artistic approach that emphasizes visible facts above aesthetics, ideals, and social realities (Adams 54). An example of realism is the presence of goats and sheep in the picture, which portrays David as a shepherd.
Work Cited
Adams, Laurie. Art Across Time. 4th ed., Mcgraw Hill College, 2011, pp. 1-128.