Personal Study | Col, Light, Loc

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOUR AND LIGHT

INTRODUCTION

In this personal study I explore the ways that colour and location are interrelated.

As humans, with five senses, at any one time we can make an assessment of our current location; is it warm or cold? Is it loud or quiet? Is it serene or busy? While 2D traditional art forms are restricted in what they can portray about a location (i.e. a painting is yet to portray the smell of a place) there is still a lot an artist can convey to a viewer about a location.

Colour is arguably the most influential element in any painting, superseding the effect of brushstroke, texture or composition. Therefore, for my investigation I want to research how colour is used in artists’ portrayals of a location, whether it really is the most influential element of an artwork and to discover more about the effects it can have.

COLOUR TO PORTRAY LOCATION

EXPERIMENTAL VISITS

To start the investigation, I went to a few locations in order to give myself a renewed experience of what it is like to sit down in front of a scene and draw it.

The intentions of the trips were to answer the questions; ‘what contributes to the sense of a location?’ and ‘What role does a medium have in capturing the essence of a location?’.

It is important to know what it is about a location that needs to be portrayed before I look at colour’s involvement in portraying it.

One location, Hambleden weir, was very calm and sunny on the day that I went. However, I noticed that when I conducted this drawing with graphite and under time pressure, it was not representative at all. The quick marks and overwhelming dark tones made the weir seem busy and gloomy which is the complete opposite. Part of my investigation is to assess colour’s influence on a painting. This example showed me that other factors like the type of marks can have a huge influence as well although, arguably, it was the lack of colour which contributed to the ‘gloomy’ feel.

From these visits, I learnt that it is important for an artist to use the right techniques to portray a location, specifically; quick and loose brushstrokes show a dynamic atmosphere whereas smooth flowing lines show the opposite. Additionally, some key elements which need to be captured correctly include the lighting, the temperature and the serenity.

I found this self-conducted research very helpful and will now look more for colour’s involvement and from artists.

JOSEPH TURNER

Joseph Mallord William Turner was an English artist born in 1775 and died in 1851, years which covered the height of the romantic period, and although missing out on the impressionism movement by ten years, his latest work started to pre-empt that style as well.

Turner is one of the best examples of an artist who manipulates colour to express raw emotion, especially with the underlying romantic themes that his paintings expressed.

In my opinion, it’s great to study the use of colour in the context of the romantic period as not only were there strong feelings from the artists but the paintings themselves were representing strong emotions of nature.

The romantic period was predominantly from 1800-1850 and came about partly in response to the first wave of the industrial revolution. Tate describes it as ‘a new interest in human psychology, expression of personal feeling and interest in the natural world’. Artists like Turner started composing landscapes to highlight power and beauty of nature and often romantic artwork featured key themes of sublimity.

Focusing back on the use of colour I want to look at two of Turners pieces The Slave Ship and Rome, From Mount Aventine. Both pieces make great use of colour but for entirely different atmospheres.

Rome, From Mount Aventine is one of Turners most renowned pieces (It sold for £30 million in 2014). As the name describes, it shows a view of Rome from Aventine hill which includes major landmarks like the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the river Tiber. In this oil painting Turner shows an extraordinary regard for light, we see the buildings reflecting the yellow ochre of the early morning sun, the amazing reflections of the rowing boats in the river Tiber and we see Rome through the hazy morning mist. This piece radiates a very warm, peaceful and almost heavenly feel. When looking at the techniques which portray these feelings, it mainly comes down to the warm yellow/golden tones which contributes to the majority of colours in the piece. As part of my investigation, I want to assess the relative influence of colour, so I have to bear in mind that alongside colour, the washed tones, the soft edges and very low contrast between colours also contribute to a serene environment.

The Slave Ship is a far less innocent piece, but far more interesting. The scene depicts the horrific massacre which took place onboard the ‘Zong’ slave ship. In 1781, Luke Collingwood, the captain, set sail with inadequate food or water for the crew and his 470 slaves and to save himself, threw hundreds of slaves overboard.

The use of colour and artistic techniques is very interesting here; it feels like there is a lot of rage as nature fights back, almost a good vs evil theme. This is accentuated by the roaring red of the sun clashing with the icy blue of the sea, leaving the slave ship helpless and small in the powerful claws of nature. Moreover, the rough and intersecting strokes and sheer subject matter helped to create a powerful and dangerous atmosphere, not all the credit can be given to colour.

Turner’s ability to use vivid colours to his advantage has meant that on the one hand he can portray a heavenly landscape of Rome but also depict the carnage of the Zong massacre.

Colour to Portray Location

Joseph Turner

DAVID HOCKNEY

After researching Joseph Turner and investigating the ways that he uses colour to create peaceful or ferocious atmospheres. I want to develop my investigation into how artists use colour by looking at David Hockney.

Hockney was born in 1937 in England and is most well-known for his paintings which were a big influence on the 1960s British pop art movement. The bleak weather of northern England supressed his enthusiasm for colour but this was ignited when he moved to California.

In 1974, Hockney was commissioned to design a production for an opera in which he had to work in 3D. This inspired new ways of working with space, eventually leading to his distinctive expressive style with little thought to perspective or accurate representation.

My favourite Hockney painting is More Felled Trees on Woldgate. The classic Hockney perspective (or lack of) gives all his pieces an intriguing surrealness yet simultaneously an easing simplicity. Moreover, I find his method of conveying textures fascinating, the ground in the foreground has almost a fern-like pattern while the road has long blended lines, giving it a dynamic feel. Another aspect which is common throughout all his pieces is the uncluttered composition, each element is given its space, in this piece it is the wood piles, the bush, the road and the tree stump which are illustrated distinctly. However, the colour is by far the boldest aspect of this piece. What I find very intriguing is how, despite the exaggerated and artificial, colours, the piece seems natural. It manages to convey a familiar atmosphere and the colours give a vibrant upbeat feel, however, there seems to be an absence of emotion.

By contrast, Joseph Turner’s pieces, with their vivid colours portray strong feelings about the location, whether heavenly or deathly. It is perhaps the inconsistent colour themes in Hockney’s work negates any holistic feelings or mood being portrayed. While Turner can show a location to be warm or cold, peaceful or destructive, Hockney’s pieces remain neutral. It is possible that the surrealness of Hockney’s paintings are a barrier to relatability or the contradictory colours do not evoke specific mood association.

David Hockney

FAUVISM

To continue my research into how artists portray locations using colour, I will look at the fauvism movement. The fauvism movement, started by Henry Matisse and Andre Derain, only lasted a few years from 1905 to 1908 and was seen as an extreme extension of post-impressionism.

A lot of themes present in fauvism are also present in David Hockney’s work, Hockney himself has said that he has drawn inspiration from Matisse. However, what is interesting is how both styles portray very different atmospheres.

Both Hockney and the fauvists reject traditional 3D space in their paintings and add very little in the way of perspective or shadow, additionally, both use very exaggerated primary colours.

The Turning Road, L’Estaque by Derain is one of the most notable fauvist pieces. In this painting Derain depicts a road in the south of France and, unusually for a landscape, includes people. The fauvists used dramatic juxtapositions of primary colours as a substitute for shadows to create depth. In this painting Derain combines flowing and sharp lines and a wildly inconsistent use of colour. This piece can be interpreted differently, for example, I found a source which described it as a ‘tranquil’ scene however for me, it has a chaotic and overwhelming feel. I find the large amounts of red and lack of depth disorientating and the figures in the foreground, which are running, add to the sense of urgency.

I believe that the differentiating factor between the emotive fauvist landscapes and Hockney’s neutral scenes is the brushstrokes and the colour red. The fauvists make use of intense warm colours for large areas of their paintings, which contributes to a holistic portrayal of warmth while Hockney never uses one colour enough for it to dominate. Moreover, I have learnt from my research so far that while colour is hugely important, the type of brushstroke can have a very large impact on what a painting is showing as well. The small, rough and loose strokes in fauvist paintings portray a dynamic and energetic scene.

Fauvism

MINI CONCLUSION

In this section I have investigated different ways that artists use colour to portray a location. Beginning with my own experiments, I discovered the elements which need to be factored for. From Turner, I saw how one of the greats uses colour and other techniques to vary his scenes from showing a beautiful landscape to a destructive and death-filled one. Exploring more into colour use with Hockney I realised there’s a limit after which emotion is lost from too many colours. Then I researched the fauvists some of which were inspiration for Hockney’s style however I realised they portrayed more emotion and concluded that it was due to a slightly less random colour palette with a greater presence of red throughout.

Mini Conclusion 1

COLOUR TO AFFECT LOCATION

COLOUR THEORY

Colour theory bridges the worlds of science and art and is very interesting to me as someone who studies in both areas.

The psychological effects/connotations are very interesting. The first effect is depth perception, the blue-red image demonstrates chromostereopsis where the red should, for most people, be seen to be ‘floating’ above the blue. Here our brain creates a sense of depth between the text and the background despite it being a 2D image. This is due to the science of light; the fact that red and blue light have different wavelengths means the lenses in our eyes fail to focus both colours at the same point (called chromatic aberration). Additionally, colour is attributed with a ‘looming’ feel in interior design as the image shows.

Furthermore, colour has a great effect on evoking a feel of warmth or coldness. Cold colours (blue, purple and green) and warm colours (red, orange, yellow) both cause the feelings their names suggest. So much so that studies have shown that blues physically lower blood pressure and heart rate. One of the most productive uses of colour to affect a location is on the Yamanote rail line stations where there was a big problem with suicides. Blue light has been implemented to lower blood pressure and reduce irrational thinking and its worked, reducing suicide cases by 74%. It is thought that these effects come from our instinctive subconscious connotation of blues with cold things like ice and reds with hot things like fire.

Colour to Affect Location

STEPHEN KNAPP

After exploring the science behind the effects colour can have, I am going to look at Stephen Knapp who transformed rooms and buildings with colourful displays and assess his relative use of colour theory to affect a place.

Stephen Knapp is an American artist born in 1947 who worked in a variety of media from mosaics to marble however, he is most well-known for his lightpaintings. In these pieces, no paint is actually involved, instead he uses a strong light and physics to spread the light across the walls. The filters he uses (dichroic) allows certain light through and reflects the rest which is how we see these beautiful spectra shone across the walls, all originating from a white light source.

Done for the Night is one of Knapp’s pieces that really strikes me, the middle appears to be some tangled mess of colour and light but then these pristine shards of vibrant light emerge. The subtle contrast between angular and curved shadows supplies the piece with another level of intrigue, the piece as whole literally and figuratively radiates an intense energy.

I am further fascinated by the way he has used this newfound media to transform locations. This image shows a children’s hospital ceiling which Knapp has given a new sense of life to. It’s interesting to me how the very presence of colours can change a gloomy place to hopeful one. Knapp doesn’t make very obvious use of colour theory, but I noticed how in the hospital he doesn’t use any reds, there are mainly cool colours like blue. This is probably due to psychological effects of red inducing stress.

My research into Knapp reminded me of Frank Stella who also shares a fascination with colour. However, there is also an underlying connection between the two, in that they both disconnect their art from a narrative.

It is very interesting how artists like Turner use colour to their full extent to tell a story (as I saw clearly with ‘The Slave Ship’) whereas Stella purposefully removes that element from his art. Stella is against bringing meaning into abstract art and particularly unimpressed with the notion of art being ‘open to interpretation’. “What you see is what you see.” – Stella’s attitude is very intriguing as it isolates the colours and patterns and allows the piece to be appreciated for the technical ability and vibrant colour palettes. This is similar to Knapp in the sense that the objective essence is the focus.

Stephen Knapp

MINI CONCLUSION

From this stage of research, I have seen the ways in which colour can be used to affect us physiologically and I have looked at Knapp who utilises the immense power of colour to transform the locations of his commissions. Additionally, I have touched upon the way that Knapp and Stella actually detach meaning from colour, unlike my previous artists.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCES

NDEBELE PEOPLE

One of the most coherent intersections between colour and location, and even culture, is the Ndebele tribe. The Southern Ndebele tribe is an ancient people group located in today’s South Africa and are accredited with the housepainting tradition.

The woman of the family takes on the role of decorating their hut. Without rulers or any equipment, they paint beautiful and bright geometric shapes, the villages act as bubbles of intense colour and mesmerizing patterns which stand out from the dusty and dry landscape of the Mpumalanga region. The Ndebele’s high regard of art and colour is not like anything seen in any other culture, even amidst the financial problems of South Africa and the brutality of African nature such a huge importance is placed on this tradition.

Moreover, context unveils even more significance. As I’ve mentioned the women of the tribe take on this duty but its more than a standard procedure, it is a chance for the women to express themselves creatively and openly. In this culture their patterns prove themselves to be a good mother and wife which is one of their only opportunities in the intense patriarchy of a Ndebele tribe.

Furthermore, the distinct Ndebele colours and patterns have withstood a long history including many years of oppression by the Boers. During this time, they used the patterns on their huts as a form of communication, colours conveyed things like a period of mourning, happiness, offer of prayer, anger etc. As a continuation it is said that colours could now be linked to tribe status with golds and purples indicating more power.

I find it fascinating how Ndebele have added such a cultural connotation to colour. I have investigated into how colour portrays emotions about a location in the traditional sense. However, it is interesting to think how these unique Ndebele colours and patterns act as a symbol of an ancient culture and tradition.

The colour is such a fundamental part of the Ndebele village that it plays a defining role in their location and environment.

Cultural Significances

CONCLUSION

Throughout my investigation colour has proven itself to be the one of the most influential elements in an artist’s arsenal. I started by looking at Turners encapsulating oil pieces and the way colour heavily sways the portrayed atmosphere. I then sought for more meaning in colour and location in David Hockney’s vivid paintings, however discovered there’s a limit to which colour portrays emotion. The off-putting perspective and overboard palette of Hockney’s seem to hinder a holistic portrayal of emotion of the locations. I discovered the ingredients to a chaotic, hot atmosphere by looking at the fauvists, who’s radical use of space inspired Hockney.

In hope to find colour not only portraying a location but affecting it, I looked at colour theory and Knapp. While Knapp never made use of the physiological effects I discovered, he did impressively demonstrate the power of colour and light on a location. Moreover, I discovered how colour does not have to be attached to a ‘sense of place’ or have particular meaning. Knapp and Stella both draw full attention to the colour and forms of their art by removing any narrative. Here colour exists for purely visual reasons.

I rounded off my investigation looking at the Ndebele people who have colour in the roots of their location and culture, it was fascinating to see such an emphasis on decorating their environment.

I have discovered how colour can portray warmth, coldness, busyness, destruction and chaos. How illuminating a room with colour can project a feeling of hope and how colour has the power to define a culture and their setting.

Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/r/romanticism

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/impressionism#:~:text=Impressionism%20was%20developed%20by%20Claude,nature%20in%20a%20realistic%20way

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/s/sublime

https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/the-slave-ship-by-j-m-w-turner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKDT4vyBmv8

Hockney

https://www.hockney.com/works/digital

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/david-hockney-1293

https://www.riseart.com/guide/1780/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-david-hockney

http://www.daysyn.com/synesthete-artists.html#:~:text=Artist%20David%20Hockney%20(still%20alive,or%20photography%20artwork%20too%20much.