When first tasked
with creating a gestalt drawing, I found it difficult to get inspiration. I
tried to create an ‘ambiguous figure’ of a breakfast that also doubled as a
face, but unfortunately it looked childish and crude as I did not fully
understand the concept.
Fig 1, my first ‘Ambiguous Figure’,
marker on paper, (2015)
But as I looked into the gestalt theories more, I realised I
had more inspiration than I first thought. I did not understand just how many
different types of ‘ambiguous figure’s there are, so I did some research of
different illustrators who used the guise of ‘negative space’ as a way of
creating ‘ambiguous figures’1. They used the figure-ground and
grouping theories to challenge the mind, changing the visual perceptions a
person’s mind goes through when viewing a subject. It allows the mind to change
its way of seeing, so multiple subjects can be seen in the image but not at the
same time as the mind likes to create a figure-ground separation2.
Figure-ground pictures are usually created with a figure on
top of a ground/background. This is the very basic form of the theory that the
mind likes to organise the perception of what the eyes are seeing. It allows us
to use little effort to differentiate a figure from the background of an image3.
Pairing this theory with the principles of grouping we get
‘ambiguous figures’. An image can look to be a complete random splatter but due
to the way things are grouped on the image, it can produce a figure or figures
on top of a background4. Usually these images are made in blocks of
colour, so different layers can be distinguished easier.
I wanted to create something similar to the work of Noma
Bar, so I decided to research his work5,6 and find an image that
inspires me.
Fig 2, Noma Bar’s S.M.L, screenprint, 103(w) x 141(h) cm, (unknown)
I took inspiration
from this image, as I felt it was one of the most striking images as well as
being quite a simple concept which can be filled in with many different animals
or even objects. ‘Noma Bar is a
highly prolific artist whose graphic works are celebrated for their impact and
simplicity’7.
Fig 3, my second attempt at an
ambiguous figure, Wolf and Deer, digital, (2015)
I feel this image is so much stronger than my last; it
really gets the point across a lot easier and it is much less childlike. Using
the digital medium made creating the different blocks of colour easier, and I
feel it looks much more in keeping with other negative space illustrations. A
negative towards it is that it is not very stylised; it instead is quite
realistic but blocked in colour. This could be changed with developing the idea
further, with even another animal or some vegetation added to create more of a narrative.
References:
(1)
Kerrie Hughes and Aaron Kitney, (2014)
(2)
Ian E. Gordon, (2004) p. 16
(3)
Ian E. Gordon, (2004) p. 15
(4)
Ian E. Gordon, (2004) p. 118
(5)
Ekran, (2012)
(6)
Dutch Uncle, (Unknown)
(7)
Eyestorm, (2013)
Bibliography:
Dutch Uncle, unknown. Noma
Bar. [Online] [Accessed February 2015] Available from: http://www.dutchuncle.co.uk/noma-bar
Ekran, 2012. 10 Most
Inspiring Illustration Posters by Noma Bar. [Online] [Accessed February
2015] Available from: http://www.themost10.com/inspiring-illustration-posters-by-noma-bar/
Eyestorm, 2013. Noma
Bar, S.M.L (Acrylic), 2013. [Online] [Accessed February 2015] Available
from: http://www.eyestorm.com/Pages/Product.aspx/Noma_Bar/S.M.L_%28Acrylic%29/4581329
Gordon, Ian E. (2004). Theories of Visual Perception. 3 Edition. Psychology Press.
Kerrie Hughes and Aaron Kitney, 2014. The Art of Negative Space: 25 Amazing Examples. [Online] [Accessed
February 2015] Available from: http://www.creativebloq.com/art/art-negative-space-8133765
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