Thank you to everyone that participated in the "Abstract" assignment. For this assignment we defined abstract photography as a "nonrepresentational" imagery which concentrates on creating a pleasing composition of form and color, without representing a particular object. The goal of this assignment was to encourage participants to exercise and strengthen their ability to visualize and compose a pleasing image using form and color. It removed the emphasis from displaying a pleasing rendition of an object, and instead, placed the emphasis totally on form and color.
I really enjoyed seeing the imaginative images submitted for this assignment, and I think the participants had a lot of fun with the assignment. It is important to note that most of the images submitted for this assignment would be better categorized as "post-impressionist" images instead of "abstract" images. As I noted in the assignment description, abstract photography can best be described as "nonrepresentational" imagery which concentrates on creating a pleasing composition of form and color,
without representing a particular object. (Hint: If you would use the name of an object to describe the image, such as "bowl of fruit," it probably isn't an "abstract" image.)
In order to understand the style of post-impressionism, it is important to first understand "Impressionism." Impressionism was a 19th century art movement that started in Paris, and the name of the movement is derived from the title of a Claude Monet work,
Impression, Sunrise. Impressionists emphasized color over "line" in an attempt to re-create the
sensation felt by the viewer of the original subject (to recreate the "impression" of an object), rather than recreating the subject. They emphasized vivid overall effects rather than details. "Post-Impressionists" were a loosely defined group of artists that extended impressionism by emphasizing geometric forms, distorting form for expressive effect, and using unnatural or arbitrary color. Based on these definitions, most of the images submitted for the assignment could best be described as "post-impressionism." Nevertheless, I really enjoyed seeing the wonderfully imaginative images. Since we don't really have a "post-impressionism" category in photography, it is common to see this type of imagery categorized under "abstract."
I loved the distortions and colors Lars introduced in his image to convey the "spooky" feeling of his
Spooky Abstraction image.
Spooky Abstraction
And the alien monster feeling Becky created in her
Thistle Creature image.
Thistle Creature
Both of these images were great illustrations of how we can use color and form to create or emphasize a particular "feeling" or mood in an image. I've chosen Lars'
Spooky Abstraction image as
Editor's Choice for Artistic Merit because of the "feeling" or mood he was able to convey with his modifications to the image.
Rick's
Abstract M&Ms image and Rebecca's
Liquify image were both fun images and tied in the voting for the
People's Choice award.
Abstract M&M's
Liquify
My
Extra Paint and Naomi's
Macro Abstract images were probably the only true "abstract" images in the submissions.
Extra Paint
Macro Abstract
I've awarded Naomi's
Macro Abstract image
Editor's Choice for Technical Merit.Thank you to everyone that participated in the "Abstract" assignment. There were some wonderfully imaginative images submitted for this week's assignment and I think everyone had fun participating.
Keith
