Picture Books (Abstract Image Assignment + Short Essay)
Overview
In the Foreword to Molly Bang’s Picture This, Rudolf Arnheim writes that Bang’s “special talent derives from her natural response to what comes alive when one is open to the elements of vision, the disks and the rectangles, the reds and the blacks. Far from being mere shapes, they transmit joy and fear, awe and gentleness. . . . These simple shapes, animated by Molly Bang, do more than tell a story: they offer an order, a kind of grammar for the eyes, a recipe for yet further things to say. Therefore, they also teach” (x). These are 10 (though by no means all) of Bang’s insights (all are direct quotations from Bang):
Smooth, flat, horizontal shapes give us a sense of stability and calm. See Bang, pp. 42-43.
Vertical shapes are more exciting and more active. Vertical shapes rebel against the earth’s gravity. They imply energy and a reaching toward heights or the heavens. See Bang, pp. 44-46
Diagonal shapes are dynamic because they imply motion or tension. See Bang, pp. 46-54.
The upper half of a picture is a place of freedom, happiness and triumph; objects placed in the top half often feel more “spiritual.” The bottom half of a picture feels more threatened, heavier, sadder, or more constrained; objects placed in the bottom half also feel more “grounded.” An object placed higher up on the page has “greater pictorial weight.” See Bang, pp. 54-62.
The center of the page is the most effective “center of attention.” It is the point of greatest attraction. The edges and corners of the picture are the edges and corners of the picture world.
Light backgrounds feel safer to us than dark backgrounds because we can see well during the day and only poorly at night. See Bang, pp. 68-69.
We feel more scared looking at pointed shapes; we feel more secure or comforted looking at rounded shapes or curves. See Bang, pp. 70-71.
The larger an object is in a picture, the stronger it feels. See Bang, pp. 72-76.
We associate the same or similar colors much more strongly than we associate the same or similar shapes. See Bang, pp. 76-80.
We notice contrasts; contrast enables us to see. See Bang, p. 80.
Assignment Guidelines and Expectations:
It is important that you complete the reading within the second module in the course in order to complete this assignment. Please be sure to read the Molly Bang links in our second module before completing this essay.
PART ONE
Create a picture combining four colors (including background) and abstract shapes in order to illustrate some aspect of Bang’s principles.
You might use a particular scene from one of the stories we have read for class in this unit, or your image may represent a theme from the story. It is important to keep in mind that Bang states that it is easier to depict strong emotions than weak ones, and that you should use abstract shapes, such as the ones used in Bang’s depiction of “Little Red Riding Hood.” You may create this image on the computer or using materials such as construction paper.
PART TWO
Write a 4-page minimum (typed in Times New Roman font, 12 pt., double-spaced) explanation of your final picture, including a minimum of three direct quotes from the story and three from the book Picture This.
In your essay, discuss what you wanted to accomplish through your image (what emotion were you attempting to evoke), and what steps you went through in order to create the image. Did you try using shapes that didn’t work? Why not? What struggles did you face in creating an image using the principles from Picture This in order to represent a theme or scene from the story?
This is not an art class and your picture is not expected to be pretty, but it does need to reflect your understanding ofPicture This and, most importantly, your ability to analyze aspects of the short story that you are illustrating.
Deliverables
Your essay must include these items:
Include a minimum of three direct quotations from the story you chose.
Include a minimum of three direct quotes from Picture This.
Quotes and reference pages must be cited in APA format at the end of the essay.
Your image and essay must be about one of the stories we have read in this unit.
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