Changing Speeds, Slow to Fast

Compressed space with articulated edges and textured density slows our sense of time and motion.  Blurred and blended forms expressed across space with uniform textures quicken our feeling of time and motion.  They give the beholder a variety of experiences of time, motion and space within a single 2D frame presents a set of challenges.

If your intention is like my first postulate, to build compressed space with an abundance of articulated edges and dense textures then, example 1 offers a possibility. Here the beholder is embedded in a thicket of flora. They are pressed against (almost into) the picture plane. This thickly textured territory offers little sense of near-and-far until the beholder discovers the dark background above and,  above that finds a paler texturally uniform secondary distance.  This last area is blurred and pale to offer a feeling of infinitely deep space.  The forward area is a matrix of thin overlapping forms. These textures are generated in acrylic with generous applications of transparent retarder allowing ragged bristle brushes and squeegees time and opportunity to work into this malleable film of acrylic.

Example 1a. Step one of the thicket.

Example 1. The thicket, acrylic on white anodized aluminum.

If your intention is like my second postulate, to quick our feeling of time, space and motion using blurred and blended forms expressed across the picture plane then the following examples will serve as demonstrations. Example 2 begins with a photograph. Example 3, step 2 is a reimaging of the space with a more deliberate slowness as illustrated by the use of dripping paint. Example 4, step 3 simplifies the space and forms of step 2, blurs more of the image area, and apply a haze of atmospheric perspective.

Example 2. Originating photo.

Example 3. Step 1, oil on galvanized steel,

Example 4. Step 2, over-painting step 1,

In the following examples I accelerate the experience of speed or motion. One strategy   is to incline the picture plane. A sloping curve has more motion than a horizontal line. Contrast examples 6 and 7 with example 4 with its more stable horizontal shapes.  Example 4 gently transitions into sloping shapes toward the horizon.  The entire image of examples 6 and 7 are canted. The distant areas are more blurred and stretched giving a feeling of greater motion and elasticity.  As source material I used the photo you see in example 5.  I horizontally blurred the image in Photoshop. When I moved into  paint I relied upon greater value and color contrasts.  I also canted the image more dramatically.

Example 5. Original photo.

Example 6. First of two paintings.

Example 7. Second of two paintings with image reversed.

I again invite you to join me for my workshop on Saturday March 12 for “Glass and Water Reflections” at the Silvermine School of Art at 203 966 6668. And, I want to invite you to join me for my three days of workshops at the Cross Roads Art Center in Richmond, Virginia May 20 through May 22. See crossroadsartcenter.org  for more info.