Preliminary Information

Preliminary Information Introduction Before beginning new projects, gather all pertinent information. Weed through the data to eliminate nonessential items. Determine the main message and focus all other material in the composition to reenforce that message. KISS KISS is the acronym for keep it simple, stupid. We call this the principle of simplicity and clarity. Picasso epitomized the search for simplistic communication in twentieth century art. Because he was a contemporary and prolific multi-media artist, you can trace the evolution of Picasso’s struggle for simplicity. Study Picasso’s early work and you will find a traditional academic art foundation. In his later work you will find his technique is simplistic yet sophisticated. Use the KISS principle to pare down information to the basic intended message. Incidental material Once you select the subject for a picture, choose all secondary elements based on how well they support the main topic. Limit your selection to those elements that contribute the most to understanding the subject. Attitude or impression Know the attitude or impression the originator wants to convey. Dynamic compositions are inappropriate for funerals and weddings. Solemn compositions are not effective in festive applications. Some originators want to impress potential clients with their elegance, others like crass or brusque designs. Attitude affects composition. Decisions regarding object size, location, and arrangement, color, texture, and perspective should be made in the preliminary composition, before beginning the final artwork. This strategy allows you to anticipate and compensate for any unexpected impediments before committing man-hours and materials. Text Consider text or lettering as an integral part of design. Lettering is part of an overall composition and should be planned as carefully as you plan the composition. End product Consider how the product will be presented to an audience. Will the image be a painting, photograph, printed material, poster, slide, or flyer? The final form of an image determines to a large extent how you create it. 1-3