Surface vs. Pattern:
Botticelli 2.0
Objective :
Digitally design a hybrid surface and composite using a patterned surface and a sample from a precedent painting provided.
Category | Graphic Design
Subject | Foundation of Design: Representation
Period | Semester 1, 2023 (4 weeks)
Preliminary Study
Provided Artpiece
Sandro Bottocelli: Madonna of the Book
Madonna of the Book (c. 1480–1483) by Sandro Botticelli is a painting depicting the Virgin Mary reading a book while holding the infant Jesus.
The warm lighting and soft, flowing lines create a serene atmosphere, emphasizing the maternal bond between Mary and Jesus. The open window in the background allows natural light to enhance the scene’s depth and realism.
The painting symbolizes divine wisdom, maternal love, and Christ’s future sacrifice. It reflects Botticelli’s masterful ability to blend spiritual themes with human emotion, making it a significant piece of Renaissance religious art.
Assigned Segment for Analysis
The drapery in Botticelli’s Madonna of the Book highlights the painting’s complexity.
In the foreground (visible in the bottom right), depth perception is emphasized through the use of lighter shades of blue, which contrast with the darker background. This contrast indicates that the lighter areas represent higher points or peaks within the composition.
While the midground may not be immediately distinguishable, the way the lower half of the drapery blends into the background creates an illusion of continuity. However, the shadow at the beginning of the drape acts as a subtle border, helping to define the separation between the foreground and midground. From a distance, the drapery may appear to lack texture due to the subtle transitions between these layers.
Yet, upon closer examination, the deliberate use of shadow adds depth and intricacy, enhancing the viewer’s understanding of the painting’s structure.
Identify Areas with Significant Changes in Depth
Identify specific lines where there is a significant change in depth perception. To better understand which areas will stand out in the foreground and which will recede into the background, lines are drawn to indicate where these shifts occur.
These lines help define the shape of the surfaces during the grid study, ultimately aiding in the structural analysis of the selected segment of the artwork.
Grid Study Iterations
The main goal within the grid study was to create eight different variations of the terrains to find which of them best represents the original sample. Using three different curve attractors for each terrain to assess which lines best suit the painting.
Panel Study Iterations
For the panel study the main focus was to create harmony between surace and pattern so that when creating the final rendition (hybrid surfaces), the two elements would complement each other in creating a pattern that best portrays the original sample.
Hybridisation Iterations
I utilised the hybrid sample in determining which of the eight different variations best emphasised the elements in the draped sample. Through this I was able to change the distance and height between points to better suit the vision I had for my composite terrain.
Fabrication Drawings of the Hybrid
Rendered View of the Hybrid
Rendered View of the Artefact
Final Composite
The final outcome of the terrain is a perfect depiction of how a 2D art sample could be morphed into 3D form. As it takes standout elements from the sample and emphasises them by either pulling them out or back. This depiction’s use of a 2D sample over 3D geometry allows surfaced within the painting which may have been to subtle to notice for the naked eye to become visible.
The peak within the composite is well outlines as it serves as the beginning to a gradual shift from foreground to midground to background. On top of that the shadow in the middle which seemed to be a flat surface is now well-defined and it clearly shows the different angles and shapes to the painting that would have gone otherwise unoticed.
The artefact’s elaboration of the hybrid panel makes adjustments to the spacing, height, and angle of the panels which show a more detailed view of the terrain. Resulting in the clarity and distinction between the the components of the sample (foreground, midground, background) leading to its realism in 3 dimensional form.
In conclusion, this module expresses the inherent connection between surface and pattern. As the finished product depicts how surface and pattern complement each other to create a composite that maximises the use of colour to highlight the distinction between the patterns underneath. Proving just how essential these two elements are when portraying the draped sample into a 3 dimensional surface.
Utopian Dreams
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