© Huger Foote
Project 6: Color
For this project, you will make photographs that utilize 2 different color schemes. This project is divided into 2 parts: Still Life and Portrait.
For a quick lesson on COLOR, go HERE.
For a quick lesson on COLOR, go HERE.
Color Schemes to Be Used:
Monochromatic — Contains a variety of lights and darks of the same hue
Complimentary — Uses two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel
https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/ - AWESOME website to research color relationships.
You will make STILL LIFES and PORTRAITS using each of these color schemes.
Traditionally in Art History, Still Life paintings showed an arrangement of objects with symbolic meaning, dramatic and beautiful lighting (usually window light or other diffused light from one direction), and a dark and shadowed background or wall. Still lifes were intended to display status (for instance, expensive linens and perishable items such as fruits and cheese were seen as luxury items only owned by the wealthy and elite). Still lifes were also intended to inspire contemplation on the transience of life (for instance, skulls and dead animals were often displayed as reminders that we are all meant to die, and flowers bloom but then wilt). Still life images are poetic, simple, and packed with meaning and symbolism.
Monochromatic — Contains a variety of lights and darks of the same hue
Complimentary — Uses two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel
https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/ - AWESOME website to research color relationships.
You will make STILL LIFES and PORTRAITS using each of these color schemes.
Traditionally in Art History, Still Life paintings showed an arrangement of objects with symbolic meaning, dramatic and beautiful lighting (usually window light or other diffused light from one direction), and a dark and shadowed background or wall. Still lifes were intended to display status (for instance, expensive linens and perishable items such as fruits and cheese were seen as luxury items only owned by the wealthy and elite). Still lifes were also intended to inspire contemplation on the transience of life (for instance, skulls and dead animals were often displayed as reminders that we are all meant to die, and flowers bloom but then wilt). Still life images are poetic, simple, and packed with meaning and symbolism.
Project 6A: Colored Still Life
You will shoot your own still lifes: Some using a monochromatic color scheme and some using a complementary color scheme. These are not just photographs of objects, rather, they are photographs of objects that are arranged by you on a surface and in relation to each other. For instance, do not simply shoot an image of a flower. You must take the flower, arrange it among other objects or fabrics that enhance the symbolic meaning of the flower, and set up a space and surface with directional lighting (window light is your friend!).
Your still life images do not have to conform to the traditional still life ideals: you are not required to use fruit, flowers, food, etc. What would a contemporary still life look like? What objects could you include? See below for examples.
DUE: Monday, March 22nd
100 images using each of the the two color schemes described above—monochromatic and complimentary. Create a contact sheet and label it lastname_firstname_color_still_life_cs. Upload to Google Drive under your Project 6 folder.
DUE: Monday, March 29th
4 final still life images — turned in as PSDs through Google Drive. Label them as such:
Your still life images do not have to conform to the traditional still life ideals: you are not required to use fruit, flowers, food, etc. What would a contemporary still life look like? What objects could you include? See below for examples.
DUE: Monday, March 22nd
100 images using each of the the two color schemes described above—monochromatic and complimentary. Create a contact sheet and label it lastname_firstname_color_still_life_cs. Upload to Google Drive under your Project 6 folder.
DUE: Monday, March 29th
4 final still life images — turned in as PSDs through Google Drive. Label them as such:
- lastname_firstname_color_still_life_complementary_1
- lastname_firstname_color_still_life_complementary_2
- lastname_firstname_color_still_life_monochromatic_1
- lastname_firstname_color_still_life_monochromatic_2
Project 6b: Colored Portrait
You will make portraits using and emphasizing color as a main story-telling element. Remember the goal of a portrait -- to portray a person's essence, their humanity, a truth and authenticity about who they are. These are not photojournalistic types of portraits— the subject must be aware of you photographing them, and they are meant to be created by you, not just observed.
This means you will need to spend time and focus setting up your shots, paying extra attention to how color will enhance your portrait. For many of these, you will need to set up a background of color, or find an environment with the correct color, in order to match the colors you will be using (see examples below). Pay attention to your lighting, composition, and focus.
DUE: Tuesday, April 6th
150 images using each of the 2 color schemes described above—one monochromatic and one complimentary. Create a contact sheet and label it lastname_firstname_color_portrait_cs. Upload to Google Drive under your Project 6 folder.
DUE: Friday, April 9th
4 final portraits — turned in as PSDs through Google Drive. Label them as such:
PRINT CRITIQUE: Monday, April 12th
On this day you will turn in for critique
This means you will need to spend time and focus setting up your shots, paying extra attention to how color will enhance your portrait. For many of these, you will need to set up a background of color, or find an environment with the correct color, in order to match the colors you will be using (see examples below). Pay attention to your lighting, composition, and focus.
DUE: Tuesday, April 6th
150 images using each of the 2 color schemes described above—one monochromatic and one complimentary. Create a contact sheet and label it lastname_firstname_color_portrait_cs. Upload to Google Drive under your Project 6 folder.
DUE: Friday, April 9th
4 final portraits — turned in as PSDs through Google Drive. Label them as such:
- lastname_firstname_color_portrait_complementary_1
- lastname_firstname_color_portrait_complementary_2
- lastname_firstname_color_portrait_monochromatic_1
- lastname_firstname_color_portrait_monochromatic_2
PRINT CRITIQUE: Monday, April 12th
On this day you will turn in for critique
- 2 still life prints on paper larger than letter size
- 2 portrait prints on paper larger than letter size