Illustration & Visual Narrative- Week 9 Light & Shadow

 

Week 9

 Low Li Vern/ 0362678

Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

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Class Summary

This week, our class delved into the concept of Chiaroscuro, a technique that involves the skillful application of light and shadow in visual art. This technique holds immense significance in the creation of various artistic elements.

👉Visual Depth
👉Atmosphere and Mood
👉Symbolism and Metaphor
👉Visual Hierarchy and Focus
👉Contrast and Conflict

During the practical session, we explored the various tools in Adobe Illustrator that aid in applying the principles of Chiaroscuro. Specifically, we focused on three essential tools: the knife tool, shape builder tool, and clipping mask tool. These tools played a crucial role in creating bold contrasts within an image, enhancing visual depth, and ultimately improving the overall visual experience.

1. Knife tool

The knife tool in Adobe Illustrator enables me to precisely cut shapes or paths, allowing for the separation of areas where light and shadow interact. By carefully implementing the knife tool, we can achieve clean and defined edges between illuminated and shadowed regions, emphasizing the contrast and adding depth to the composition.

Fig 9.1 Knife tool pratical

2. Shape Builder tool

The shape builder tool provides a versatile means of merging or subtracting shapes within Adobe Illustrator. In the context of Chiaroscuro, this tool becomes valuable in creating areas of solid light or shadow by combining or removing intersecting shapes. Through deliberate and strategic use of the shape builder tool, artists can effectively enhance the contrast between illuminated and shadowed portions of an image.

Fig 9.2 Chiaroscuro practical

3. Clipping Mask Tool

The clipping mask tool allows us to confine the visibility of certain elements within specific shapes or paths. When working with Chiaroscuro, this tool can be employed to isolate areas of light or shadow, controlling the exposure of certain regions. By utilizing clipping masks, artists can focus attention on specific parts of the composition and intensify the visual impact by selectively revealing or concealing elements.

Fig 9.3 Clipping mask tool practical

Fig 9.4 Clipping mask tool practical with texture

During the practical session, we engaged in a step-by-step process to apply Chiaroscuro using Adobe Illustrator. The workflow involved tracing an image using the Pen tool, followed by the creation of shadows using the shape builder tool. To add texture and depth to specific parts of the image, we utilized the clipping mask.

Next : Illustration & Visual Narrative- Week 10

Previous : Illustration & Visual Narrative- Week 6,7 & 8

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