Euan Uglow

Here are some images by Euan Uglow. I've turned them into greyscale images to make the value-structure of the paintings more apparent. As you look at them, remember what we talked about in Monday's class, specifically:

* The use of large, bold shapes to organize the composition.

* The creation of volume by placing one value-shape next to another value-shape. Uglow has represented the volume of the figure by breaking the volume down into planes . These planes are painted as two-dimensional shapes (of a particular value) placed next to each other. You could easily trace the outline of each shape with a pencil, or cut it out with a pair of scissors. Despite their two-dimensional nature, when placed next to each other, these flat shapes create the illusion of volume.

* Remember that the meeting of two shapes creates an edge. Edges can be perceived as more or less distinct, depending (in part) on the level of contrast between the values. High contrast will make an edge appear very distinct, or sharp, and low contrast will make the edges appear softer, or less distinct. Softer edges allow shapes to "group"-- that is, to visually unite to form larger shape-areas. Harder edges prevent grouping, making the shapes appear distinct and separate from one another. Typically, you'll want to incorporate both types of edges into your painting.

* Also, notice the very common compositional strategy of having large, flat shapes at the edges of the picture plane, while having the smaller shapes collect towards the center, creating a sense of volume.