Abstraction, November 2024
Pastel on paper
Concerning the figure, the relation between form and color remains as ambiguous combinations. Pastels have the ability to create both line and volume to depict variations of the body. I sought to accentuate the figure’s outline through form and to convey depth to the viewer with color. By representing both form and color using pastels, I wanted to portray degrees of abstraction in this series. The lines distinguish the body parts by separating the form. The outline emphasizes the shape of the figure while the colors within capture the light and shadows that define its dimensionality. Through volume, the colors that characterize the body imply depth of the figure. In this case where color is given more weight than form, the line acts as a value.
By illustrating the differences in abstraction, the figure drawings present varying emphasis on the elements of art. Some of the drawings are flat, where the line gives form to the figure. However, the colors that reside in the form are used as tones. By doing so, I could draw a surface exhibiting the junctures and crevices that embellish the landscape of the body. Other drawings achieve a sense of depth, where space can be defined by the position of the figure. The colors indicate the figure’s volume. Even without an outline, I was able to use color to suggest the shape of a human body. Through the relation between form and color, the pastel drawings demonstrate differing priorities regarding line and volume.
