Color Theory Application Paper
The first picture I selected for my color theory application paper, was produced by Raphael. The title of the photo is “The Madonna of the Meadows”. The artist used “triadic harmonies” to direct the viewer’s eye to Madonna, along with John the Baptist and the young Jesus. He used a bright hues of red and blue for Madonna’s robes. Her hair is of a yellow tint. The red, blue and yellow colors are the primary colors in the picture and complement one another very nicely.
John the Baptist and the young Jesus have the same yellow or golden tone for hair with pale skin tone. John the Baptist also has a light blue robe which is a cool tone yet complementary of his skin and hair color.
The background is light blue and clouds that are white. There is also contrast of a dark shade of blue as well. In the background there is a flower that is reddish orange with rolling hills and trees that are green. These two colors (reddish orange and green are opposite each other on the color wheel) which creates an intensity between the flower and the hills. Thither is a good balance and proportion in this photograph. You can distinguish the artist wanted Madonna along with John the Baptist and the young Jesus to be the focal point. While you look at the entire picture your eye cannot help but be drawn to the center. They are pictured up front and the trees in the background are painted smaller, giving the viewer a sense that they (the trees) are in the distance. In our text, it expresses the artist used “implied shapes” to produce a sense of order. “Raphael grouped the figures of Mary, the young John the Baptist and young Jesus as a single, triangular whole”. Had the text not pointed out that Madonna’s foot creates a part of the triangle, my untrained artistic eye would not have seen it. Once I read this and stepped back, I could see how the triangle appeared. I feel that I have so much to learn about lines and movement in regards to artistic creation. In most
John the Baptist and the young Jesus have the same yellow or golden tone for hair with pale skin tone. John the Baptist also has a light blue robe which is a cool tone yet complementary of his skin and hair color.
The background is light blue and clouds that are white. There is also contrast of a dark shade of blue as well. In the background there is a flower that is reddish orange with rolling hills and trees that are green. These two colors (reddish orange and green are opposite each other on the color wheel) which creates an intensity between the flower and the hills. Thither is a good balance and proportion in this photograph. You can distinguish the artist wanted Madonna along with John the Baptist and the young Jesus to be the focal point. While you look at the entire picture your eye cannot help but be drawn to the center. They are pictured up front and the trees in the background are painted smaller, giving the viewer a sense that they (the trees) are in the distance. In our text, it expresses the artist used “implied shapes” to produce a sense of order. “Raphael grouped the figures of Mary, the young John the Baptist and young Jesus as a single, triangular whole”. Had the text not pointed out that Madonna’s foot creates a part of the triangle, my untrained artistic eye would not have seen it. Once I read this and stepped back, I could see how the triangle appeared. I feel that I have so much to learn about lines and movement in regards to artistic creation. In most
Cited: Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. Boston, Mass.: McGraw Hill, 2008. Print.