To explore the possibilities of tension and balance through value changes.
Materials:
Drawing materials: pencil, ink, crayon, colored construction paper, Masonite panel, and rubber cement.
Painting materials: tempera, diluted ink, spray paint, sponges, etc.
Combinations of these materials, plus cut and tom paper, will be used–add others as needed (string, thread, or stretched canvas).
Method:
By modifying and experimenting with the size and shapes of value areas, size relationships can create controlled tensions and balance, and add a stabilizing effect to a composition. Such a value distribution can be accomplished by repeating similar values in different parts of a picture to create eye movement that unifies the arrangement.
Fill a pictorial space with an arrangement of shapes of varying sizes that are separated, touching, and/or overlapping. Open space should be allowed between some of the shapes. With the medium/media of your choice, create medium value in the negative areas. Fill in some of the positive shapes with black and leave others white. See if you can create paths of movement through repetition of the blacks, distributing the blacks for a balanced effect. The size variations of similar value shapes will keep the effect from becoming monotonous.
