For my project I choose to make a series of compositions using tattoo artwork. I choose the statement “Today is the last day of your life so get a tattoo.” I was thinking about the statement “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”, and I thought wouldn’t it be more appreciate if the saying was “Today is the last day of the rest of your life”, because the future is promised to no one. I then thought what a great reason to get a tattoo, life is short. The statement “Today is the last day of your life so get a tattoo” definitely supports and communicates the message of the entire composition. I used a graffiti typeface to help support the message, as many tattoo artists get their start from graffiti art. Another reason I choose this typeface is because graffiti art is associated with tattoo art. I choose to keep the text in this project consistent in each of the 5 compositions, the same size, the same font, the same color, and the same placement in each composition. I did this to retain consistency throughout the composition. I put the text at the top so that people are drawn to it early while viewing the composition, this way people read it early and get a better understanding of the composition. I kept the text in black and white so that it would not take away viewers attention from the artwork. By having my text at the top of the composition and in black and white, viewers see it and read it, but are not distracted by it. Each of my compositions have linear elements, these linear elements either draw viewers to a specific section of the composition or the images draw viewers to the linear elements. We see an example of this in my project; the 3rd composition with the buffalo draws viewers to the linear element, while the 2nd composition with geckos draw viewers to the images and the images draw viewers to the linear element. The linear element in the 5th composition consists of two straight lines. Straight lines were used and placed at the top in order to bring balance to the composition. The images in this 5th composition are very curvy the straight lines at the top bring harmony to the composition.
The first composition in the project has a large dragon that is centered in the middle and takes up almost the entire canvas. The reason for this is because this particular image is a perfect representation of a classic attoo, this composition helps to support the message of the entire project. This 1st composition consists of three colors blue, red, and black. The 2nd composition consists of three colors orange, yellow, and black. The images in this composition were arranged so that they will take the viewer on a 360 degree tour; viewers start with the largest brightest colored flower, from there they are taken down to the linear element in the composition, the viewer is then taken from left side of the linear element to the right side, from here they are taken up the right hand side, and then arrive at the top of the composition to read the text and complete the 360 degree tour.
The 3rd composition was designed the exact same way as the 2nd composition. There is a large white space to the left of the composition between the text, the linear image, and the first image. This white space draws viewer’s eyes to this main panther image. Viewers are naturally drawn around the curves of the panther to the next white space on the right. From this white space viewers are drawn up the flamingo to the small foot prints (my linear image) that run across the top of the composition. From this point viewers are drawn to and read the text at the top.
The 4th composition was designed to the viewer to a specific spot. This composition is done in all black and white with one spot of bright red to produce a focal point in a hierarchy of this composition. There is a white space above the red spot and a white space to the side of the red spot this was done to reinforce viewer’s attention to the image with the red spot. From this red spot viewers are taken to the bottom linear image, they go from right to left on the bottom linear image. From this bottom linear image viewers are taken over the white space and up to the white buffalo, and from the buffalo up to the text. The 5th composition was designed so that each image supports the other. The image at the bottom has equal amounts of white space on each side to truly bring out the red and black dragon. The image above the dragon is fancy curvy text that says tattoo. The curves of the text complement the curves of the dragon’s wings. The linear element in this composition consists of two straight lines, these straight lines at the top of the composition really bring out the beautiful curves of both of the images below.
