After examining all of the paintings listed the on that caught my attention was the Lunch Table by Wayne Thiebaud. Out of all the Christian religious, landscapes, and 20th Century paintings I chose a contemporary art piece to give my analysis on, the Lunch Table by Wayne Thiebaud. Using the formal element of styles, and principles of design as a guide. To judge whether the painting is composed of; line, shape, mass, space, color,light and shadow, texture, unity and variety, balance, a focal point, rhythm and repetition, and scale and proportion.
In Wayne’s painting one can see a lot of horizontal and vertical lines creating stability, but there are curvilinear line present also to move the eye creating movement. The vertical and horizontal lines are presented by the lining of the plates of food, and the empty spaces between the plates. While curvilinear lines are presented by the circular shapes of the plates itself causing the eye to move around the table looking at the many different type of foods. In Wayne’s painting the Lunch Table one does not see the usage of implied or gestural lines. One does see that there are diagonal lines pointing in one direction but does not lead to a specific figure only to nothingness.
In Wayne’s painting one does see that he use a combination of both organic and geometric shapes. For example one can see that the shape of the plates are circular, and while most of the food on the table are geometric also. Circles and triangles which relates to the stability of a triangular shape and movement full of energy of a curve, but the last dish on the very right have organic shape to it. The organic shape of a leafy vegetable in which you can find in nature just the same. One does not see see any distortion in any of the figures.
One does see that Wayne have manipulated light and shadow to give it the figures in the painting mass. One can see that the foods on the table cast a shadow, and to create a shadow one must need light. One can not exist without the other in a painting, and with light and shadow gives the figure a wholeness which creates stability. Mostly everything on the table cast a shadow which the artist attempt to give the art mass and depth.
One does not see aerial perspective or linear perspective in Wayne’s painting. There is no background that turns from grayish to bluish nor is there linear perspective because there is no illusion of distance present. One does see overlapping in the painting to create the illusion of space. In the painting one can see some of the dishware in front blocking the ones behind which creates an overlap of the figures. Also one does see an overlapping of the watermelons which suggest space in between them. One can see that there is less space created by the overlapping of the figure.
Now for the colors one can see a lot of complementary colors in Wayne’s painting. One can see a lot of complementary colors with red and green being opposite of each other on the color wheel. Presented in Wayne’s painting one can see that the red and green soup, also the watermelons representing complementary colors. One can also see that the complementary colors are part of a larger scheme of thing being apart of primary and secondary colors which red is a primary color and green being a secondary color.
While at the museum I had a close look at Wayne’s painting, and with a keen eye one can see actual texture within the painting. One can see the actual texture especially around the plates, the watermelon, the soup, and the icing on the cakes. One can see the smoothing of the paint stroke around the plating because of the curve smoothing one can see that it give the painting more movement. One can see the movement on the surface creating the impression of energy, even thought one can
The Lunch Table has an inviting feel to it probably because if you are going to have a picnic, and the food are already placed one can feel engrossed by it. In Wayne’s painting one can see that he created a calm and serene setting of a evening day picnic.
For unity and variety one can say that there is unity present. In Wayne’s painting he manipulated the principles of design to show us unity and variety. For example one can see that Wayne presented us with repetition of the circular plates, but Wayne also created a visual interest by adding in the unusual colors like in the soup and the watermelons. On top of the dishes are triangular food, and Wayne have added in a bowls of soup to add more variety.
One does see a symmetrical balance if one were to split the painting in half. Naturally one would see that the painting is off balance due to the size of the watermelons, but it is not because the bowls of soup is counteracting the size of the melons. In Wayne’s painting he did not have a center figure to show symmetrical balance, but distribute the food evenly throughout the table.
One can see that there are directional line indicated by the casting of the shadows of the food, but one would not say that there is a focal point because there is no main figure or important action to focus ones attention upon. In Wayne’s painting there would be no focal point.
One does see a repetition of colors in Wayne’s painting the Lunch Table by the repeating of the circular plates and the usage of actual texture the smoothing curves around the plates creates a rhythm sharing similar curvilinear lines. Which helps the audience’s eye move around the artwork.
Lastly, for scale and proportion in Wayne’s paintings everything is relatively constant, and normal size. One can see that what is presented are probably finger food for a celebration picnic outside accounting for the light casts upon it. One can see proportionally that every food in relationship to the plates that hold them are equally relative. Like one can see that the large watermelons are being held on top of a larger plate than the cupcake and its smaller plate.
Observing all of the artwork in the museum have left an impression on me. Because after going through the listed artwork to decide upon which to write about I have come across a contemporary piece Lunch Table by Wayne Thiebaud. Wayne have used most of the elements of styles and principles of design in the paint Lunch Table, but what amazes me was that he had all of these styles in his head while painting this art piece.
Writing of all types 