Eastern Castle – Chinese Water Dragon

When talking of “balance” within artwork, does the term not only refer to the “weights” of various areas within the artwork (such as it’s ability to pull on your eyes); but also to the techniques that have been used to construct that artwork.  Within this Fantasy Realm, do I find the use of three such artist’s techniques, that also happen to be in balance – with each other:

A Chinese Water Dragon – that Snakes through Perspective and Layer!

First:  comes the artist’s use of layering.  This Dragon’s head is on a layer by itself – right at the very front (the foreground).  As the Dragon’s neck begins to fade, do we encounter interaction with the foremost castle spire (it passes behind it).  As the Dragon’s tail begins to “snake”, do we encounter interaction with the aft/right-most castle spires (it both overlaps, and passes behind them).  And yet, is this Dragon’s tail not quite as simple as that – for at each “dragon level”, has the artist decided to match the lighting in that area (as to avoid an unbalanced scene).  Second:  comes the artist’s use of perspective.  This Eastern Castle makes use of a three-point perspective (the third vanishing point being found – when you extend a line upwards from the apex of each tower).  If we also extend that line downwards, do we find that these towers share a relationship with their foundations:  it’s hard to imagine the towers being “at home” on any other rock formation!  And yet, is this three-point perspective not as simple as that.  The third vanishing point, has been used to “pull you into the scene” – particularly upwards (whilst also interacting with the Dragon’s tail [especially in terms of scaling]).  I also feel that there’s a relationship between the Dragon, and the other two vanishing points.  The left-most vanishing point, causes the left-most castle “opening faces” to be at the same “angle” as the Dragon’s neck.  The effect is further enhanced, by the use of similar shading in this area (both the Dragon’s neck, and the castle’s “opening faces” go from dark to light, with the light being intensified on the top-right).  The right-most vanishing point, causes the right-most castle “uniform faces” to be at the same “angle” as the Dragon’s face (achieved through clever shading on the whitened rock [just above that cloud]).  Thus, is this three-point perspective, very powerful indeed!  Third:  comes the artist’s interpretation of the Fantasy itself.  When I look at this Dragon, do I think of the Element of Water 🙂  The artist has chosen their colours wisely – the Dragon’s aquamarine is of Water.  The artist has chosen their details cleverly – the Dragon’s scales are of Water (akin to a fish’s scales).  The artist has also chosen their highlights carefully – the collection of “white flecks” (towards the bottom of the artwork), are as if they are Water Spray (especially on the bottom right).  When these three techniques are taken together – do I find:  that the Element of Water, Snakes through these Towers, Cascading to the Depths, Amongst the Hills, Bringing the Magic of Water – to this Fantasy Scene 🙂

Chinese Castle – Chinese Dragon

When an artist decides to introduce some “variety” to their artwork, it is tempting to play with both the background, and the “key ingredients” of the foreground.  Within this Fantasy Land, do I detect – the most “subtle of plays” (and a risky one at that):

In this Chinese Fantasy Land – a Dragon and his Castle!

First:  let’s break this Fantasy Scene into two layers.  On the first layer, do I find the Chinese Dragon, and it’s foremost Castle/Temple.  On the other layer, do I find the remaining Castles/Temples and the Mountainous Rock.  Second:  let’s look at those two layers.  On the first layer, do I find that a two-point perspective has been used – to generate the lines of the dominant Castle/Temple.  Whilst on the second layer, do I find the presence of (at least) another two-point perspective; which has also be used – to form the “basic shapes“, of the remaining Castles/Temples.  So what!  You may say.  I shall give you a clue 🙂  I said “at least a two-point perspective”, because it’s also possible, that that’s a three-point perspective (on the second layer); as the “upwards” of the remaining Castles/Temples, also appears to converge to a third point.  Third:  let’s look at those two layers, when their “taken together”.  If you have not realised by now, then the first layer (the foreground) and the second layer (the background), both use different Vanishing Points – and hence, perspectives!  This can be risky within a single piece of Artwork, as the artist can quickly “unbalance their scene”.  It is here, that I feel that the height of the Dragon, has been used to great effect 🙂  The Dragon’s height is really a “pivot”, as it splits the fore and aft layers into two – “masking the magic”, of the two different sets of Vanishing Points.  In doing so, does it help to accomplish an amazing feat – no “pull on your eyes” (as you would expect, from two set’s of Vanishing Points).  If we now look at the artists’s use of colours:  then I feel, that the green of the Dragon, matches the green of the Trees/Moss.  Perhaps there’s a connection here?  I also feel, that the whites of the Light, matches the highlights on the side of the Castles/Temples (as you would expect).  And yet here, do I find a twist – for that same Light, also gives rise to the Heat of this Dragon’s mouth.  Perhaps this Dragon, is about to Breath Fire?

Dragon Castle – Elf Castle

Sometimes, can the Fantasy Artist, choose to make their choice of techniques, just as much a mystery, as is their fantasy art!  At first, was I mystified, by the background – that accompanies this Fantasy Elf, and her Fantasy Dragon; in-front of this, Fantasy Castle:

In this Fantasy Land – a Dragon and her Elf!

For, it was only with a careful eye – that I realised, that “several things” are going on within this fantasy scene.  First:  It’s use of perspective.  This was much harder to detect – as I feel, that it doesn’t really make use of any!  Obviously, there is a one-point perspective on the Rocks at the bottom-left (which “pulls you into” the centre of the scene); but that perspective does not appear, to have been used, upon the right-hand-side of the background (at all) – nor upon, the main Fantasy Castle!  Second:  It’s use of scale.  With no obvious choice of Vanishing Point (other than for those Rocks on the bottom-left), do I feel that this artwork has “dispensed with convention”, and chosen to use a “layering effect” – to suggest distance.  In doing so, does the artist have to be careful, to avoid an unbalanced scene!  This is exactly why, there’s a White Dragon in the front, with those White Mountains in the back – to bring balance 🙂  Third:  It’s use of layering.  This fantasy scene, has been built up through it’s use of six distinct layers.  Layer One:  the golden Rocks, and the Elf and her Dragon (which form a gateway to the scene).  Layer Two:  the smaller castle/village (on the left) and it’s Woody Hill (which both start to play with the scale of the scene).  Layer Three:  the watery pool/lake (on the right) which features, high levels of reflection (of the main castle), and balances some of the blues, of the Mountain.  Layer Four:  the central “Sandy Hills”, which seem to form a balanced central point (amazingly, not “pulling on your eyes” at all!).  Layer Five:  the main Fantasy Castle, which appears to have several circular walls.  This layer also makes clever use of two colours.  First is the white of the walls – which balance the white of the Mountains.  Second is the green of the Castle’s Gardens – which balance the greens of the “Sandy Hills” (in the middle of the scene).  Layer Six:  the White Mountains and the Reddened Sky.  For the most part, do the Mountains and the Reds “go together”; but the artist has added some variety – as there’s some play in their orders (such as when the Red Sky is in-front of the Mountain, as opposed to being behind them), and when the Red Sky “jumps forward” several layers (to partly obscure the smaller fantasy castle/village).  Thus, is this Fantasy Scene – a blend of several artist’s techniques – which can often be, more than a challenge in itself 🙂