Art Analysis and Diagramming

Design Analysis

Andy Davis’s piece, Sway is an overall brilliance of color and spruce of fun on a sheet of plain white paper. The emotions that we get out of it as a whole can be related back to the title as well “Sway.” Expressions of mellowness, calm, and peace are drawn out; the fact that the title represents the picture so well illustrates the same kind of feeling when riding a wave, relaxed moods of tranquility surround everywhere. A few of the ideas that it provokes are questions such as, what does that person want to accomplish today? What are they thinking about right now at this moment in time?  Knowingly the angst of the thought if the rider will finish his ride or not is mind-boggling as well; the entirety of the representation with the slow movements of curves screams out “Relax, let the wave take you on an adventure.”

To go further into depth, the elements and principles that make up this awesome doodle depicts the motions and yet, stillness of the work, Sway as a work of art. Some of the information was limited when analyzing Andy Davis’s work Sway, specifically the medium used. By appearance, the medium utilized would most likely be marker or even possibly watercolor. For some info, great deals of Andy’s works compose, of oil, acrylic, watercolor, and to just ordinary pen and ink.  In particular, watercolor or marker or whatever was used, creates that a work of art can be used with anything to achieve its aspect of something meaningful. The bamboozlement of the fact that we cannot tell either the piece is used with marker or water color makes it that more interesting to the viewer.

There is this blue line, throughout the whole piece, that intertwines the trees and rolling hills in the distance to the surfer in the barrel of the majestic wave that is overhead. The fact that the curved lines create the illusion of infinity is a touch of wonder as well. As for the use of color, remarkably, only 5 colors were used and that was all that was needed to accomplish something so mellow. The use of blues gets the sensation of a cooling rush, and then with a pop of mustard yellow, warm things up. To add as well, contrast is mostly seen in the massive wave; from details of the ocean blue compared to the tinting of white, the generation of the simplicity of nature is created.

As all of the elements are put together and broken down into their areas of thought, different views of the piece can be seen and brought out. When observing, as viewers, of this piece, we are all drawn to its’ main emphasis, the surfer in the center of the paper. The position of his hands and body soaks in, and the pose suggests sway with the flow of the wave and water. Along with that, the message most likely pertains to the world as well; this drawing is able to speak out not through words, but through its’ image. A message being, basically, let the bad things go and “sway” your way through life. 

Schematic Designs

Overlays of the elements of the drawing; a further breakdown through line, shape, emphasis, and contrast. 

Line

Emphasis

Geometric Shapes

Contrast with value and color