scottmcd
February 8th, 2010, 12:49 PM
Hey all,
I've just put up a deconstruction of one of David Mack's paintings. Here's an excerpt in case you're interested.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=610
Scott McD.
-----
The Rhythm: Background & Repetition
As you'll find if you read Kabuki among others, Mack uses repetition to set up ideas. Sometimes it's the same actual drawing or painting. Other times it will be a pencil sketch followed by a collage followed by a watercolor of a character in the same pose with the same objects. In this painting there are three panels at the bottom of the page that use this technique.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-DetailRepetition.jpg
The first and third panel are the same image with a different size and cropping. The center image is of Daredevil in shadows. One of the nice things about setting up a rhythm is that it lets you break it for a targeted effect. I see these alternations here:
Light, dark, light
Blue, red, blue
Lit, in shadow, lit (slightly different from light-dark-light)
Looking left, right, and left
Determination, defeat, determination
The triangles above and below the second panel call it out as different - a counterpoint to the others. If you look at much of Mack's work you'll also see that he incorporates them as a graphic element regularly - another aspect of repetition.
Now let's look at another rhythm Mack sets up - the background buildings. They're certainly impressionistic, but their spacing, height, and direction contrast with the straight edge of the building on which Daredevil stands.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-BGRhythm.jpg
The Direction & Design
See how the skyline dips on the right side of the picture? There are plenty of other elements that lead our eye to that part of the page. The building's edge, the gaze of the person in the first and third panel, Daredevil's posture, and even some of the abstract textures contribute.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-Movement.jpg"
Why is the focus of attention off the painting? I'm not sure, but I have a couple of guesses. The entire mood of this painting is brooding contemplation - a low point. That fits with the focus being down. Also, in comic books it's generally a good idea to focus the attention there on a layout to get the person to turn the page and continue the story. I don't know if that's what Mack intended here, but it wouldn't surprise me.
Just because it seems I have to look at it every week, here's the picture with the golden ratio grid (http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?page_id=14) overlaid.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-Grid.jpg
Daredevil takes up the two center and upper rectangles. The moon-symbol-blob is right in the center of the upper left rectangle. Because it's so bright it gives our eyes a place to start and sweep over the rest of the image on the way to the lower right corner.
I've just put up a deconstruction of one of David Mack's paintings. Here's an excerpt in case you're interested.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=610
Scott McD.
-----
The Rhythm: Background & Repetition
As you'll find if you read Kabuki among others, Mack uses repetition to set up ideas. Sometimes it's the same actual drawing or painting. Other times it will be a pencil sketch followed by a collage followed by a watercolor of a character in the same pose with the same objects. In this painting there are three panels at the bottom of the page that use this technique.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-DetailRepetition.jpg
The first and third panel are the same image with a different size and cropping. The center image is of Daredevil in shadows. One of the nice things about setting up a rhythm is that it lets you break it for a targeted effect. I see these alternations here:
Light, dark, light
Blue, red, blue
Lit, in shadow, lit (slightly different from light-dark-light)
Looking left, right, and left
Determination, defeat, determination
The triangles above and below the second panel call it out as different - a counterpoint to the others. If you look at much of Mack's work you'll also see that he incorporates them as a graphic element regularly - another aspect of repetition.
Now let's look at another rhythm Mack sets up - the background buildings. They're certainly impressionistic, but their spacing, height, and direction contrast with the straight edge of the building on which Daredevil stands.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-BGRhythm.jpg
The Direction & Design
See how the skyline dips on the right side of the picture? There are plenty of other elements that lead our eye to that part of the page. The building's edge, the gaze of the person in the first and third panel, Daredevil's posture, and even some of the abstract textures contribute.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-Movement.jpg"
Why is the focus of attention off the painting? I'm not sure, but I have a couple of guesses. The entire mood of this painting is brooding contemplation - a low point. That fits with the focus being down. Also, in comic books it's generally a good idea to focus the attention there on a layout to get the person to turn the page and continue the story. I don't know if that's what Mack intended here, but it wouldn't surprise me.
Just because it seems I have to look at it every week, here's the picture with the golden ratio grid (http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?page_id=14) overlaid.
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Mack-Grid.jpg
Daredevil takes up the two center and upper rectangles. The moon-symbol-blob is right in the center of the upper left rectangle. Because it's so bright it gives our eyes a place to start and sweep over the rest of the image on the way to the lower right corner.