AP Studio Art
O V E R V I E W
My concentration studies the evolution of architecture over time and how it transitions from rigid to abstract. This is emphasized through a progression of color, starting with traditional architecture in gray-scale, transitioning to a red that embodies brick masonry, and culminating with a soft blue indicative of today’s modernist buildings. I focused on showing how the stagnant nature of antiquated architecture soon gave way to the expressive qualities that are intrinsic to modern architecture.
Ultimately, my concentration serves as a timeline for the architecture that constructs our daily reality; by showing a progression of architectural style from rigid to abstract, and emphasizing this development through color, I hope to give the viewer a glimpse into the incessant advancement of human creativity.
I began by photographing historic buildings and streets to capture the essence of old architecture (Photos 1, 3). I edited the digital photographs in Adobe Lightroom to develop the monochromatic images and emphasize the elements of line and form to show rigidity. Texture brings the viewer closer to certain images (Photos 3, 4), heightening their impact.
Transitioning to brick buildings, I accentuated reds and oranges in these photographs to build the color scheme and advance the development of architectural styles and materials. Repetition is constructed through focused pieces (Photos 5, 7), while broad angles expose perspective and scale (Photos 1, 6, 8, 9); light and shadow work together to develop contrast (Photos 5, 7), highlighting the architect’s intent.
The final transition to modern architecture brings a change in color grade and composition. Reds and oranges morph into blues and whites (Photos, 8, 9). Movement is developed through curvature (Photos 9, 12) and pattern is shown through unique designs (Photos 10, 11, 12).