Introduction to Light Part 1

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Just before we begin we should have a

brief but essential introduction to the
course.

Hello

Welcome

Your tutor for this course is Jo Elliott.

Jo has a Masterof Design Science (Illumination) from the
University ofSydney and a Bachelor of Dramatic Art
(Production) fromthe National Institute of Dramatic Art
(NIDA).
Jo works in theatre as a freelance lighting designer and
production manager. Jo also has a number of years
experience as an architectural lighting designer.
Jo is looking forward to working with you in the course.
Please post any questions you may have on the discussion
forum.

Unit Expectations
Read the unit outline
available on the elearning site

You are responsible for adhering to the

academic honesty policy:
http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?
recnum=PDOC2012/254&RendNum=0

You are responsible for all of the material

provided in each of the learning modules
When web links appear in the class material,
you are expected to view videos, demos,
etc.
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Unit Expectations
University-level education has high standards
The material in this unit is self-directedyou need to
motivate yourself to learn it.
Though well use many web resources to illustrate
concepts, youre expected to use scholarly sources,
and properly reference them, in the assessments.
https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/online-training/

Discussion Board
Find the Discussion Board on the elearning site
If you have questions, ask them in the discussion forum
If you e-mail the instructor questions about content or
procedures, you will be directed to post in the forum
This will allow all students to learn from the responses
You are responsible for knowing the contents of the
discussion forum
Feel free to share any good resources you find, initiate
discussions with classmates, etc.

Tips for Success

Follow all assessment instructions

Clear writing is important in your assignmentsbe
straightforward and dont try to sound fancy
Regularly check unit announcements and the
discussion forum
Give yourself sufficient time to dedicate to the
learning modules and completion of assessments
If you have questions, ask them

We will now begin our Introduction to Light

Part 1. This week we will be looking at
light in a creative context.

Light in Visual and Performance Arts

Lighting is used in works of art to create
contrast in an environment or space.
Lighting adds to the visual variety in works
of art, provoking interest while helping to
determine the layout of a composition. A
work of art may be designed entirely
around the lighting techniques it contains.
(eHow, 2012)

Light in Visual Art

Piero della Francesca
(1416/17 -1492)
Studied how light affected
the perception of form.
Aware of actual sources of
light rather then artistic
conventions of the time.
Consequently contributed to
a greater form of Naturalism.
Forerunner in light
observations that would
consummate in French
Impressionism. (Artner, 1992)

'The dream of Constantine'PIERO DELLA

FRANCESCAc.1455fresco in the Church of San
Francisco de Arezzo
Image
http://www.theartwolf.com/masterworks/piero.ht
m

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Light in Visual Art

Leonardo da Vinci
(1452 1519)
Known as genius and the
quintessential Renaissance
man
Famously know for his
painting of the The Mona
Lisa.
Artist
Year
Type
Dim.

Leonardo da Vinci
c. 1503 1519
Oil on poplar
77cm x 53cmLocat.

Locat.
Musee du
Image http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa
Louvre, Paris

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Light in Visual Art

The Mona Lisa is an example of the perfection
two techniques.
Sfumato - evident in the delicate robes and in
her enigmatic smile.
Sfumato - (from Italian sfumare, to tone down or to evaporate
like smoke)
transitions between colour areas, creating a delicately
atmospheric haze or smoky effect. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008)

Chiaroscuro her face is front lit, reflecting

light on the forehead nose and chin. As the head
curves back away from us the edges are
rendered in a hazy shadow (Fichner-Rathus, 2011)
Chiaroscuro - ( from Italian: chiaro, light; scuro, dark)
Defining forms through contrasts of light and shadow (Encyclopedia
Britannica, 2008)

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Light in Visual Art

Michelangelo Merisi da
Caravaggio (1571 1610)
Introduced the technique of
tenebrism
Tenebrism (derived from
The Calling of Saint Matthew (1599-1600)
the Latin tenebrae,
Contarelli Chapel,
San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome. The light from the
darkness.)
window, instantly shows the conversation of St
Extreme contrasts of light
Matthew.
Image http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio
and dark
(Britannica, 2010)

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Light in Visual Art

Rembrandt Harmenszoon
Van Rijn (1606 - 1669)
Paintings are characterised by
luxuriant brushwork, rich
colour, and a mastery of
chiaroscuro. (Fernz, 2001)

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633.

The painting is still missing after robbery
from the Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum in 1990.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt

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Light in Visual Art

Claude Monet (1840 1926)

Key figure in the
Impressionist
movement.
Developed a unique
style, leading the way to
20th century modernism.

Haystacks, (sunset). 1880-1891.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet

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Light in Visual Art

Claude Monet
Recorded the
perceptual processes
by painting the same
site repeatedly at
varying times of the
day.
Series examples
include:
Haystacks [1891],
Poplars [1892] and
Rouen Cathedral
[1894] (Auricchio, 2012)

Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Claude_Monet,_Hay
stacks_on_a_Foggy_Morning,_1891,_Oil_on_canvas.
jpg

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Light in Visual Art

Paul Cezanne (1839

1906)
Began to use lighting in a
lean toward abstraction.

Portrait of the Artist's Father LouisAuguste Czanne, Reading 1866

National Gallery of Art, Washington,
D.C. Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Czann
e

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Light in Visual Art

Pablo Picasso (1881
1973)
Used different light
sources to create
uncertainty as to
whether the shapes are
convex or concave.
(Central School PTO, 2012)

Les Demoiselles dAvignon (1907),

Museum of Modern Art, New York
Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso

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Light in Visual Art

Georges Braque (1882
-1963)
Conducted an intense
study of the effects of
light and perspective
conventions.
Used shading so that it
looked both flat and
three-dimensional by
fragmenting the image.
(George Braque website, 2012).

House at Lestaque
Image
http://art200cuestacollege.wordpress.com/slid
es/feb-8/

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Light in Visual Art

Light Artists - James Turrell (Born 1943)
Use light as their primary medium.
My work is about space and the light that
inhabits it. It is about how you confront that
space and plumb it with vision. It is about your
seeing, like the wordless thought that comes from
looking into fire.
To find out more about James Turrell check out
the following link;
http://nga.gov.au/turrell/

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Light in Visual Art

Light Artists - Olafur Eliasson (Born 1967)
In my work Room for one colour, We actually see
only one colour. The wavelengths of light from the
lamps in this the space are in the yellow area of the
visible spectrum, resulting in the fact that all
colours in this room submit to the yellow domain.
Like a black and white image with shades of grey in
between, this yellow space would organise a green
sweater and purple shoes into a monochrome field
of endless shades between yellow and black (Eliasson,
2006)

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Light in Visual Art

If you are interested to hear more on Eliasson check
out the following link
https://www.ted.com/talks/olafur_eliasson_playing_with_space_and_light?
language=en

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Light in Visual Art

Bruce Munro (Born

1959)
In installation artist and
architectural lighting
designer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt3Ff5_BUuM
Click below to find out
http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2005/12/08/field_of_light_
more
feature.shtml
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Light in Film
German Expressionist films such as Fritz Langs
Metropolis used strong light dark contrast. This
lighting assisted in expressing the characteristic
themes of confusion and madness. (Film Education, 2012)
Precursor to Film Noir
Click on the link if you would like to view the trailer for the
recently restored Metropolis film
http://metropolis1927.com/#trailer

Images:
http://metropolis1927.com

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Light in Film
Film noir:
Strong contrast & low key lighting
Create ambience, support narrative & contribute to
character development

The Big Combo,

Image http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2012-021955

08/big-combo-1955-pitfall-1948-million-dollar-theater

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Light in Film
Film noir:
Prevalent in Hollywood in the 1940s & 1950s.
Examples include:
Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)
Double Indemnity (1944)
The Killers (1946)
The Big Combo (1955)

Double Indemnity,
1944
Image26
http://www.doctormacro.com/Movie

Chiaroscuro contemporary examples

Image
http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/953daa4
b

Image
http://www.impawards.com/2005/cind
erella_man.html

Image http://www.etoday.ru/tag/fashion%20ads

Strong shafts or areas of light used to create focus & atmosphere

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Chiaroscuro graphic design

Image http://profile.ultimateguitar.com/KoRn+III/pictures/per
sonal/1024037/

Image
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik
i/Aftermath_(The_Rolling_S
tones_album)

Image
Image
http://www.butterboom.com/tag/gadget/p
http://rollingstonesofficial.tu
age/21/
mblr.com/post/2132338694
2/12x5

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Chiaroscuro interior design examples

Image http://blog.mrandmrssmith.com/2012/06/canal-house-amsterdam-hotel-ofthe-week/

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Chiaroscuro interior design examples

Image http://chiaroscurodesign.tumblr.com/

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Chiaroscuro interior design examples

Image http://www.fokal.com/f-0888/the-spectacular-chiaroscuro-seattlehouse

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Chiaroscuro theatre

Intimacies of Women, Tap Gallery, 2004, Photographer Unknown

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Chiaroscuro theatre

Intimacies of Women, Tap Gallery, 2004, Photographer

Unknown

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Chiaroscuro theatre

Intimacies of Women, Tap Gallery, 2004, Photographer

Unknown

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Chiaroscuro interior lighting

Image http://www.chiaroscurolightingdesign.com/2012/08/petrusknightsbridge_7341.html

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Chiaroscuro interior lighting

Image http://www.chiaroscurolightingdesign.com/2012/08/bel-dragoncookham_3477.html

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Chiaroscuro exterior lighting

Image http://ulifriends.com/frankfurt/

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Chiaroscuro exterior lighting

http://www.chiaroscurolightingdesign.com/2012/02/bel-dragonreading.html

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Time for a break

Image from http://www.metrolic.com

Consider posting any of your thoughts, comments or questions about this module in
our discussion forum.

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References
Art History Famous Paintings. Retrieved 19 November 2012 from www.arthistory-famousartists-paintings.
Artner, A. (1992). Lighting the way Piero della Francesca: Centuries ahead of his time. Chicago Tribune
Auricchio, L. (2012) Claude Monet (1840 1926) Retrieved on 26 November 2012 from
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/
cmon/hd_cmon.htm
eHow (2012). Use of Light in Art. Retrieved on 20 November 2012 from
http://www.ehow.com/about_5246365_use-lightart.html#ixzz2CdpBuZKD
Central School PTO. (2012). Cubism. Retrieved on 27 November from
http://www.centralptonews.org/CESCAP/Art%20Terms/
cubism.htm
Eliasson, O. (2006). Some Ideas about Colour. Olafur Eliasson: Your Colour Memory - Exhibition catalogue,
2006 75-83
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2010). Caravaggio. Retrieved on 29 November from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/94587/ Caravaggio
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2008). Chiaroscuro. Retrieved on November 29 from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/
110261/chiaroscuro
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2008). Sfumato. Retrieved on November 29 from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/537371/ sfumato
Fernz, H. (2001). `Giant' in the history of art, Helena, Business Times - Kuala Lumpur
Fichner-Rathus, L (2011). Foundations of Art & Design: An Enhanced Media Edition. Boston MA:
Wadsworth Publishing Company)
Film Education. (2012). Metropolis Further Study. Retrieved on 25 November from
http://www.filmeducation.org/metropolis/pdf/
Metropolis_Further_study.pdf
George Braque website, (2012). George Braque and his paintings. Retrieved on the 25 November from
http://
www.georgesbraque.org/
Magurn, R. (2012) Da Vinci. Retrieved on 29 November 2012 from http://history-world.org/da
%20vinci.htm l

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