Depth Perception

Amanda MaduriThesis I

Thesis Proposal

2

My thesis is an exploration of the simplicites and complexities that lie within the illusions of three-dimensional depth made through two-dimensional design.

Through my processes of deconstruction, followed by the construction of designs, I will understand and create the ways in which the elements of art interact to create representations of real life spaces and dimension.

I am interested in the ways in which the fundamental elements and principles of art, such as line, shape, color, and space, can assemble to mimic complicated realities.

Artist Precedents

3

The Op-art movement, started in the 1960s, utilizes systematic applications of line, shape and color to create the illusions of depth on a two-dimensional surface.

Josef Albers experimented with the interactions of color, by producing hundreds of studies in his series called Homage to the Square. Alber clearly shows how using color relationships can accomplish the illusion of simple depth.

Artist Precedents

4

The Op-art movement, started in the 1960s, utilizes systematic applications of line, shape and color to create the illusions of depth on a two-dimensional surface.

Artist Precedents

5

More recent projects by artists contain similar visual clues used by the seminal Op artists, with similar results. However, motion, and design within the framework of the computer has been added.

The possibility for motion comes with the exploration of the GIF file format, other systems within the programs of the computer, and distortion of technologies.

Sarah Ludy, Rooms, 2012

Claudia Mate, GIF, 2011Kim Asendorf, Random Rooms, 2009

Completed Explorations

6

With these precedents in mind, I began executing and breaking down depth into its simple two-dimensional forms of color.

Color relationships such as complementary, analoguous, and monochrome were considered in testing how to achieve believable depth.

Completed Explorations

6

Completed Explorations

7

Completed Explorations

6

I then began implementing motion, through the GIF file format, and various other explorations into the way technology can render dimension.

The projects can be seen online:http://a.parsons.edu/~madua830/thesis/GIFs/bitmap/b1.html

7

Completed Explorations

The systems that lie within the computer began to inspire me. I explored how the generic button styles on Photoshop exhibit depth by looking at each style on a 500 x 500 pixel square.

Photoshop’s basic styles successfully give the illusion of drop shadows and bevels using the elements and principles mentioned beforehand.

The projects can be seen online:http://a.parsons.edu/~madua830/thesis/pstyles/web/w1.html

8

Completed Explorations

In my next experiments, I tried to reduce my work even further, as I felt the explorations weren’t deconstructed enough. I began with the 500 x 500 pixel composition again and worked within the line framework of depth.

The results achieve impossible depth, which I am interested in exploring further.

9

Completed Explorations

8

Completed Explorations