Reading responses

How would the composition change if one or more lines were removed?
There are various ways the removal or erasure of an element like lines could alter the composition. It could alter what is being viewed as a whole, it could cause a reconstruction and manipulation of the composition and even of reality, it could also cause abstraction through the erasure of the lines. 

 What happens when you combine flat, solid shapes with gradated shapes? Or fuse negative and positive?
When you combine flat and solid shapes with gradated shapes it creates a contrast between the two that causes the gradated shapes to appear more 3d and realistic. It also adds greater depth to the piece that is not there when all the shapes are just flat.

 What happens when you invert the values-that is, the black areas become white and the black areas become black?
 As in a photograph, the inversion creates a stark contrast. In one way it can manipulate the view of reality because the viewer knows that is not its natural form.             

 Choose an artist's piece from the chapter that you liked and talk about the methods used.
One of my favorite pieces from the chapter is Chris Finley's Goo Goo Pow Wow. I find it extremely interesting because of his process. He begins by creating digital templates for his paintings, he then recreates the compositions on canvas and mixes his paints to match. This method allows him to create paintings that mix the traditional methods of painting with the obvious influence of computer generated compositions. This is a method that has become more common in the digital age. As a mainly digital based artist that still loves paint, this is a method I would like to practice.