The proportional ratio in this image is contrary to reality. There is a large cat that is nearly the size of the house it is standing on. There is a toy fish on the ground that is large as well in comparison to the human. The only two objects that match our typical perception of scale is the man and the house. The two objects that are the main focal point of the composition are the man and the cat as they stare at each other. It is intriguing to me how the artist set up the figures in this composition because normally, in regards to aspect ratio, the object closer to the viewer is seen as bigger than the figure farther away from them. However, the artist chose to do the opposite with the cat and the man. There is an addition of shadows under the cat and toy fish to help make this appear realistic. This inclusion adds contrast to the entire composition which is emphasized with this sepia like filter over the image. I interpret that this piece may be about the taming of a monster with some form of bait. The man’s stance with his arms stiff yet somewhat extended to each side conveys this expression of alertness. Although his facial expression is turned away from the viewer, his body language speaks for his emotion. The size of the cat appears ginormous compared to the man which could mean it is a powerful figure. Large size can allude to a greater amount of power. There is a subtle detail of a claw on the paw closest to the viewer which could be associated with violence. The cat’s stance with one arm forward and the other back can signify that the cat is moving forward, possibly preparing to attack the man. The inclusion of the large fish in between the cat and the man could act as a mediator between the two. It is widely known that cats like to eat fish. The fish could be the only thing that protects this man by making the feline vulnerable to hunger. After evaluating the composition, I presume this piece is about taming something larger than ourselves. The artist chose to display the cat at a large scale which is unique and creative. Each element of this work appears intentional. The artist chose to display the alertness of the man by focusing on the man’s body language in this image. His slightly outstretched arms extending to opposite sides show that the man is alert and aware of the possible disadvantage of strength he has in this scenario. However, the inclusion of the fish in this image can prove that the man may have the advantage in this situation since it tackles the cat’s vulnerability to hunger. The different photoshop techniques seen here do help this composition appear convincing as well. The artists’ inclusion of the blurred tail indicates that the cat is in motion. The shadows found directly below the cat and the fish help indicate that there is a light source. This composition is dynamic because of the artists’ placement of the main two figures in the image. The imaginary line connecting their gazes give the viewer a strong diagonal for their eyes to follow when observing the composition. This work is successful because the narrative of the man vs the large cat is obvious for the viewer. The placement and scaling of each object give us a clear idea of what’s going on at this moment in time. This can be a parallel to the biblical story David and Goliath. Sometimes when people are faced with something that is larger than ourselves, we become fearful or anxious. Size can make us feel whether we are at an advantage or disadvantage in a battle. However, muscle/physique is not the only form of strength out there. The mind can also be used as a source of strength. We can guess that although the man is anxious because of the huge cat, he uses his brain to manipulate the cat by giving into its hunger with a large fish. The man here is most relatable to how we feel when we think things are beyond our control. However, when we put our minds to it, we can conquer those bigger issues whether it be bullies, global warming, air pollution, etc.
The proportional ratio in this image is contrary to reality. There is a large cat that is nearly the size of the house it is standing on. There is a toy fish on the ground that is large as well in comparison to the human. The only two objects that match our typical perception of scale is the man and the house. The two objects that are the main focal point of the composition are the man and the cat as they stare at each other. It is intriguing to me how the artist set up the figures in this composition because normally, in regards to aspect ratio, the object closer to the viewer is seen as bigger than the figure farther away from them. However, the artist chose to do the opposite with the cat and the man. There is an addition of shadows under the cat and toy fish to help make this appear realistic. This inclusion adds contrast to the entire composition which is emphasized with this sepia like filter over the image.
ReplyDeleteI interpret that this piece may be about the taming of a monster with some form of bait. The man’s stance with his arms stiff yet somewhat extended to each side conveys this expression of alertness. Although his facial expression is turned away from the viewer, his body language speaks for his emotion. The size of the cat appears ginormous compared to the man which could mean it is a powerful figure. Large size can allude to a greater amount of power. There is a subtle detail of a claw on the paw closest to the viewer which could be associated with violence. The cat’s stance with one arm forward and the other back can signify that the cat is moving forward, possibly preparing to attack the man. The inclusion of the large fish in between the cat and the man could act as a mediator between the two. It is widely known that cats like to eat fish. The fish could be the only thing that protects this man by making the feline vulnerable to hunger.
After evaluating the composition, I presume this piece is about taming something larger than ourselves. The artist chose to display the cat at a large scale which is unique and creative. Each element of this work appears intentional. The artist chose to display the alertness of the man by focusing on the man’s body language in this image. His slightly outstretched arms extending to opposite sides show that the man is alert and aware of the possible disadvantage of strength he has in this scenario. However, the inclusion of the fish in this image can prove that the man may have the advantage in this situation since it tackles the cat’s vulnerability to hunger. The different photoshop techniques seen here do help this composition appear convincing as well. The artists’ inclusion of the blurred tail indicates that the cat is in motion. The shadows found directly below the cat and the fish help indicate that there is a light source. This composition is dynamic because of the artists’ placement of the main two figures in the image. The imaginary line connecting their gazes give the viewer a strong diagonal for their eyes to follow when observing the composition.
This work is successful because the narrative of the man vs the large cat is obvious for the viewer. The placement and scaling of each object give us a clear idea of what’s going on at this moment in time. This can be a parallel to the biblical story David and Goliath. Sometimes when people are faced with something that is larger than ourselves, we become fearful or anxious. Size can make us feel whether we are at an advantage or disadvantage in a battle. However, muscle/physique is not the only form of strength out there. The mind can also be used as a source of strength. We can guess that although the man is anxious because of the huge cat, he uses his brain to manipulate the cat by giving into its hunger with a large fish. The man here is most relatable to how we feel when we think things are beyond our control. However, when we put our minds to it, we can conquer those bigger issues whether it be bullies, global warming, air pollution, etc.