The Masters Interpretation was my final project for ART 102. In it, I explored color relationships and how color can advance or recede objects through the foreground, middle ground, and background. Colors can also suggest familiar forms in the midst of abstraction.

To start, I observed a collection of cutouts from unknown pieces of artwork and made three thumbnail sketches based off of them.

I went with the sketch based off of the fourth master work. It is a closeup shot of what appears to be paper cutouts, but I thought the large black shape almost looked like an exaggerated bird's beak.

Using vector shapes in Adobe Illustrator, I created a composition based off of my sketch and the master work. My initial thought was to make a pattern design using the birds. However, to better emphasize the different areas of the composition, I instead created an abstract forest for the birds to fly in. The stripes from the master work created the form of the trees. The birds, trees and grass closer to the foreground are a brighter color, and the hues gradually become darker as the composition moves back in space.

The piece utilizes a triadic color scheme of red, yellow and blue. The trees take on a more yellow tone, while the birds are blue and the grass is red. This creates clear contrast while still being pleasing to the eye. The untraditional usage of the colors creates a sense of unfamiliarity despite the depiction of a natural scene; almost as though it takes place on an alien landscape.