Assignment 001: Organic & Geometric Shapes Compete For Dominance

All two dimensional shapes break down into two basic categories:

Organic (or curvilinear) and Geometric (or rectilinear)

Organic shapes are typically asymmetrical shapes with an irregular boundary, often flowing or curving, thus they are often also referred to as curvilinear shapes. However, the boundaries or edges can also be jagged or prickly, showing one of various possible influences from the natural world. Examples of organic shapes include the shapes of plants, rocks and animals. Aside from obvious organic forms, designers  often create abstract and unique organic shapes and patterns which may reference nature, but do not precisely resemble any actual natural object or being. 

Examples of Organic Shapes in Art:

Salvador Dali Metamorphosis of Narcissus

Joan Miro, Carnival of Harlequin,

 Peter Max
 

Ryan McGinness

Emilio Pucci print

Arcimbolo

Pablo Picasso painting...


Geometric (or Rectilinear Shapes) are mechanical shapes characterized by their ability to be mapped or grid-ed mathematically. Thus they have straight lines, definable angles and arcs, and can be represented by points and equations. Beyond squares, circles and triangles, designers build new and provocative geometric forms by combining and expanding existing shapes into new directions.

Examples of geometric shapes in art and design:

Piet Mondrian

Frank Stella's 'Harran II', 1967

Movie poster, Boris Bilinsky, 1927

Dado panel, first half of 15th century; Mamluk
Egypt
Polychrome marble mosaic

Pucci geometrics

Steve Ditko

So our assignment is to create a 9x12 2D image where you create a visual tension or 'competition' between organic and geometric shapes. This could be expressed 'figuratively,' meaning with recognizable objects and settings (like a werewolf wrestling a geometric robot) or through abstract compositions of shapes, tones and colors.