Activity# 5

Horace Pippin created “Interior” in 1944, oil on canvass production, and Jacob Lawrence created “Street on Mbari” in 1964, on woven paper in tempera. Both artists use different methods of expression through their design principles, however, both of them have themes that could suggest their childhood was based on culture and their social economical status. For example, both artists use colors to define the unity in the designs.

Unity, is a sense of oneness, of things belonging together and making up a coherent whole (pg.122). Pippin employs this approach by creating all of the throw rugs the same size and colors, while Lawrence uses the dark colors as a symbol of his heritage. Both artists use the same colors in their pictures as a way of creating life and emphasis to the observer.

Emphasis, is drawing the attention to certain parts of a composition than to other (134). In “Interior” Pippin, places it upon the sizes of his characters so the viewer can determine who the mother is and who the children are. It further shows every character in the canvass performing different task all the while trying to stay warm in the room that uses the stove as their main source of heat. And, Lawrence deploys it on his characters that are located in the canvass. They tell the story of buying and trading common goods on a bright sunny day with the use of the primary colors. Yellow is a soothing color that is used to express the social interactions in the community. While both artists tell the stories of interaction with the characters, colors, and symbols; they also show the viewer the theme of the canvass by the rhythm.

Rhythm, is based on repetition (pg 141). If you notice in “Interior” the rhythm seems to be the placement of the colors in the room. Every person in this canvass has a colorful rug under them. The rugs are a symbol of occupancy and a further sign of importance because every human figure is utilizing it to help keep the draft out that is coming from the floors. In Lawrence’s “Street on Mbari” rhythm is used based on the figures that appear to be helping one another with obtaining different items.

In conclusion, both artists seem to tell the stories of poverty, struggles, and culture by using the same design principles, however, with different ways of life.