Comparison & Contrast

We as humans are very interesting creatures. Many times, what we see, we conclude is the reality of what is in front of us. We do not question that it may be a subjective perception of the truth. Designer's knowledge of this subjectivity, and how our mind perceives that which we see allows them to create dynamic pieces that grab our attention in obvious and subtle ways. The concept of comparison and contrast in relation to our perception is the synonymous with the gestalt principle of figure and ground in perception. In particular, illusions tend to play on our perception of figure and ground, that through our current vantage point we will see the objective world subjectively by comparing and contrasting what we see and reassembling the pieces in a unified form to represent what we believe is in front of us.

Enter Julian Beever. This artist shows us just how our perception really affects us, creating a whimsical world for all to see. He is one of a few artists that has created 3D pavement art. This pavement art creates the illusion of a 3D image by using a projection technique known as anamorphosis which creates a three dimensional illusion for the eye when viewed at the correct angle. The three dimensional illusion of anamorphosis is created by comparing the colors and image that has been drawn on the pavement with the rest of the pavement, contrasting it with certain parts of pavement that are supposed to represent the "background" or "real pavement," and reassembling the image at that angle to create the three-dimensional perspective effect off of a two-dimensional surface. This comparison and contrast creates the "figure" the three dimensional object and scene in this situation, and the background, the connection to the "real world" from the pavement art.

The creations of Julian Beever are not limited to his pavement art, although at this level we can see the obvious ways that our vision and our perception of figure and ground, comparing and contrasting the two creates this very unique illusion, as well as the distortion applied when viewed at the specific angle. Julian Beever also creates murals, large pastel portraits, and renderings of old masters. He uses chalk for all of his pavement work, and his work only lasts for a few days, long enough for him to document it with photography, as after that point the weather will wash it away in a few days. Still, the anamorphosis he uses to create his intriguing effect that utilizes our visual cortex and our perceptual need for unification and our subconscious comparison and contrast of shapes, sizes, colors, and all gestalt principles to determine a three dimensional illusion really sets Beever apart from other contemporary artists.

Works Cited

"Julian Beever." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 18 Oct. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Beever>.

"Julian Beever's Pavement Drawings." Mon Espace Web (Personnel) / Mijn (Persoonlijke) Webruimte / My Personal Web Space. Web. 18 Oct. 2010. <http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm>.

Skaalid, Bonnie. "Figure and Ground." University of Saskatchewan. 1999. Web. 18 Oct. 2010. <http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/skaalid/theory/gestalt/figround.htm>.