Artist who uses colour

Week 3

Ricardo Legorreta

I found the lecture really fascinating, as we learnt about a couple of interesting architects who manipulate spaces to alter or create different atmospheres. Luis Barragan caught my eye, so for this activity I chose someone similar to him because I wanted to continue looking at these breath taking designs like his.

He used colour in his interiors as well as outdoor structures. firstly the colours he uses are very bright and vibrant which make the space quite striking. The use of colours like, orange, yellow and magenta contrast with the bright blue of the sky which creates are very exciting and loud atmosphere in my opinion. It is definitely unique and amazing. The structures are made up of many points and squares and no curves, which make everything feel so perfect and flawless.


He uses these colours as they do attract our attention and create an atmosphere were aren't used to when seeing a house or building. It's not as cosy and soothing as a normal house because the colours are so bright, but it is definitely inviting as we want to see more. The interiors use colours like blue, which would create a calming mood but also could make us feel cold. colours like orange have been used inside which work together with the beams of light that enter the room to create a very joyful and energetic atmosphere. colours like peach create a slight more soothing affect as this isn't as bright as the rest of the building.

Medium, surfaces and substance

Exercise 2

I picked a regular walking route that I take while walking my dog, which is the green belt.

I made some videos (which unfortunately refuse to work on here)  that demonstrate the sounds I could here while walking and show some of the affects of the light on different surfaces. I was surrounded by the noise of cicadas and birds which gave of a summery and vibrant atmosphere. There were light rustles of leaves and crunches as I walked. The medium of air smelt damp and slightly chilled which made the atmosphere feel quite refreshing and relaxing.

My dog being there made this atmosphere more playful and fun. She was affected by sounds and smells as she would stop to smell different scents in the leaves and tree trunks and probably was distracted by small bugs and the sound of birds and other dogs in the distance.

There were multiple different surfaces including, stones, leaves, bark, twigs and dirt. these would radiate light in different ways as you can see from the photos above. The light creates different shapes on the ground as it would force its way through the leaves and branches of trees and appears on the suraface of the ground which looked very pretty. This made the atmosphere feel quite haunting in different parts but also quite lively and exciting as there was a strong contrast between light and shadow. The light seemed as if it was glittering as it reflected off the bright green leaves because their surface was rather glossy it also bounced off the lens of my camera.

The height of the trees and the amount of foliage i was surrounded by created a safe and calming atmosphere. The light and sounds also contributed to this as the sounds were all quite subtle and not too overpowering, and the light brightened up certain parts making it feel inviting and not as dark and gloomy as it would've been on a rainy or dim day.

Overall the atmosphere was created by all the different mediums, surfaces and substances which all interacted with each other to create something relaxing and soothing, but also vibrant as I walked through the area.

What is the Atmosphere

Exercise 1

As a group we discussed the atmosphere of our tutorial room.

   

We found it interesting how the atmosphere changed significantly when our class left the room. When everyone was in it it felt more lively and a bit cramped and cluttered, compared to when everyone left and it was just us three left. 

With just us in the room the whole atmosphere felt very quiet, dull and slightly eerie. This would've been caused by the loss of sound as noises of chatter and socialising completely left the room. No one else being there made the room a bit more spacious, but the presence of chairs and tables took away from this abit. 

It was comforting having a couple other people there as I feel if I was alone the atmosphere would be even more quiet and start to feel lonely and uncomfortable. As people started walking back in a sense of relief came over us as we were no longer alone in this quiet room. 

Overall we thought this room did feel dreary and tired probably because of the mood of everyone was in. The lighting was quite harsh and intense which reminded me of a hospital and felt quite different to other parts of Massey. It doesn't feel as inviting and comforting as other rooms i've been in. Although the presence of people did make a massive difference to the mood.