Image Essay #3

In this piece by artist Chet Phillips, there is a good amount of tension. The round shapes of the animals in the boat are very circular in comparison to the very linear water and lines within the shapes. The cat's head is the dominant element in this work. The image also gives a good sense of movement – the eye goes from the cat, down into the water, up to the island, to the lighthouse – and around to the moon to where the viewer started. The subordinate shape is the owl, which is the second most important element of the image.

The author, Chet Phillips, has a very unique style. Looking at his site, he draws lots of animals along with lots of landscapes. After browsing his site, it appears he has done a lot of work for the Harry Potter series. Lots of assorted sketches and works are done by Chet Phillips for Warner Brothers.

This image has elements of tension, a clear dominance structure, and encourages movement around the work, so it seemed like a natural choice. There are also varying line weights and diagonal lines which provide depth, so this image encompasses lots of the concepts discussed in the past weeks.