Ed Ruscha

Ed Ruscha research

Background

 Omaha, Nebraska in 1937 and studied painting, photography, and graphic design at the Chouinard Art Institute. In 1956 he moved to Los Angeles to stud at  Chouinard Art Institute with the intent to become a commercial artist. In the 1960's he was recognised for the Pop Art movement in 1967 he received an award in painting from the National Council on the Arts, Washington, DC.

Influences

Ruschas influences though not many were quite big, they were Marcel Duchamp, Pop art, and the movies. He was alos heavily influenced by the city of Los Angeles and by his initial interest in graphic arts, working with text and urban/ Western landscapes into his work.

Ideas

 Ruscha's idead came from the every day life he used things such as fruit and vegetable juices, blood, gunpowder, and grass stains, which was used in his "Stain" series. In the 1980s, his style became more mystical, as he worked with rays of light, constellations.

Representation of relationships

I feel like the relationship in this image would have to be the relationship between man and land, this is due to the fact that the land would of had to been destroyed for the gas station to be built, it shows that man has the power to destroy or help land but choose to help themselves.

Formal Elements

The elements used in this image are lines, everything is straight, this helps to keep your eyes in the frame, though the image is in black and white the use of colour as an element still works as black and white are still colours. Shapes also play a part within this image as they help to keep your eyes interested.

Compositional Elements

The compositional elements used in this image are triangles which help to keep your eyes inside the frame, another one would be symmetry, this is because the way the gas station roof tilts downwards but this is also in the middle of the image which is where the station itself is, on each side of the gas station are those tower like things which helps to create the symmetry of the image. The depth of field in this image is a deep depth as everything is in focus.

Critique

The critique I would give this image would be to get closer or to crop the image as the road that curves round the front is distracting and I personally think a closer crop will make the image more interesting as you will be able to see the gas station clearer and closer.

Representation of relationships

I think the relationship with this image will be the same as the above one, the relationship between man and land, as the station would of had to be built on what was a field previously which would of destroyed the land.

Formal Elements

The formal elements in this image would include the following; shape as the sky is dark so the shapes of the signs stand out with the light, another element would be lines, the lines of the silhouettes of the posts and signs from the station add to the mystery effect as you are not entirely sure what is going on in the image. The tone used in this image consists of black and white, a very bright white and a very dark black.

Compositional Elements

The compositional elements in this image would be rule of thirds to some degree, the only thing that would stop that would have to be the fact that the station is in the centre but there are elements of the rule of thirds. Another element would be viewpoint as the view point is pretty far away but is also the view point of a passer by or a person pulling into the station. The back and foreground are easy to distinguish within this image due to the dark sky and lit up station.

Critique

The critique I would give this image would be how the light of the station blurs out the station itself, I

 think the photographer could of gotten closer or extended the exposure to get a clearer picture as the light is just a blur. I would suggest to take this image in the daylight for a clearer and better picture. 

Representation of relationships

This image just like most images in this collection of Ed Ruscha's work is a relationship between man and land, this shows how man has the ability and power to destroy the land or their own goals.

Formal Elements

This image has formal elements such as shape, this is due to the signs and also this works with lines as there are lines everywhere in this image. Another formal element would be the depth of the image as everything is in focus so the depth must a deep depth. The colour of this image is black and white, this may be the film or an edit of the image.

Compositional Elements

The compositional elements in this image are rule of thirds, though it is not as obvious as other images the slight to the left and right of the things in the image make it easy to spot. Another element would be the view point which is in line with the things in the image and almost as if it is a passer by.

Critique

The critique I would give this image would be to make the rule of third more obvious to make the image stronger, other than that I like this image.