Law Sin Yee (Niki) talks on Hartley Eames HouseandStudio 2003

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS

•The title of the drawing :  House and Studio

•The name of the artist : Hartley Eames

•The year was  the drawing done : 2003                                                                                    

•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc)
 I think it is used  pen and ink on paper

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?)
According to those two numbers( 137& 138), I think it is a designation for construct the artist's house and studio.

•What is the purpose of the drawing? (eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory? )
I think the purpose of the drawing that the artist want to refer this drawing to construct the house and studio.

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

•How is line used? What does it do/express?
It used different lines to represent different objects. The artist used some rough lines to shown some not too important objects,for examples, the ground, grass, trees and  leafs. We can see that the artist draw it very quickly, and many brushstrokes are continuously. On the other hand, the house and studio is the subject of this drawing. And we can see that the artist draw it vey fine and good order.

However, the artist used different types of the line to make the tone ,the texture and form of the material.
For examples, it used some cruve, zigzag and rough lines to shown the grass on the floor; it used some crossed and rough lines to shown the trees; it used some diagonal lines to shown the material of the door.

•How is tone used? What does it do/express?
The tone is used to express the sharp of the objects. Therefore, there are different tone of dark and light in the drawing to shown differnt forms or shape of the objects. We can see that the studio is darker than the tree in front of the drawing, so that it shown the prespective of the studio and the trees.Also, the tone lead we can recognize the shape of the objects ,just like some 3-Dimensions objects shown on the paper.
Although, the drawing is monochromatic, the tone help us to think about the different colour of the objects. For example, the colour of the trunks are lighter than the grass, and i will think that the trunks are light brown and the grass is dark green.

•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?
The drawing is really realistic and detailed. It is because it is the designation for the house and studio and it should be detail. The form of the drawing is from down to up view, it shown  the 3-Dimension  front view of the house and studio.For example, the stair, trees and the details of the studio.  The size of those objects shown the height and depth , for example ,the trunks are higher than the house and studio;  the flowers which is in front of the doors that just a 1/3 height of the door. Therefore, we can imagine the size of the house and studio.

•Is texture a feature of the drawing?
Sure. Different types of lines combinations make different textures of the objects, so that we can recognize different materials or apperance of the objects..For example, the artist used some zigzag hatching to make the grass look like it is short and thick ; it used some diagonal lines to show the glasses of the door is smooth; some regular cross lines of the materials for the house and studio are eustace and some irregular cross lines to shown the rough of the trunks.

 •What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
In this drawing, the composition is very obvious. The drawing is divided to three layers. First, the trees contain a same level in front of the picture. Then, the flowers and door contain another level . Lastly, the studio and house contain another level. The effect of this type of composition can make the perspective of the drawing and it makes the audiance think about the space of the front view of the House and Studio.  However, the two numbers 137 and 138 destoryed the whole composition of the drawing.
•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
Yes, the rhythm is important in this picture. We can see that there are a lot of repeated pattern/lines in the picture and it created the movement of the objects. For example, the glasses of the door, the regular lines may be just shown the sun shine reflected to the glasses.

•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
Yes. I think the picture is balanced. It is because the drawing like symmetrical that both sides are similar. We can see that the door of the House and Studio is in the centre of the picture.And there are two trunks and leafs in the both side.However, the sky and the floor in front of the trees contained similar proportions of the picture.

 •Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
Yes. For the above mentioned, the drawing is divided to three layers. First, the trees contain a same level in front of the picture. Then, the flowers and door contain another level . Lastly, the studio and house contain another level. The effect of this type of composition can make the perspective of the drawing and it makes the audiance think about the space of the front view of the House and Studio.  

•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
Yes, the picture is harmonious. It is because the artist usded some similar lines and intensive lines to create this picture and it makes the picture become unity.

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...
No. There are not too much strong contrasts in the picture.

3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
I think the mood of this drawing is soft and comfortable. It is because the picture is harmony , balanced and not too much strong contrast on it. I think that it is because this picture shown the disignation of the House and Studio, and the artist just want to watch it confortable, the total feeling of the outside view that make the Hosue and Studio comfortable and fresh. It is a good enviroment for making artwork.

•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
I think that the drawing shown the detail of the Studio and House which is easier for construct it . Also, the texture of the drawing helps the constructor known what kind of material that the artist want. However,according to the proportion, it can shown the size of the House and Studio that the artist want.

•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusion in terms of specific features and qualities of the drawing.
In my opinion, this work is really interesting. It is because the drawing shown the designation very detail. Since the artist just like to use a pencil and one colur to create different types of lines and shown different textures of the objects.When i am looking at this picture, i will think which types of lines represent which kind of material that the artist want to use. The techniques of using the combinations of lines are so amazing. However, from the perious until now, i am so interested on those two numbers (137&138) which i haven't mensioned above. This two numbers just let me think it is not a drawing of the landscape and it is a designation.And i really can't find any information from the books or internet about these 2 numbers.