When we look at the concepts behind
vibrant art around us, it’s easy to appreciate the creative skills of the
designer or artist. Color schemes can help portray a message or unify a theme.
In this image, we see the use of
energetic and lively colors. The orange/red/yellow combination gives us the
sense that the skeleton characters are really playing the music and
celebrating. We can almost feel that the movement of the birds and instruments
is real! Viva la musica! This image encompasses the mexican culture with the
hats worn by the skeletons, the instruments they’re playing, right down to the
peppers that adorn the aqua-colored sugar skull. The idea behind the use of the
skeletons playing the music is the celebration of ancestors and family that
have passed. It’s possible that the birds are meant to represent the ancestors
flying high in the sky, watching over family below. However, all art is open to
interpretation.
The job of a designer is to
creatively reach their audience on a level in which they can relate.
We know that design is behind every
corner of this world, so don’t think your kitchen is beyond its reach! It’s in
your kitchen that you’ll find such vibrancy with an array of veggies, fruits..
and sweets! We enjoy our conchas! So when it comes to design in the kitchen,
it’s important for designers to use the wide variety of colors and shapes
around them. The image here incorporates all of it’s design in a circular shape
(a pan dulce, maybe) and uses colors that are associated with eating. Orange
and brown are largely related to food, especially mexican food. Do you see a
possible bowl of mole in front of you? This design also uses colors of the same
tone but different hue. The light green limes and cilantro, pink peppers and tomatoes, all help accent
the design while giving it a unified look. Not to mention, the tiny orange
peppers that create the skull’s mustache, and the burritos that put emphasis on
it’s face. It seems that a lot of planning went into this design, integrating
many aspects of the mexican kitchen.
José Guadalupe Posada, the printmaker who designed
La Calavera Catrina, is an excellent
example of someone who brought
culture and design together. In it’s original form, La Calavera Catrina is a
zinc etching, an inexpensive medium used to produce art work during the early
1900’s. Born during the Mexican revolution, Catrina can now be found in various
prints, paintings, heirlooms and street art. Posada’s intent with the Catrina
is to illustrate the modernization of the Mexican culture in the early 20th
century. Here we see the skeleton wearing a hat that would normally be worn by
women in the upper class of the European culture. The original design did not
include color, but we can see how the piece comes to life with color added. The
depth of the shading shows Posada’s dedication to his craft. La Calavera
Catrina had such a stronghold on the Mexican culture that it was also recreated
in paintings by other artists, like Diego Rivera. A very popular image that we
see for Dia de los Muertos celebrations, La Calavera Catrina will always be a
reminder of the history of the Mexican culture.
