It’s pretty hard to state facts at this stage and besides
what is actually manifested by sculpture, scratching or drawings, pretty much
the reasons of how and why are predominantly guesswork, of course with a great
deal of research carried out by those learned in the field .
The term ‘Visual Communication’ is being used since it is
thought that these early works had more of an informative or ritual function
rather than just used as art for the entertainment of an audience. Visual Communication to a designer would make
even more sense since we are most of the times trying to pass on some sort of a
message.
When referring to the works carried out by prehistoric
individuals and primitive people we need to throw back to the Neolithic period
which spanned between 35,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C. , where early Africans and
Europeans left paintings in caves, including the famous Lascaux caves in
southern France (15,000-10,000 B.C.)
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Lascaux Cave Art Painting
Image: http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/lascaux/gallery/lascaux3b.jpg
Besides the early drawings found in caves in various parts of
the world, including those of the previously mention ones in France, and some
very clear depictions of Bison in Altamira, Spain. Early humans utilized Petroglyphs. Such Petroglyphs where again found all over
the world including distant islands in New Zealand to North America. These were images usual carved, inscribed or
abraded onto the rock face. Some of
these figures showed great memory in the inscriber as some depictions are
pretty accurate. We also see
that some other individuals who started to take on a simpler and more basic approach of
producing signs or figures, which also made use of shapes such as squares,
circles, dots and others. It is believed
that these had an informative function as in to outline trails and or traveled distance.
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A petroglyph of a caravan
of bighorn sheep near Moab, Utah, USA
image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MtnSheepPetroglyph.jpg |
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Petroglyphs – San Juan County – Utah,
USA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Newspaper_rock.jpg
|
In Lorthet in France we can find the engraved drawings of a
fully depicted reindeer and salmon which attributed a high level of observation
and recreation making them very clear and remarkably accurate (in their
simplification). What is also fascinating
in these early engravings is the presence of two diamond shaped markings which
also have marks within them. This could
indicate a very early primitive form of what might have evolved into
writing.
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| Reindeer and Salmon found at Lorthet in cave - southern France. Image from http://www.culture.gouv.fr/Wave/image/joconde/arc/0002/m500145_0019038_p.jpg |
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| Cave art Petrograph - Lascaux - France image from: http://www.timerime.com/user_files/151/151419/media/_2000x1320.jpg?t=1359655325 |
Another similar word to describe depictions of that era are
called Petrograhps. Petrograph is a word
similar to Petroglyph and in most times are both confused between them. The Petrograph
however is an image drawn onto the rock. It is made by using colours which are
readily found in nature such as browns, yellows, reds and also black. The more earthy tones were derived from different
minerals and iron oxides which were in turn mixed with animal fat to give them more consistency and durability. Black
was in turn derived from charcoal. Also
tones of white where used from chalk. Another format or type of Petrograph we are
also used to seeing was an early type of stencilling method. Paint was mixed in the mouth and with the use
of pipes blown onto the hand which would be covering part of the wall face. When the hand was removed it would leave a
negative imprint onto the wall. This is
an early form of ‘air brushing’. We can
also notice in some other cave prints of the hand, thus making them the first
forms of prints to be found. The hand or
foot would be coated in paint and stamped onto the rock leaving an imprint.
18/10/2014 Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_art#Pictographs
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'The panel of Hands' - El
Castillo Cave - Spain
image: http://www.crystalinks.com/spainoldestcaveart612a.jpg |
References:
web.18/10/2014 wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroglyph
book. A History of Graphic Design - by
Philip B. Meggs 3rd edition pages 4-6
book. The Story of Art - by E.H. Gombrich
- pages 39-43
