Final answer:
In most video editing software, black areas around a photo likely signify absence of content when an image's aspect ratio doesn't match the timeline settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the student's question about the black areas around a photo once moved into a timeline, it is unclear which specific software or context this refers to. However, in most photo and video editing applications, if you place an image with a different aspect ratio than the project's timeline, the areas around the photo (if left unchanged) typically appear as black because those areas represent the absence of any visual content, often called letterboxing.
In regards to the second part of the question, the use of color in artwork can enhance or distort the reality of an image depending on the artist's intention. Color can add depth, emotion, and clarity, but it can also be used to manipulate or abstract reality. If an image were converted to shades of black, white, and gray, the absence of color might lead to a loss of certain emotional cues, but it could also focus the viewer's attention on patterns, textures, and forms.
Each artist's approach to moving their painting from realism to abstraction varies. They might do so by distorting forms, emphasizing certain elements while omitting others, and using color in unexpected ways to evoke different interpretations. For example, an artist might use vibrant colors to create a more visceral or exaggerated representation of the subject, thus moving the painting towards abstraction.