Week 15 / Self Portrait / Art Gallery Visit

The inspiration pieces comes from the online gallery by Claire Casseb. 

http://www.clairecassebart.com/

Casseb's online art gallery consists of contemporary pop art and photorealism. 

I selected pencil / color pencil as my media because they will help define the different hues and colors throughout the portrait I have selected to recreate. The self portrait I chose is a picture of my mom and I.    Challenges I faced while creating my portrait include: making the piece seem realistic and visually appealing, and my own artistic skills challenging me in general. The piece resembles somewhat of a similarity to myself, although I'm sure anyone would fine my piece to be interesting. Elements and principles of art used in my piece include: Line, Color, Tone & Value. 

I did enjoy working on this project and really enjoyed researching online art galleries! I definitely think my piece could use a little bit more work, but hey, I'm just a beginner! 

Project #5 Art Criticism Article

I decided to critique fellow classmate, Kaitlin LaBarge's art exhibition. 

I selected this exhibit to critique because of the beautiful still life pieces that were selected. The realistic and vibrant flowers were amazing. The challenge I faced while writing the critique would probably just involve critiquing in a manor from a professional artistic point of view. We all were new at practicing being an art curator and acquiring pieces for our exhibit, so knowing we were all in the same boat put me at ease. I am always impressed when I look at my classmates work for any of our projects. It seems everyone is creative in their own way. I definitely would like to read the critiques my classmates composed in regards to my own art exhibit. Peer evaluation is constructive criticism and is good for social and communication skills. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate my article at an 8, because I definitely analyzed a majority of the pieces selected for the art exhibit I critiqued, as well as putting great points in on how this course has inspired me. I did enjoy working on this project!

Module 15 Film Review

The film, Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T.J Clark discusses the various types of art criticism by analyzing artwork and discussing other artist’s art criticisms. Although I definitely had some trouble following what he was saying exactly, I decided to read through the transcript on the right side of the video. I learned from Greenberg that you need to be receptive and stay receptive, open. Good art can come from anywhere, the results confute, they refute everything, every preconception you may have. Greenberg mentions how the best visual art of the past 50 years has been predominantly abstract. Greenberg said were stuck with that the best art, the best culture, under urban circumstances for a so-called elite. That elite gets bigger and bigger. When art’s good, it’s everything it should be.

The film, Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J Clark in conversation discussed how Jackson Pollock is an important modernist master who raises many questions with his work. They also point out how Pollock has been used a negative point of reference for modern art. The debate comes from the historical side of modern art while Fried is focused on the independence of its aesthetic. The concentration Pollock’s work requires challenges the distraction endemic in the wider culture. This film was interesting, in that Fried and Clark critiqued Pollock’s work through different approaches. This relates to the  Greenberg on Art Criticism film through the advice on being receptive to an artist’s artwork. 

Week 13 & 14 Video Review.

The four films definitely provide a great foundation to begin Project #4. The four films definitely seem to provide great insight into the variety and range art culture has to offer. The first film discussed the art movement of lowbrow artists. Lowbrow art can be defined as an underground visual art movement that arose in the Los Angeles, California, area in the late 1970's. It's a populist art movement with its cultural roots in underground comics, punk music, and hot rod cultures of the street. The artists creating lowbrow art, also known as pop surrealism are definitely talented and create eye catching pieces, although they believe they do not get the respect they deserve. The second film discussed the method of displaying modern art, which is seen in the Modern Museum of Art. This film provides foundation to our fourth project through its thematic approach when displaying art. The Tate approach displays its modern art in four sections. Each section suggests a theme for the selection of art displayed. Although it seems their might be an order in place,  visitors to the Tate are provided with striking and often abrupt transitions between the individual display rooms. The third short film I really enjoyed. It was fascinating to hear how the native american protection policy came about, in regards to archeological findings. It was also fascinating to hear how over 18,000 Native American remains are stored at the Smithsonian Museum in archives and how their lower back bones and skull fragments have different markings which is because of genes and heredity from the tribes. The fact that passing the bill and beginning to return Native American remains to their tribes started with the woman from Iowa and has now spread across the country is awesome. The fourth film topped the first three films by far. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and its longest director, Philippe de Montebello showed me the steps of how a piece of art is acquired and possibly accepted into a museums collection. The Metropolitan Museum is section off into themed areas, for example the African exhibition. It was awesome to understand that the 400 pieces of metal placed into the statue that welcomes you into the themed area represents 400 significant things apart of that culture. These films were great and i honestly enjoyed them. They were all different and provided me with a better understanding of how to execute my 4th project! 

Art Gallery Visit #2

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

 Ken Price: Slow And Steady Wins the Race, Works on paper, 1962-2010. 

The theme of the exhibition seems to be "slow and steady wins the race." As I was exploring the exhibition, I noticed that Price's pieces were grouped by three's and shared a common subject. The vibrant colors really stood out and gave each piece that wow factor. Price definitely seems to have a sense of humor with some of his pieces. The lighting throughout the exhibit seemed to be standard gallery lighting, which was very bright, along with the walls just being plain white. The movement throughout the exhibition was natural. The artworks were organized in relation to their content. The pieces were all in a black frame with a white matte. The artworks were similar in that they stood out to me, even though they were things you recognize, the vibrant use of colors brought each piece to life and I only wanted to know more. The artworks were identified and labeled on clear plaques on the wall with black ink. A majority of the plaques which identified the pieces were aligned in groups of 3 which stated from "left to right" or "right to left", so it was easy for me to identify the artworks that I wanted to use for this project. The proximity of the artworks to each other was  about a foot and a half a part? Im not exactly sure on the measurement but they were not too close to each other and not too spaced out. The exhibition was full of great pieces and did not seem cluttered at all. 

Desert Architecture, 2005.
Acrylic and Ink.
The use of Space, Color, Tone/Value, & Line are elements seen in this piece. My favorite part of this artwork is the intense tornado about to touchdown. The way Price shadowed the mobile homes creates the ground level in the artwork. The Tone & Value seen throughout the storm cloud is amazing. Its awesome to see how the clean lines of the mobile homes contrast the dark clouds above.

Taos Talking Picture, 2000.
Acrylic and Ink.
Again, we see the same elements expressed in this artwork. The use of Space,  Shape, Color, Tone/Value, and Line. This piece is awesome because it seems three-dimensional. Price certainly knows how to create clean lines in his artworks. The contrast of the clean lines and color below to the sky above which has beautiful Tone and Value. Price captures the detail in the reality of what the sky truly looks like. The use of space is outstanding in this piece. There is a sense of depth to this piece and draws you into it. 

Liquid Rock, 2004.
Acrylic and Ink.
This was the featured artwork of the exhibition on the Albright-Knox  website. When I saw this in person at the gallery I was blown away. The way the lava is flowing through the rock, to the detail in the lava that is exploding into the air, the tone and value in the rock, and the beautiful lit sky in the background brings this artwork to life. I personally would love to own a replica of any of Price's pieces. It was a great experience to visit an exhibition with a different perspective. It has opened my eyes to how I will perceive other exhibitions in the future. I look forward to our final Art Gallery visit. 

Expressionism & Cubism Film Reviews.

Expressionism is a modernist movement originating in Germany in the 20th century. The film discussed how Expressionism is to present the world from a subjective perspective, suggesting moods or ideas. We see example of Expressionism through Edward Munch's work and other artists mentioned throughout the film, Ashes. Ashes explores the relationship between a man and a woman. Colors in Expressionism are symbolic, like how the man was painted with black and dark colors to suggest depression or guilt. The woman's long flowing hair has red tones throughout to suggest the burning or sorrows of the relationship between the two. Ashes was shown in two other perspectives suggesting the emotions changed, from extreme sorrow, to confident, sexual, and arrogant. Expressionism is the exploration of the inner-state of mind. I truly enjoyed this film because you realize how symbolic a piece of art can be. I enjoyed understanding how to interpret emotion throughout a piece of art by exploring the colors used along with the expression of the subjects. 

The Impact of Cubism film was fascinating. Cubism has been considered the most influential art movement of the 20th century. The famous art gallery that we first saw in the film displays the art work, The Breakfast Table. When I first looked at this piece it was hard to understand how this represented a true breakfast table. After studying the piece you realize the true impact of cubism. Cubism is using shapes and line which turn into a real situation. Different areas and shading of the The Breakfast Table reveal the parts of the real breakfast table we initially were trying to see. Cubism is inspiring to all artists and draws a large number of tourists to this museum which holds a majority of influential Cubism pieces. This was also a great film and I enjoyed learning about the impact of Cubism on modern art. 

Module 10 Video Reviews.

The two films I picked to blog about include: Buddhism & Hinduism. 

Buddhism relates to the readings through culture and tradition. The beliefs and practices of Buddhism stem from Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama had everything until he stepped out into the real world and saw how people were suffering. He craved contentment and so he meditated until he saw the world in a different light. After meditating, Guatama became known as Buddah, which means, "the awakened one." This is how Buddhism came to be. Hinduism also relates to the readings through culture and tradition. This is why I chose both of these films to blog about! :) Hinduism is the dominant religion of India. Hinduism includes numerous traditions including, karma, dharma, and societal norms. Hinduism is characterized by intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a common set of beliefs. I really enjoyed both of these films and I also encourage other classmates to watch these two short films! 

Module 9: Video Reviews.

The two short films I picked were: Albrecht Durer, Image of a Master & Velazquez. 

Albrecht Durer lived from 1471-1528. Some of Durer's inspiration came from his father who was a goldsmith. By the age of 20, Durer completed two successful portraits. The first portrait was of himself and the second of his father. Durer had a great eye for detail, especially when it came to the process of aging. Over time, he married by the age of 22, and traveled for months at a time exploring Art in other countries. While traveling through Italy, Durer found the landscapes to be very appealing. He eventually began adding landscapes behind his subjects in portraits. Durer became exceptionally great at capturing the mood of a landscape, which is seen through his beautiful landscape pieces. This film relates to the text through the time of Renaissance, which is when Durer's art work flourished. Durer's attention to the process of aging represents the type of art work created in the Renaissance period. Velazquez also relates to the text when it comes to his own style of work. Velazquez captured timeless moments. He depicted such realistic, yet soft portraits of his closest friend, the King and the King's family. Velazquez spent his life painting for the King, but he enjoyed it. The portraits Velazquez composed, expressed and represented the gothic style of art work which was flourishing through the Renaissance period. Again we see here the attention to detail, which is a highlighted area in the Renaissance period. 

M9 Art Making/Material Exploration Drawings.

It was using my own hands as subject matter for this project. It was challenging to define the detail of my hands and bring a three dimensional aspect to my drawing. I started by using my charcoal pencils, although i felt as if they were too dark, even though i purchased a light, medium, and dark. I ultimately used a mechanical pencil to complete the project, which seemed to be most successful. It was easy to draw the first hand with my dominant hand. When it was time to draw my dominant hand, it was definitely challenging. I erased and started over a few times, as well as erasing marks throughout the whole process of drawing my dominant hand. I believe my drawing is successful and was a great learning experiment. When i look at the example the professor provided, my own drawing does not seem as three dimensional, but there are some great qualities in my work! I will not consider using my non dominant hand in the future on art projects, unless I am using both of my hands together! 

Module 8 Video Reviews

More Human Than Human discusses the legacy of our ancestors, which shaped our world today. Humans made Art, & Art made us human. The film discusses how we see ourselves and how we express our views through art. The Venus of Willendorf statue was more than 25,000 years old and is now worth more than $60 million dollars. The small figure of the female with exaggerated parts opens our mind to examine how other cultures saw themselves. Throughout the world, similar statues with exaggerated features were also found. I really enjoyed the part about Egyptian culture and art. Its fascinating to examine their culture. After examining Egyptian art, researchers discovered why the reliefs along the walls and pillars of Egyptian architecture over hundreds of years was similar. Egyptian Grids define the Egyptian culture with their obsession with consistency and order, which is what their society was based on. Culture is king and dictates how we depict the body. I also was fascinated by the man who discovered the Greek statues while snorkeling. The film definitely relates to the text.

The Cairo Museum film was picked upon my fascination of Egyptian culture. The Cairo Museum is home to more than 160, 000 Egyptian artifacts, although only half of them are on display currently. The other half of the beautiful and amazing artifacts are in the basement, where a majority of them are lost in dark spaces and have been untouched since their initial discovery of almost 100 years ago. The most fascinating artifacts were definitely the treasures of King Tut. The restoration of the Gold and leather piece that King Tut wore is AMAZING. Its crazy to think all of these beautiful artifacts are still in tact. The technique used in creating these fine objects of their culture relate to the text perfectly when discussing past periods and cherishing the skills used then which we almost done have the power to recreate now. 

Architecture.

The first film I picked was based on Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style. The film discussed how Wright changed the face of modern Architecture. Prairie Style is defined by wide open living spaces. Its the blending of homes into natural surroundings. Frank Lloyd Wright developed his architecture techniques in respect to time, place, and landscape. Horizontal lines represent Prairie style, which echos the lines of a prairie, as seen in the Chicago suburbs. Prairie style rooms flow into one another, along with having floor to ceiling windows, which dissolve interior and exterior space. The film provides depth to my understanding of Architecture through Frank Lloyd Wright's personal contribution to the history and style of architecture. I really enjoyed this film and furthering my knowledge of the great Frank Lloyd Wright. 

The second film I picked was Architecture: The Science of Design. This film discussed the science of architecture in respect to the strength of building materials and environmental factors. Concrete & Steel are used for skyscrapers. In a skyscraper, the super structure is everything above ground, while the sub structure is everything underground. A large factor that affects a skyscraper is wind. Wind is 4 times as violent on the 100th floor compared to lower floors. Wind can cause swaying of the building by up to a meter. Codes and testing must be done to make sure the building only has 5-7 seconds of swaying time from its original position to its furthest sway. Trees can be placed around a building to absorb turbulence. People walking can catch wind tunnels based of the shape and structure of a building. Its also important to consider location when constructing a home or building, fumes from a highway can effect where you plan to build or move. Concrete thats not reinforced can be used for foundations or walkways that have non supporting walls. Concrete reaches its full binding at 90 days. Bars of metal and steel are place into concrete to reinforce it, allowing for it to never break abruptly and to only crack under high pressure. The film relates to the chapter on Architecture by providing its modern day approach on how techniques are used in todays world. My understanding of building techniques and factors to consider are also increased. This particular film is dated especially when discussing the future of homes. Homes today are all pretty much smart homes in their own way. Some of my friends homes have screens located throughout the entire home which allow control to basically everything! 

Reviewing Peer Responses to Artwork.

http://brettgogh.blogspot.com/

http://courtneypepper421.blogspot.com/

I definitely agreed with each of my classmates interpretations of the elements & principles of art through their photographs. I'd have to say you are able to see at least one or two other elements in each image. Everyone has a unique interpretation which allows the eye to visually determine which element and principle can be seen in an image. Between myself & my two classmates, we all had different images from the Art Gallery visit. Although I came across a couple of their pieces while on my visit, I expressed in my comments how their image also made an impression on me even though that piece did not make it into my blog. The neon light that said, "Only God Knows I'm Good" made an impression on me at the Art Gallery. Its inspirational and suggests individuality and self-empowerment. I also like the piece with the woman coming out of the deer. I would really like to understand the story behind this piece. It expresses nature, and maybe how we depend on nature, and nature depends on us? which is what my classmate stated in her description. It is definitely valuable to critique and review your peers work on these projects, to compare and contrast ideas. It makes you open your mind to others unique perception. I really enjoyed reading the comments from my classmates. Its nice to hear your work being complimented by your peers. Its also beneficial toward future projects. 

Module #6 : Sculptor's, Glass, & Ceramics.

Through the Eyes of the Sculptor opened my eyes to the true art of making sculpture's. Every stone has a different smell. A sculptor is usually only assigned to a certain area of the sculpture/monument, such as the hands, face, or feet. Each stone must be check through sound to make sure there is no cracks within. The lines in marble must flow with the statue as the brick of marble is carved down. All sculptures begin from a brick of stone. A sculptor begins with a model, then clay, then creates a plaster mold, which brings the end result of a marble statue. I found it fascinating how they sculptors will leave bridges of stone connecting fingers or legs to areas on the sculpture to keep the structure secure for installation and shipping. The bridges will be taken away when the structure is settled in its place. Michael Angelo said, "The statue is inside the stone." 

Glass & Ceramics showed me how glass and ceramic are both made with heat. Glass is actually made with sand, silicas, and fluxes. The fluxes improve fusion when making glass. The mixture heats into a liquid give the glass flexibility for molding. The glass maker will blow a bubble through the steal bar which is holding onto the extremely hot glass mixture as he shapes and molds the glass. In ceramics, the finer the materials used, the finer the piece, such as Fine China. I also liked learning about the film placed in between glass (in mm's) that will allow glass to shatter in smaller/safer pieces, along with being bullet proof.  Ceramic is a clay base which is heated and cooled. The videos definitely relate to the text in defining the principles in making sculptures and fine art, along with showing craft. The art of making marble sculptures began with craft in the Italian communities. Through the eyes of the Sculptor is a great film. It really explores the art and craft of making marble statues and the restoration process of stone in general. The glass and ceramic video could be updated based on its basic concepts. 

#2 Logo Design

I really enjoyed this mini project. Graphic Design allows you exercise Freedom of Expression. Since we were to develop a Logo using the element of COLOR, I decided my logo should have multiple colors/shades/hues to define the element of color. From my sketches, you can see I ultimately wanted to  use something with curves, or a just a shape that will be able to include multiple colors. The most important discovery I found in making my Logo was the thought process, brainstorming ideas on what would be most effective. The most important information I learned from the learning content would be the strength in developing an effective logo. What the consumer appeals to the most will bring the most success to the brand. 

Project #2 Art Gallery Visit #1

Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912:
Giacomo Balla, Italian.
Oil on canvas.


-I truly felt a connection when I locked eyes on this beautiful piece of art. There is an elegance to the piece & I have a passion to someday own this type of dog. The detail in the way Giacomo Balla created the illusion of movement in this still piece amazes me. I actually purchased a postcard of this artwork in the gift shop!







Serie 14 No. 2, 1970:
Julio Le Parc. Argentine, born 1928.
Acrylic on canvas.

-I also felt a connection when I came across this art work.
The vibrant colors caught my eye immediately. This piece
draws you in from far away. You can almost get lost in the
different shades as if they represented emotions. I feel as if
this piece can be interpreted in many ways. Its very warm
and inviting.





               NIAGARA, 2012. 

                 Robert Irwin.

                 Light+shadow+reflection+color

-I was surprised when I realized what this piece of art actually stood for. I overheard a tour guide discussing the piece. Niagara made an impression on me when I heard it represented Niagara Falls. The creativity Robert Irwin had when constructing this piece amazes me. The neon lights defining the colors of the rushing water over the falls is beyond words. Reflection comes into play when you notice the windows facing opposite of this piece. The glass washes the neon lighting together to create one flowing piece of art. 

Indefinite Divisibility, 1942. 

     Yves Tanguy.

     Oil on canvas.  

- This art work made a strange impact on me. I had walked by this piece a couple times before stopping to critique it. The shadowing of the objects against the horizon almost make the piece seem 3D. The detail seems to be perfect. Its almost as if you cant stop studying it. Its mesmerizing. 

     

      Wood-Iron Rods, 1964.
                 Jesus Rafael Soto
                 Painted Masonite and wire.

- I would really like to know more about this piece. This is also a mesmerizing piece. It draws your eyes in and keeps you there to focus on it. The way Jesus Rafael Soto used two separate layers to create this piece of art is interesting. Its almost a 3D effect. The best way to understand this image is to see the piece in person and look at it from the side.

                 
                          October 1950, 1950.
                                Clyfford Still.
                                Oil on canvas.

    -The use of primary colors in this piece is relevant to what we are learning in class! You would almost think this piece represents the skin of a cow. There is also texture seen through each of the colors. The small area where black outlines a lighter red tone makes you question the piece. I would really like to know more about this piece and understand what is actually represents or means!

Value Scale & Color Wheel

I really enjoyed creating the Value Scale & Color Wheel. It was fun getting the supplies  & using them to create these two pieces. I purchased a light, medium, and dark charcoal pencil for my Value Scale. I found it interesting how the primary colors create every single color on the Color Wheel, even black. I also got a variety pack of brushes, I enjoyed learning how each brush created a different stroke while painting. Overall, I enjoyed using the brushed the most. The most important information I learned from watching the videos would be the steps in making the Value Scale. Using graphite pencils can be difficult when going from Black to White. I feel like the Color Wheel video could be more exciting. 

Project #1 Reflection

For this project, I found the creative & technical process to be fun and simple! I really enjoyed getting to use my own photographs to define the Elements & Principles of ART. Its a creative way to show understanding of the material we are covering in this class. Everyone has their own perspective when it comes to defining the Elements & Principles of ART. I look forward to visiting one of the local Art Galleries for our upcoming project! 

Elements & Principles Slideshow.

Color Theory & Emotional Effects

Color is probably the most exciting visual element of Art. Various studies have shown that color affects a wide range of psychological and physiological responses. Red is believed to increase appetite. Blue will lower a person's blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate. Color is a function of light. Without light there can be no color. Primary, Secondary, & Intermediate colors make up what we call a Color Wheel.

A theoretical aspect of color that fascinates me would be the most basic principle about color. All color is dependent on light, no object possesses color intrinsically.

In the Color video, I realized how different shades of color and putting bold colors next to one another can have a strong effect on your emotions. The woman painting the image of Venice experienced a range of emotions all based around COLOR.

In the Feelings video, I was moved by the Death of Marat painting. The speaker mentioned how the piece needed to appeal to a mass audience. When the painting was revealed to Paris on October. 17, 1793, the death of Marie Antoinette occurred on the same day. The symbolism of the painting is moving and the detailed vision of death expressed in the piece through Color fascinated me.

Week One.

The process of creating my new Gmail account & setting up my Blog was SIMPLE! 

I have used Blogger in the past for my Communication Graphics course & really enjoyed being creative with all of my posts. 

I expect to learn a lot this semester throughout the duration of this course. I am excited to learn and understand Art in a deeper context. I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for Art and exercise the skills I gain in the future. 

I really enjoy taking at least one online course each semester. Online courses require patience and discipline. If you do what your supposed to do and submit all assignments on time, there will never be any problems!