Module Six - Blog: Video Review

Through the Eyes of the Sculptor

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Sculpture is a very long and involved process.  From the harvesting of the raw stone the sculptor checks the stone to make sure it is sound.  Too keep fresh sculptors also work in marble, stone or bronze.  Artists must also know the strengths and weaknesses structurally of the stone they're working with as well as the effects of weather, if the sculpture will be outside, or other potential elements.  From an initial sketch the sculpture comes to life in clay and is reborn again in marble.  For many weeks the clay is worked and reworked again and when the sculptor believes his model is complete it is cast in plaster after a silicon impression is made.  Plaster is the temporary stage between the clay and marble.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

This video relates to the text very much so.  Sculpture gives us the ability to give life to a solid form.  Through planning a block of stone can become a lifelike depiction of the human form.  The human figure is a common form of sculpture, one that was almost remotely explored in the video.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics: Sculpture, Installation, and Craft?

This film helped to add depth and understanding to the knowledge gained from the reading.  Having a personal account and following the sculptor through his career and process allows you to realize how much of an involved process sculpture truly is.  There are many, many steps form sketches to clay models to casting and finally the long process of carving the marble can begin.  You realize that even before carving can begin and prior to installation you need to assure that the marble or granite is of good quality and you need to think of how the piece will be transported and installed if not already.  Sculptures can be delicate. 

Glass and Ceramics

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I was unaware that glass blowing involved reheating and reworking the glass.  It was interesting to see the glass formed and manipulated with everything from snips to a damp newspaper while it was hot and to learn that cold glass can be engraved with different acids or tools.  I also never thought about how labor intensive making any size stained glass window is.  There is so much room for human error and you are working with a very fragile, unforgiving medium.
Dry pressed ceramics allow for multiple pieces to be made identically and then to be fired in a kiln to create long lasting, durable pieces which are then glazed for added durability and to add color.  I also learned that ceramics are used in a multitude of ways from automobile engines to medical uses depending upon which materials are used in the ceramic powder.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The video relates to the text because glass and ceramics began as crafts to create bowls, places, vessels, etc but now both have blurred the lines of fine art and craft.  Today ceramics can be made as strong as steel and are used as medical implements but they are also used in sculpture as well.
 
3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics: Sculpture, Installation, and Craft?
The films helped me to understand the medium better. It was much easier to realize how fragile glass and ceramic could be and how difficult it is to work with.  You could understand how creating a glass sculpture would be a challenge as glass needs to be reheated constantly to be reworked.  You also realized that glass is heavy and installing or connecting a sculpture to other sculpture pieces becomes very difficult on a large scale.  You also lean that created utilitarian craft objects out of glass and ceramics can be just as difficult as create sculptures and to create multiple pieces of glassware is a challenge. 

Module Five - Art Making/Material Exploration #2: Logo Design

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

I design clothing so this was a logo meant to embody my vision when I create clothing or design jewelry.  I make a lot of stage gear for local bands in the metal scene as well as several models and burlesque dancers so the logo needed to have an edge to it while still being mysterious and unique.  The name of my company is Conspiracy13 so I wanted to play up the 13 in the logo and have something that can stand alone as a recognizable symbol of my work to be used on everything from photos, to t shirts, to marketing materials.  I wanted the design to be simple yet eye catching.

2. Describe the process: creative thinking skills and ideas you used in the logo creation.

The clothing line has been something I've been doing since I was 16.  I thought that since a little piece of me goes into everything I do that I should really create almost a crest that represented myself.  I really appreciate the subtleties of symbolism so I wanted to utilize things that meant a lot to me.  The end result I hand painted onto a T shirt as a crest of my company.  I liked the difference in media and my ability to use color to make my logo pop.

3. What was the most important discovery you made in the creation of your logo?

I learned that, for me, less is more.  I tend to want to add tons of extras but I found the more I left out and streamlined, the more focused and to the point my logo seemed to become.  I started with a lot of things on the logo, and the more I drew and redrew it the more elements I decided to leave out.  I ended up with a polished looking logo that I can now use for my business.

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos, powerpoint, and reading material  for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

Again, I realized that sometimes simplicity is best.  I liked that by using symbols, no additional text is required.  The meaning is universal then.  The logo sets the foundation for a good brand.  It really becomes very important to make sure that your logo represents your end goal.  The videos gave a good entire concept on how a logo is more than just a picture, but it represents the way in which you brand yourself, your skills, your talent and your ideas.  It's a mini piece of artwork that represents you.

Module Five - Project #2 Art Gallery Visit #1- Responding To Artwork

Robert Therrien
No Title
Paint, metal, fabric
2006

Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?
This piece made an impact on me.  I was drawn to it because it, at first glance, looks like a regular folding table and chairs - which it absolutely is, but the composition of the work is interesting.  The 4th chair is folded up against a wall.  The other 3 chairs are pulled away from the table and angled.  I think that the deliberate placement of the chairs brings life to this piece.  I started thinking about its history and how many people had sat at this table, what they were doing, etc.  It was interesting how we can be led to think in a certain way just by the composure of a piece.

Barnaby Furnas
Flood
Urethane on linen
2007

Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?
 This is a painting that caught my eye as I walked by.  I stopped to take a second look.  It made an impression on me because it has very prominent brush strokes that are very dark and deliberate at the bottom.  Moving up through the painting more red is present and finally the upper part is a sky blue.  After I read that the name of the painting was Flood I imagined a flood in my mind and how the color red would symbolize pain or suffering.  The painting took on an ominous meaning, just by the use of color.

Zhan Wang
Urban Landscape Buffalo
Stainless steel, pots, pans, and kitchen utensils
2005-2010

Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?
This piece is so large I think that you're instantly drawn to its scale.  As you begin to look and explore it you find more and more little pieces, hidden things, and taking one step left or right gives you an entirely new piece to look at.  I felt a strong connection with this piece because I think it goes to show that there's always something to appreciate about even the most generic seeming items.  Things you touch and use mindlessly everyday were pieced together to form this intricate, ornate artwork.  It reminded me personally of learning not to judge a book by its cover, so to speak.  At first glance there is no way you could really know everything that this installation is comprised of; learning that takes time and some investigation.  I like that those things came to mind while my eyes were wandering amongst kitchen items.  

 

  Lucas Samaras
Mirrored Room
Mirrors on wooden fram
1966

Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?
I have a personal connection with this piece.  The first time I ever went on a field trip to the Albright-Knox, this was the piece I instantly think of.  We were allowed to go in wearing only our socks and being inside something like that in elementary school was not something forgettable.  Every time I see it now I think back to that day and remember how cool I thought it was that I got to basically walk around inside something at the art gallery.

Rachel Whiteread
Untitled
Mixed media
2002

 Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?
I felt an immediate connection with this piece, but at first I wasn't exactly sure why.  I liked how much i noticed the piece right away, even in a white room.  The shadows playing off the stairs and casting shadows on each lower step created an intriguing illusion that drew my eye around the piece.  It was easy to get lost in this piece and it made me want to know more about the artists goal.  How did she create such a large, yet balanced piece.  What was her inspiration? 

 
   
Teresita Fernandez
Mirror Canopy
Glass and silvering
2007

Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?
I instantly wanted to know more about this the second I saw it.  It didn't even know what I was looking at, at first.  This is a unique mix of media, and I was really drawn to that.  It was also such an organic, flowing shape that I wondered if it represented anything as a whole.  It reminded me of stars or a constellation.

   

Module Four - Art Making/Material Exploration #1: Exploring Value and The Subtractive Color Theory Blog

1. Discuss what you thought about creating the Value Scale and Color Wheel.
 These were good exercises and it was also nice to do something hands on.  I really liked that it was a nice intro.  I didn't feel overwhelmed with it due to a lack of experience with either medium so it was fun rather than stressful.

2. Which media did you enjoy working with the best and why?
I thought, initially, that I would enjoy working with the acrylics better.  I've recently been doing small paintings on my own time just to experiment and try something new but after the exercises I enjoyed the pencil work more.  I usually get very frustrated with that medium but this was just enough to help me hone my skills a bit without overwhelming me or frustrating me.

3. What was the most important discovery in the creation of these studies?
The pencil is build-able, layer upon layer, just like value.  These studies actually helped me understand subtractive color theory.  I read it a few times but this exercise put everything together for me.  Also, the comparison with the 10 square value study helped solidify everything we had been discussing.

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?
Personally, I learned the most from the value video.  I learned that patience (something I lack in pretty much every way unfortunately) is key but also watching someone else do this with small circular motions rather than the usual long straight markings i try to use makes everything blend much nicer and builds up color more evenly.  The videos went perfectly with each study.

Project #1: Elements and Principles of Art

http://s46.photobucket.com/user/Renderduselez665/library/Elements%20And%20Principles

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s46.photobucket.com/user/Renderduselez665/embed/slideshow/Elements%20And%20Principles"></iframe>

Elements:

1. Line
 The dark vein lines in this leaf draw your eye along its shape.  They also direct your eye to the contrast of the purple color of the leaf which isn't an often seen color.

2. Value
Our shadows demonstrate value. Our shadows are very dark in comparison to the grey hue of the wooden walkway.

3. Shapes
The shapes of each floor of this building are created by lines.  They form this organic kidney bean shape.

4. Forms
 Forms are 3D shapes with depth, width and height.  Here the water droplets are forming off of recently watered flower petals.

5. Space
Space is demonstrated here by this cactus. You can see the sharp edges of the tips of the cactus spikes and space also allows you to tell that each one is grouped with several others that grow out of the same space.

6. Color
The coloring on this flower is very unique.  The petals themselves use color to differentiate between the circle shapes of brown.  Color is also used to outline the brown spots on the leaves in yellow.

7. Texture
The surface quality of this leaf can be seen and felt.  It is rough and abrasive to the touch, which you can even tell from this photograph.

Principles:

1. Balance
Balance is created in this photo of a pathway next to the lake.  The lush greenery is split down the middle by the dirt walkway.  The colors here are all earthy greens and browns.  The textures are smooth leaves and lush foliage paired with spindly vines and sticks.  The balance here is left/right.

2. Contrast
The contrast in this piece is fairly obvious.  The ocean in contrast to the pier is one way; the soft ebb and flow of the water around the harsh wood of the pier.   There is also the contrast of the perspective.  You are looking out from a low point on the pier over the ocean to a man standing at another area of the pier, also looking out over the ocean.  The eye follows the beams of the pier that are evident in the left hand side of the photo out onto the area where the man stands overlooking the ocean, and out among the water.

3. Movement
This boardwalk among the swamps of Maine creates movement through the marshlands.  The contrast of the shadows between each plank and the recurring lines of the plank spaces draw your eye upward through the photo. From there the contrasting foliage draws your eye outward to the edges of the photo.

4. Emphasis
The emphasis here is on the spiraling nature of the leaf.  You can tell the plant is present in the background but the edge of the leaf in the foreground draws your eye into the center, where the leaf spirals in onto itself.   Even the color of the leaf leads the eye to that middle spiral.

5. Pattern
 Is the repetition of a shape, in this case a square.  Each space of the checker board is a repeated element as well as the shape of the board as a whole, itself.  The squares are also repeated in the shape of the tiles on the ground and draw your eye from the table down and outward.  I also think that the concentric circles of the table is another patter that helps to draw your eyes out from the checker board, as it is a more organic shape where a square has harsh corners.

6. Proportion
Proportion plays on the fact that things appear as they should.  In this case the skyscrapers are looming over the people on the walkways and the cars passing by, just as one would think.

7. Unity
There is a strong balance in this piece, with the subject (me!) breaking apart the photograph evenly.  The colors are all subdued and there is also an equal amount of the sky and ground.

Mod 3: Color Theory & Emotional Effects

1. Describe Color and it's effects on emotions. Use the appropriate vocabulary of color in your posting.

Color is a function of light.  Without it there can be no color.  Light absorbs or reflects colors so that we can perceive certain colors.  It is amazing how much of an effect on emotions color can have on us and it is also intriguing how much our culture and personal experience plays a role in that concept. Cool colors tend to have a calming effect on us; blues for example parallel colors found in the sky and ocean.  In the english language blue is linked to the emotion of sadness, where as in India blue is linked to the idea of order and stability due to their god Vishnu.  I think an example everyone can relate to is in school.  Classrooms are generally painted blues, greens, occasionally yellow.  These are meant to be uplifting, calming colors meant to be conducive to learning.  One would probably feel more comfortable and relaxed learning in a blue colored room than one that was fire engine red that may give them anxiety or one that was painted black that may seem depressing and dark.

2. What is a theoretical aspect of color that most intrigues/fascinates you? Why?

I'm very intrigued by the fact that hue, value and intensity are somewhat dependent on one another.  You can change one value while keeping the others fairly consistent and having a well versed knowledge of HVI allows for almost spot on manipulation of color.  As a former engineering student with a strong CAD background this knowledge helps when creating objects using 3D printing as well as creating duplicates of an already existing object.  For me this real world, technical approach to color is fascinating and actually helps me, not only in my art but my career as well. 

3. In the Color video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and it's effects on emotions?

As they were discussing the reflections of the buildings in the water and how the water morphed the color and created emotion, they passed underneath a walkway where the water was reflected up onto the bottom side of the walkway.  That really impacted me.  The reflection of the water had so much movement to it, and the colors of the water - emerald greens, blues, turquoise, swirled around on the stone of the walkway.  As the boat passed through, June Redfern mentioned that it makes you feel as if you're within one of the paintings.  I completely agree with her.  Such a bright, moving reflection in such a narrow dark space seems almost otherworldly.  It's so uplifting and brightens your mood instantly. Even to watch it in the video was breath taking, I could only imagine how it appears in real life.

4. In the Feelings video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and it's effects on emotions?

Art does what history textbooks can't do; it shows us what civilizations of the past yearned for.  There was a shift from art being a reflection of the divine and predominantly religious artwork to man expressing self.  For me, Giottos use of real art techniques to intensify religious stories was very interesting.  He utilized shading and soothing colors to depict images of the bible.  People could emotionally identify with the light surrounding christ, or the torture of him, depending on the piece.  His response to the rise of humanism also speaks to the idea that there is a level of divinity in all of us.  I like that he was one of the first to begin tying these elements together.

Mod 2: Video and CNN Article Review

1. For each video and article list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts (Video) -

This video offers insight to the interactions between artist, artwork and the audience.  Plato believes that art is a reflection of nature or something else. Aristotle defined beauty as a form of order, symmetry and definiteness which can be explained by mathematical science.  In pertinence to plays, the unity of action, time (not exceeding 24 hours) and place (the action of the play takes place in the same location). 

CARTA (Video) - 

This video is a collaboration between neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran and neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux and how neurobiology mediates our perception of creativity and aesthetics.  The brain creates these patterns and scaffolding and stores them in the long term memory, which helps us to build the framework for our creativity or a lens from which to reference new experiences.  The brain becomes very active when surprised.  After that moment passes and the brain becomes bored again, activity levels drop.  Artists aim to keep these levels up for as long as possible by creating multi-faceted works that have many sensory levels to them.  It is also important to differentiate how we perceive things.  Some things we perceive bottom up; realism, and mentally reverse engineering things versus top down; abstraction, uncovering new layers as we go.
There are 8 laws of art as well
1 - grouping ; this reinforcement is the source of the pleasant sensation
2 - peak shift principle; to capture the essence of something, an artist amplifies the differences of that object, or what makes it unique
3 - contrast; playing on the values of shadows and highlights and also eliminating redundant information and focusing attention
4 - isolation of a specific que to create attention; a black and white photograph of a child holding a balloon, but the balloon is still in color and is red. This prevents non-unique features from detracting from the image.
5 - perceptual problem solving; the brain "filling in the blanks"
6 - symmetry; aesthetically appealing
7 - abhorrence of unique vantage points; in a landscape image, the viewer will interpret an object in the foreground as obscuring an object in the background, rather than assuming that the background figure has a piece missing
8 - art as a metaphor; enables the viewer to highlight crucial aspects that the two objects share


What the brain draws form Art (Article) -

This article started out with the idea that art is a lie and artists use their art to lead us to the truth behind that lie.  It uses that concept as a springboard to relate our perception of art to how our brain processes the information we're taking in.  We can take the 2 dimensional and transform it into a multi-dimensional interpretation; our brain can "fill in the blanks" so to speak, and the artist can use that concept to lead us to the point they are attempting to make.  Artists can also utilize luminance and color because our brains compare activity in the cones of our eyes and can add them together as luminance, or how much light appears to pass through a given area.  Scientists have even come to get an understanding of why we like and enjoy art.  Distortion of certain things (the softness of a brush stroke, the harshness of a line, how symmetry tends to calm the brain) can create a certain resonance within our neurons that actually draws us in and allows us to enjoy the artwork.  There is now a field, called neuroesthetics, that studies why people appreciate art and music and, scientifically, what beauty is.  

2. Which philosopher's theroy on aesthetics do you feel is most important? Be sure to mention the philosphers name, era (time in history), and contribution to the aesthetic theory in your response.

I feel that Francis Hutcheson (1964 - 1746) had the most important impact on the theory of aesthetics.  During the 18th century he helped shift the idea of beauty and harmony as characteristics of the world, to those of personal experience.  He helped create and distinguish the difference between absolute beauty, that found in nature, and the relative beauty that is related to art.  The difference plays into the concept that art immitates life, life as the original and art as the interpreted copy.  I think his concept helped to define the vast spectrum of personal differences and experiences that allow each of us to interpret art slightly differently.  He gave levels to the thinking and feeling of art, where one representation can come in many forms and levels of iteself; one painting of a sunset could be more, less, etc than another.
 
3. What do you think about Changeux and Ramachandran scientific view of aesthetics and art? What was the most interesting fact you discovered from each speakers lecture? 

I really enjoyed the scientific approach to aesthetics and art.  They make many valid points and have the scientific data to prove it.  I personally liked the explanation of 8 laws of art.  They work as a unit to lead the viewer to the place that the artist intended, usually without even realizing it.  It's much how water follows the path of least resistance, when viewing art ones eye moves through a piece and takes information in, drawing a conclusion from it.

4. How do the videos and article relate to the readings in the text?

The theory of the first video help to solidify the concepts of chapter 3.  I like that it ties into the different references art can use.  When viewing older art it's good to know how people perceived beauty, as that changes aesthetic as well.  The second video gives a very good scientific representation of those same points, allowing fact to back up thought.  The article went into detail of how manipulating those things can allow you to create a desired effect or bring the viewer to a desired outcome.  Manipulating your art allows you to use your art as a tool and vessel for change.

5. What is your opinion of the films and article? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics in your reading in the text?

The films and article help give a real world aspect to what the textbook is referencing.  It is easier to understand and apply the sometimes methodical concepts of the textbook with real people, events, etc.  Learning the timeline of how aesthetics has changed into our perception of it present day was really helpful as well when looking at older art and being able to reference the views on beauty as well. I really appreciated that the article tied science into everything, because that adds another layer of validity and shows how life changing art is with solidified factual information.