final questions- blog post

1. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the best? Why?

I enjoyed the exhibit where we created a room that represented art.  I chose to make a room full of apples since it as fall and my work came out great.  The project made you think and that is why I liked it.

2. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the least? Why?

Probably the self portrait just because I do not have great artistic abilities in that aspect.  It was fun to give it a try but I didn't enjoy the assignment overwhelmingly.

 

3. How did you like using ANGEL?

It worked petty well.  Your directions were clear and the site assignments linked well and it worked.

4. If you had the opportunity to change this course:

What would you keep?  I would keep some of the coursework so we learned the basis.  I would keep a few of the projects as well.

What would you remove?  I would remove the amount of homework assigned weekly.  If I had as much work for every other class as I did for this one, I wouldn't have a life.  It wasn't hard work, it just took up a little too much time on a weekly basis for a class that is non-major related.

What would you add?  I don't think anything else needed to be added.

5. Would you recommend this course to your peers?  Yes.  I enjoyed it, just a little less homework amount time per week would be perfect.

6. Please list any other comments you would like to share.  I enjoyed the way you taught for the online environment and hope I did well finishing the final projects to do well overall in the class.

reflections of aed 200

1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met?

My expectations were similar to how the class went.  There was a good amount of work each week which was hard to do meet certain due dates by with a full schedule, work, and playing a sport as a student athlete at school, but I was mostly able to handle it.

2. Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your intial posting?

Art can be expressed in so many different ways and can go down so many different routes.  You can be looking at art, be surrounded by it, or be creating it.  Art is still very hard to define, but I do have a better understanding for it in general.

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now?

I do not remember who my favorite artist was at the beginning, but I would have to go with Vincent Van Gogh after seeing his work's at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and throughout are class.  

 If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

I just noticed that I enjoyed Van Gogh's works over the course of this class.

4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I think that online classes can be successful only for certain subjects.  An example of a class that wouldn't work well online would be one where it would be necessary to meet with group members daily and come up with interactive presentations for a business class.  For our class though, I thought it worked well and you did a great job giving us the right tools and understanding to learn while getting our work done in order for you to grade and for others to respond to our work. 

Self Portrait, inspirational pieces, and questions

My inspirational pieces were 

1. Vincent Van Gogh's "Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat and Artist's Smock"

-Oil on Cardboard, 40.8 x 32.7 cm, Van Gogh Museum, 1887

2. Anselm Feuerbach- Self-Portrait

-Oil on canvas, 62 x 50 cm, Alte Nationalgalerie, 1873

3. Karl Bryullov Self-Portrait

-Oil on Canvas, 64.1 x 54 cm, The State Tretyakov Gallery, 1848

Photograph I used of myself to create my self-portrait.

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?
I chose the three inspirational pieces because they were all so nicely done.  The detail they used was fantastic.
2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait?
I chose to go with a regular pencil because I wanted a sketch looking self portrait.
3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them?
I realized that its much harder than it looks to create a good self portrait.  Mine really doesn't look anything like me because of my talent as an artist, but this was a good experience to try.
4. How does this piece represent you?
It does physically represent me at all, but it represents my effort to work towards making a portrait of myself.
5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?
I tried using emphasis, but my ability as a drawer didn't allow as much emphasis as I would have liked on my face.  I also differentiated between light and dark throughout my work.
6. Did you enjoy working on this project?
Yes, I did.  I now know the difficulty of creating an above average self-portrait and it was comical/a learning experience to work on this.
7. What do you think of your final artwork?
It was a nice try, but I wish it could have came out a little better.  Maybe I will let a good artist do a portrait of me next.

art critique blog questions

1. Which projects did you review?
The three projects that I reviewed were the one on Life and Death, the Perfect Day, and Man's Best Friend.  

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?
 I chose to go with the exhibit on Man's Best Friend because I found it the most interesting and it was organized nicely.  I had nothing against the other too, I just felt the Life and Death exhibit was too depressing and the Perfect Day just did not excite me as much as the one I chose.

3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?
I had to really think about the exhibit in detail as if I was actually at an exhibit viewing each work with the next.  I tried picturing it all in my head and this helped me imagine how it would all look on walls, etc.

4. How do you feel about critiquing your peers work?
It is nice to see what others have to say, because we can gain more knowledge and learn by helping one another.  Everyone has different ideas and opinions and as long as they are mostly positive, critiquing is a good tool. 

5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?
Sure, I wouldn't take it too personally regardless if what they said was right or wrong because what is trash to one individual could look like treasure to another.  I'm sure I would get a few solid ideas I could use to better my exhibit.

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?
I would give my finished article about an honest 8 because writing is definitely not one of my strong points.  I tried to be a good critic to the best of my abilities.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?
Yes, it gave us a look from a different perspective.  Instead of creating the exhibit, we were critiquing an exhibit that already existed, which was nice to do.

art criticism, short video blog posting-questions

1.
Greenberg on Art Criticism- the video surrounds Greenberg and TJ Clark, who is a historian.  Greenberg discusses the relationships between art and history and also about the nature of value judegements in criticism.  Greenberg feels that the best art of the last 50 years has primarily been abstract.  This video is old and I found it funny that the individuals in it were smoking cigarettes.  


Greenberg on Pollock- this video has to do with Greenberg and Clark sitting down to discuss and reflect on the work of the late Jackson Pollock.  He was very eccentric, yet his approach to painting was very practical.  They reflected on some of his work that never materialized and Greenberg talked about firsthand observations of the artist in his studio.


Intro. to Italian Ren- In this video, you see how each great art master learned and developed their techniques and worked on top of those ideas to become great themselves.  Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and many other greats were innovative and came up with new ideas while also building on others.  Great works from these artists demonstrate the Roman influence on Renaissance art.


Stories from the Inside Pages- this video features Dr. Dwight DeWerth-Pallmeyer who spent months traveling the country while interviewing prestigious commentators.  He got a great look at criticism as an art form, the social value of critic's work, and the variety of ways that these great critics began their career, which is pretty fascinating.  These critics have such a drive and passion for their work.  They go about their work in a very professional manner as well.


The Colonial Encounter-  In this video, we see film clips, photographs, etc. from renowned art historians.  We are able to see offerings from museum collections.  The program shows and takes a look at the ways in which Western prejudice, ethnography, and art consumption have counteracted authentic dialog.  


Jackson Pollock- Fried & Clark Conversation-  This video shows Clark, who is mostly a history of art scholar, and Michael Fried, who is a proponent of aesthetically based views of painting and sculpture.  In this program, we see the two discuss 2 of Jackson Pollock's works in which they try to come to some sort of understanding with each other.  They have there differences, and go into small details on what they feel is right and wrong.


2.
These videos do somewhat relate to my Art Criticism Project because they show different viewpoints and different understandings on how to critique art.  You have to try to be unbiased and go about your criticism in a proper manner, which was shown well in the video where Dr. Dwight interviewed so many great critics.  You were able to see how they did what they do for a living and were able to pick up some ideas and pointers from that as well as parts of the other videos.


3.
I enjoyed most of these short films.  The film that interviewed great critics was my favorite because I felt I was able to take some ideas away from that program the most.  I feel that they all gave us ideas and to get a better grasp on art criticism as a whole.

Project #4- Art In Ice Hockey

I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project.  I was able to take great works of art, break them down, and examine them closely, while taking the history of them and sharing them with others.  When you are passionate about a certain area or topic, you enjoy working on that more than something you find less interesting.  After seeing one of the sample slide shows for a project, I saw how it related to very depressing images, and I feel that I would not nearly enjoy working with that as much as I did with the sport of Hockey as my main topic for my exhibit.  I hope I was able to teach other individuals a few new facts while breaking down the artwork in an understanding fashion.  I understand that even though the topic of Hockey is of great interest to me, it might not be as much to others.  I am looking forward to seeing other individuals projects as well and seeing how they incorporated their works together.

West Coast Pop Art, Displaying Modern Art, Native, and Eastman Video Blog

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

Lowbrow- Lowbrow is different then surrealism.  The term is sometimes used to describe an artist who uses images with cars, cartoons, pornography, etc.  In the video, many lowbrow artists talk about what they think lowbrow art is and what it means to them as an artist.  There is a common bond between these Lowbrow artists.

Displaying Modern Art- Tate curators developed a new method that utilized theme-based museum sections for viewers to see.  This was a great success.  Throughout this video, we see how this evolved starting in the early 1900's until today.  

Native American Archaeology-  This video revolves around whether it's right or wrong to analyze the bones for scientific research of the thousands of Native Americans that have been unearthed at archaeological sites all across the country.  There is a lot of debate between the Native groups, scientists, and the museum curators as well.  I can see why all sides feel the way they do.

George Eastman-  He is the man who made Kodak a household name across the country.  He developed the first cameras and motion pictures and this film takes a look at the museum at his mansion in Rochester, New York.  He developed the first camera that took pictures of the moon. In this museum, thousands of films and photographs are stored as well as many other fascinating machines, lens, etc.  This mansion is the center of the foundation of photography and motion pictures.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

Lowbrow-  I think this video gave me a few ideas for my exhibition.  Some of the images were so out there and different, which gave me a few different perspectives on things that work well together.

Modern Art- This video showed me ways that I can set up particular art in my arrangement/exhibition.  It gave me a few ideas as to where I would like to place particular art as well.

Native video-  I felt like I got more out of the other videos as far as ideas for my art exhibition than this one.  It just didn't really relate to my exhibition ideas, even though I enjoyed watching the program.

Eastman-  This video was fascinating and I had never even heard about this museum before and it is less than an hour away from here.  I learned how motion pictures can be used in art and also saw many great photographs.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I enjoyed all four of these films.  My favorite has to be the George Eastman video.  I should try to make a visit to there sometime when I am out by Rochester.  I feel that I now have a few more ideas that I can add to my Art Exhibition that I am creating.  The other videos were informative as well and gave me more perspectives on what to do with my exhibition.

West Coast Pop Art, Displaying Modern Art, Native, and Eastman Video Blog

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

Lowbrow- Lowbrow is different then surrealism.  The term is sometimes used to describe an artist who uses images with cars, cartoons, pornography, etc.  In the video, many lowbrow artists talk about what they think lowbrow art is and what it means to them as an artist.  There is a common bond between these Lowbrow artists.

Displaying Modern Art- Tate curators developed a new method that utilized theme-based museum sections for viewers to see.  This was a great success.  Throughout this video, we see how this evolved starting in the early 1900's until today.  

Native American Archaeology-  This video revolves around whether it's right or wrong to analyze the bones for scientific research of the thousands of Native Americans that have been unearthed at archaeological sites all across the country.  There is a lot of debate between the Native groups, scientists, and the museum curators as well.  I can see why all sides feel the way they do.

George Eastman-  He is the man who made Kodak a household name across the country.  He developed the first cameras and motion pictures and this film takes a look at the museum at his mansion in Rochester, New York.  He developed the first camera that took pictures of the moon. In this museum, thousands of films and photographs are stored as well as many other fascinating machines, lens, etc.  This mansion is the center of the foundation of photography and motion pictures.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

Lowbrow-  I think this video gave me a few ideas for my exhibition.  Some of the images were so out there and different, which gave me a few different perspectives on things that work well together.

Modern Art- This video showed me ways that I can set up particular art in my arrangement/exhibition.  It gave me a few ideas as to where I would like to place particular art as well.

Native video-  I felt like I got more out of the other videos as far as ideas for my art exhibition than this one.  It just didn't really relate to my exhibition ideas, even though I enjoyed watching the program.

Eastman-  This video was fascinating and I had never even heard about this museum before and it is less than an hour away from here.  I learned how motion pictures can be used in art and also saw many great photographs.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I enjoyed all four of these films.  My favorite has to be the George Eastman video.  I should try to make a visit to there sometime when I am out by Rochester.  I feel that I now have a few more ideas that I can add to my Art Exhibition that I am creating.  The other videos were informative as well and gave me more perspectives on what to do with my exhibition.

abstract expressionism, modernity and art, warhol, moore- video blog

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose the first video on Abstract Expressionism.  I then watched Uncertainty: Modernity and Art because I wanted to learn more about modern art and see what the video had to offer.  The last two videos I watched were Andy Warhol's Images of an Image and The Art of Henry Moore.  I have always thought Warhol was very out there and I wanted to see some more of his work. 

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

-Abstract Expressionism came about from the joining of attitudes in American art and European avant-garde art.  It was rejected later on in favor of what we call Pop Art.  Andy Warhol was one of the most famous Pop artist's.  It was not a very clear movement but it really embraced city life.  Rauschenber was also a great art icon of this time during the 60's.

Modern art did not offer a normal vision of humankind, it showed chaos, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.  This video starts out going back to Greek Art and it reflects on man as an idealized version.  Modern art documents the metamorphosis on mankind.  During the Industrial Revolution, man is taken away from nature and machines rule work, while science challenges religion.  Modern art is completely different in that it is not like art of the past that was inspirational/idealized.

Warhol was a commercial artist until the 60's when he started working on advertising images.  His interest in the lives of famous women such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor inspired several repeated images.  He used silk screening, where images were made a few times there size and developed onto silk screens, then transferred to paper and canvas by using ink and paint.  Warhol saw these repeated silk screen images as a way to make money.  He also made many self portraits, and as a journalist of art, he addressed the trip to the moon, race riots, the Cultural revolution in China, and more.

Henry Moore explored the human figure in natural forms for sculpturing and painting.  Moore as an artist, believed that people placed too much emphasis on his mining background.  Moore always wanted to be a sculptor and he was able to do so through an Army grant that allowed him to go to the Leeds School of Art.  His views were formed through Ancient Mexican art at the British Art Museum.  He believed that beauty is a deeper concept than perfection.  Moore also believed that sculptures should have obscurities, deep meanings, and some mystery.

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

These video programs all relate to the readings through the content shown.  Many of the works shown in Warhol's videos are shown in our text, as well as much of the modern art.  The videos go into greater detail in certain areas, but the text and chapters we read had a lot of the same information as well that was presented.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

These films definitely added some depth and I was able to pick up a few new things that I didn't know.  I think I learned the most from the videos on modern art and also have a better understanding of Andy Warhol.  He really had a great idea with the artwork on Marilyn Monroe.  I read even more on him on the side and its crazy to think that one of his works sold for over 100 million dollars.  Only a select few artists are in the category and he is one of them.

Art Gallery Visit #2- Steps, Art Criticism Process, etc.

Art Gallery Visit #2:

"100 Cans" by Andy Warhol

1. Be receptive:  From a distance all of these Campbell's Soup cans blend together, but as you get closer and closer and approach the image, all of them become distinct and stand out on their own.
2.Description:  Andy Warhol was a very unique individual so I took that into account when looking at this work.  Colors in this work really stand out.  The soups also form a pattern and our stacked evenly throughout the piece.
3. Formal Analysis:  The design is simple yet complex.  The soup cans all have the same shape, but a lot of detail is involved on each can of soup.
4. Bracketing: This work reminds me of a cold winter day when you could really use a warm cup of Campbell's soup.  It all reminds me of how cans/other products are stacked at grocery stores and in warehouses as well.
5. Interpretation:  I think Warhol intended to take such an easy artistic concept and make it into much more than that and to get us to think about, why is this art when all he did was put 100 cans of soup together?

"Cinema" by George Segal

1. Be receptive: This work shows a lot of value from light to dark.  The colors really stand out and there is a figure placing something on the board which is the emphasis in this work.

2. Description: George Segal was a main sculptor associated with the Pop art movement and that surely is shown through this work.  He uses a lot of figures such as this one in his works.  He used many casting techniques.

3. Formal Analysis:  The design shows emphasis on the light in the middle of this work and it looks as if the figure is in the middle of an act.

4. Bracketing:  I am reminded of a lit up sign and a restaurant or movie theater, where the brightness really draws in your attention.

5. Interpretation:  I feel as if the artists didn't have any words or letters placed in the lit up sign so we would wonder what would be written.  The figure on the right is somewhat mysterious.

"La Musique" by Henri Matisse

1. Be receptive: Is a very colorful work with lots of curves and shapes.  The color really stands out to the viewer.

2. Description:  Matisse was known for his great use of color in his works and this is very evident in this piece.  He shows through curves that these two individuals are women and they look very similar.

3. Formal Analysis:  This work revolves around music.  The design seems to have a strong use of many different colors.  Shapes such as triangles stand out.

4. Bracketing:  I am reminded of a warm relaxed setting where music is very important and soothes the mood and feeling.  
5. Interpretation:  I think Matisse wanted us to question why the women look so similar.  Are they related? Is the individual the same person?

Step 1:


1. What is the title of the exhibit?
Albright-Knox Art Gallery


2. What is the theme of the exhibition?
I feel that different styles are put together and shown throughout different sections of the gallery.  It all comes together but is placed uniquely in a certain way.


Step 2:


1. What type of lighting is used?
The lighting throughout the gallery and on the images is more bright than it is dark.  The works of art are very clear too see.  Some images have more light shown on them.


2. What colors are used on the walls?
Many of the walls in the gallery are blank and very plain, which really attracts your attention to the works of art.
3. What materials are used in the interior artchitecture of the space?
As you walk through the gallery, some halls just had works of art on the walls, while others, the art is a part of the room, or comes out from the wall at you.  There are different levels at the gallery and it is nice to see this variety.
4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?
As I moved throughout the gallery as I looked at different works of art, the atmosphere changed.  One minute, I would be in a room with art really coming out at me, while a few minutes later, I would be down a hall with a few calm images on each wall around me.


Step 3:


1. How are the artworks organized?
The artworks are organized in a fashion where they are not all bunched together too much.  Each work has its own space depending on what type of work it is and the size of the piece.
2. How are the artworks similar?
They all make you think and question what the artists motives were when creating the work.  You wonder how they want you to react and how they want you to feel.
3. How are the artworks different?
They all have their own uniqueness to them and every individual artist is different from the rest.  Of course there are similarities, but the works are very broad.
4. How are the artworks framed?
Many of the pieces are shown in square or rectangular forms on the wall for us to view.
5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?
Under many of the works, you are able to see the Title of the work, as well as the Artists who created them along with the year the piece was created.
6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?
I kind of touched on this in how the artworks were organized.  Many of the works of art are set apart enough so that each work stands alone to show their own importance/value without the works around them interrupting them.

Art Gallery Visit #2- Steps, Art Criticism Process, etc.

Art Gallery Visit #2:

"100 Cans" by Andy Warhol

1. Be receptive:  From a distance all of these Campbell's Soup cans blend together, but as you get closer and closer and approach the image, all of them become distinct and stand out on their own.
2.Description:  Andy Warhol was a very unique individual so I took that into account when looking at this work.  Colors in this work really stand out.  The soups also form a pattern and our stacked evenly throughout the piece.
3. Formal Analysis:  The design is simple yet complex.  The soup cans all have the same shape, but a lot of detail is involved on each can of soup.
4. Bracketing: This work reminds me of a cold winter day when you could really use a warm cup of Campbell's soup.  It all reminds me of how cans/other products are stacked at grocery stores and in warehouses as well.
5. Interpretation:  I think Warhol intended to take such an easy artistic concept and make it into much more than that and to get us to think about, why is this art when all he did was put 100 cans of soup together?

"Cinema" by George Segal

1. Be receptive: This work shows a lot of value from light to dark.  The colors really stand out and there is a figure placing something on the board which is the emphasis in this work.

2. Description: George Segal was a main sculptor associated with the Pop art movement and that surely is shown through this work.  He uses a lot of figures such as this one in his works.  He used many casting techniques.

3. Formal Analysis:  The design shows emphasis on the light in the middle of this work and it looks as if the figure is in the middle of an act.

4. Bracketing:  I am reminded of a lit up sign and a restaurant or movie theater, where the brightness really draws in your attention.

5. Interpretation:  I feel as if the artists didn't have any words or letters placed in the lit up sign so we would wonder what would be written.  The figure on the right is somewhat mysterious.

"La Musique" by Henri Matisse

1. Be receptive: Is a very colorful work with lots of curves and shapes.  The color really stands out to the viewer.

2. Description:  Matisse was known for his great use of color in his works and this is very evident in this piece.  He shows through curves that these two individuals are women and they look very similar.

3. Formal Analysis:  This work revolves around music.  The design seems to have a strong use of many different colors.  Shapes such as triangles stand out.

4. Bracketing:  I am reminded of a warm relaxed setting where music is very important and soothes the mood and feeling.  
5. Interpretation:  I think Matisse wanted us to question why the women look so similar.  Are they related? Is the individual the same person?

Step 1:

1. What is the title of the exhibit?
Albright-Knox Art Gallery

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?
I feel that different styles are put together and shown throughout different sections of the gallery.  It all comes together but is placed uniquely in a certain way.


Step 2:


1. What type of lighting is used?
The lighting throughout the gallery and on the images is more bright than it is dark.  The works of art are very clear too see.  Some images have more light shown on them.

2. What colors are used on the walls?
Many of the walls in the gallery are blank and very plain, which really attracts your attention to the works of art.
3. What materials are used in the interior artchitecture of the space?
As you walk through the gallery, some halls just had works of art on the walls, while others, the art is a part of the room, or comes out from the wall at you.  There are different levels at the gallery and it is nice to see this variety.
4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?
As I moved throughout the gallery as I looked at different works of art, the atmosphere changed.  One minute, I would be in a room with art really coming out at me, while a few minutes later, I would be down a hall with a few calm images on each wall around me.

Step 3:

1. How are the artworks organized?
The artworks are organized in a fashion where they are not all bunched together too much.  Each work has its own space depending on what type of work it is and the size of the piece.
2. How are the artworks similar?
They all make you think and question what the artists motives were when creating the work.  You wonder how they want you to react and how they want you to feel.
3. How are the artworks different?
They all have their own uniqueness to them and every individual artist is different from the rest.  Of course there are similarities, but the works are very broad.
4. How are the artworks framed?
Many of the pieces are shown in square or rectangular forms on the wall for us to view.
5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?
Under many of the works, you are able to see the Title of the work, as well as the Artists who created them along with the year the piece was created.
6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?
I kind of touched on this in how the artworks were organized.  Many of the works of art are set apart enough so that each work stands alone to show their own importance/value without the works around them interrupting them.

short films blog-Matisse/Picasso, Surrealism, Expressionism, Cubism

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose each of these four videos because they interested me when I read about the main topics in our chapter readings and I wanted to learn some more about each.  I have seen some of Matisse and Picasso's works and enjoyed them.  I read about Surrealism, Expressionism, and Cubism is our readings and thought seeing a video about each would be a good idea.

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

Matisse and Picasso broke away from tradition.  Matisse was rational, deliberate, and really French in his thoughts.  Picasso really showed himself in his paintings and was very impulsive.  Picasso was at the forefront of Cubism.  The inspiration for much of Matisse's works was Paris. As these two artists moved later into their lives, Matisse traveled the world not staying in the same location, while Picasso did not travel.

Surrealism had opened new windows for artistic creation by striving to look past the reasoning process and tap directly into the unconscious mind.  Through collage, Schwitter's sees the unlimited possibilities with nonsense everywhere.  He also includes many different types of objects in his art.  Artists such as Hoch used art to protest against the society she doesn't agree with.  Her work, "Cut with the Kitchen Knife" made a monumental political statement.  Later in this video, we saw Salvador Dali, who is a surrealist painter, tamper with the most dark regions of the human subconscious.  He makes up a world where nothing really makes sense.

Expressionism emphasizes the emotional properties of color while demonstrating way less concern than the Fauves had with formal and structural composition of color.  In Edward Munich's "Ashes", he depicts Adam and Eve in the period after their fall from grace.  The forms are all strongly simplified.  He created this visual equivalent of his inner emotional experience.    The 1892 Berlin exhibition of his work caused a huge outrage and was closed.  He later translated his work into other media such as lithography.

Cubism was the most influential style of the early 20th century.  This style offered European artists unfamiliar, nonclassical ways to show form and space.  I liked Marcel Duchamp's "Sad Young Man on a Train."  This experimental approach he took represented movement of a figure evolving in space and time.  Through using dark/small angles, the elasticity of the figure is achieved.    Umberto Boccioni's Cubism represents movement as a visual phenomenon, color and line connect figures and the environment to create powerful moods and settings to reveal personal values and visual complexity.  Boccioni's "Farewells" is a great vision of modern city life shown in many moods.

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

These videos all relate directly to the text.  Works shown in our readings show the different types of art that we see in these short films.  

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

These short films gave me a better understanding of each topic and I was able to pick up a few things as well.  I saw a few works I had never seen before and learned more about Cubism than I had in the readings.  Overall, I enjoyed these films.

short films blog-Matisse/Picasso, Surrealism, Expressionism, Cubism

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose each of these four videos because they interested me when I read about the main topics in our chapter readings and I wanted to learn some more about each.  I have seen some of Matisse and Picasso's works and enjoyed them.  I read about Surrealism, Expressionism, and Cubism is our readings and thought seeing a video about each would be a good idea.

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

Matisse and Picasso broke away from tradition.  Matisse was rational, deliberate, and really French in his thoughts.  Picasso really showed himself in his paintings and was very impulsive.  Picasso was at the forefront of Cubism.  The inspiration for much of Matisse's works was Paris. As these two artists moved later into their lives, Matisse traveled the world not staying in the same location, while Picasso did not travel.

Surrealism had opened new windows for artistic creation by striving to look past the reasoning process and tap directly into the unconscious mind.  Through collage, Schwitter's sees the unlimited possibilities with nonsense everywhere.  He also includes many different types of objects in his art.  Artists such as Hoch used art to protest against the society she doesn't agree with.  Her work, "Cut with the Kitchen Knife" made a monumental political statement.  Later in this video, we saw Salvador Dali, who is a surrealist painter, tamper with the most dark regions of the human subconscious.  He makes up a world where nothing really makes sense.

Expressionism emphasizes the emotional properties of color while demonstrating way less concern than the Fauves had with formal and structural composition of color.  In Edward Munich's "Ashes", he depicts Adam and Eve in the period after their fall from grace.  The forms are all strongly simplified.  He created this visual equivalent of his inner emotional experience.    The 1892 Berlin exhibition of his work caused a huge outrage and was closed.  He later translated his work into other media such as lithography.

Cubism was the most influential style of the early 20th century.  This style offered European artists unfamiliar, nonclassical ways to show form and space.  I liked Marcel Duchamp's "Sad Young Man on a Train."  This experimental approach he took represented movement of a figure evolving in space and time.  Through using dark/small angles, the elasticity of the figure is achieved.    Umberto Boccioni's Cubism represents movement as a visual phenomenon, color and line connect figures and the environment to create powerful moods and settings to reveal personal values and visual complexity.  Boccioni's "Farewells" is a great vision of modern city life shown in many moods.

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

These videos all relate directly to the text.  Works shown in our readings show the different types of art that we see in these short films.  

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

These short films gave me a better understanding of each topic and I was able to pick up a few things as well.  I saw a few works I had never seen before and learned more about Cubism than I had in the readings.  Overall, I enjoyed these films.

Creating my Own Mask

Three Inspirational Images for my Mask 

 Description-  This mask is quite simple looking.  The shapes are a little edgy and it has a rough type of look to it.
Formal Analysis-  Elements and Principles:  color- two shades of colors are used in this mask.  The design is symmetrical.  There is also some emphasis on the center of the mask between the eyes.

-I selected this mask because I enjoyed its simple look and it gave me some ideas on the shape of my mask.

 Description-  This mask is very old looking.  It has such an elaborate design around the perimeter of the whole mask.  It is very detailed.
Formal Analysis- The texture of this mask is smooth, yet it looks very aged as well.  There is emphasis on the face.  Circular shapes are used as the ears on this mask.

I chose this second mask because it was very detailed and the facial shapes and structure really stood out to me and I wanted to implement them in my mask design.

 Description-  This mask looks to be made of wood.  It looks very tribal as well.
Formal Analysis-  Color is used a lot in this mask.  The texture is smooth.  Emphasis- on the facial expression(lips, nose, eyes).

-From seeing this third mask, I was able to get a better understanding on how color was used in these masks. I took a few ideas and added them into my mask making process.

 Initial mask sketches, shapes, and ideas.

Analysis on my mask-
I decided for my mask that I wanted to make it more modern looking.  I used aluminum foil as my main material for this mask.  To support the back of it and make it more sturdy, I used cardboard which I cut out to support it.  I then started to design my mask's face with color, shape and added a 3-dimensional shape on the masks forehead to stand out.
The mask has multiple colors that are used as well as the shiny silver color that the aluminum shows already.
The texture of the mask is smooth, yet if you look closely, it is a little rough because of some wrinkles in the aluminum used.  Emphasis is put on the angry look of the mask's face.  The shape of the mask is oval, but there are some jagged triangles on the sides as well as a 3-D shape on top.  The mask fades from light to dark, depending on where the light hits it.

Conclusion:  After finishing my mask and adding support in the back to make it solid, I realized that there are so many different ways one can go about making one.  I just thought about using aluminum foil as my main material and went with that and I like the way it turned out.  I thought about the feelings I wanted my mask to give off as well.  I wanted my mask to have more of an angry vibe opposed to warm and happy.  Overall, I thought I learned a few new techniques and ideas by creating this mask.

African art, Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese Art- Video Blog & Questions

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose the African art video because I find their art very interesting and appealing.  There is so much variety to their works and I wanted to learn more.  I then chose the Buddhism and Hinduism videos because I wanted to learn more about the art and their cultures, which I was able to do.  I didn't know which video I wanted to watch last so I went with the Chinese art video, which I learned some new material from as well.

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

African Art- There is a strong aesthetic sense of African art and in the making of everyday utensils. There is lots of expression in dress, hairstyles, and other forms of ornamentation.  Art has always been important in the tradition of African ritual.  Music and dance play a huge role.  Many generalizations about African art may be misleading.  There is a rich mosaic of cultures throughout the continent and a lot of variety.  An example of this would be that figure sculpture is more common in Western Africa opposed to other regions.

Buddhism- Buddhist art and architecture flourished around India in and after the Golden Age.  Between the 3rd and 7th century AD, Sanchi became a center of Buddhist art and architecture.  Within the carvings of the Great Stupa, Buddha disappears into symbolism and is only represented by the Bohdi Tree.  This religion began with questions, prayer, and rituals and it truly embraced all of them, including the idea of a personal god.

Hinduism- Hinduism's gods/goddesses are very similar to Christian saints in that they provide access to God or the Brahma.  Hindu art is full of decorative sculpture of many different gods.  Cremation was also practiced and assures direct access to heaven.  Hinduism has a very deep sense of spirituality in the ordinary and everyday life.  The source of all life to them is Brahma.

Chinese Art- This video shows a few dozen Chinese works of art that are not often seen.  Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art dynasties, most of which lasted several hundred years.  Most of the works in this video are very simple, yet fascinating in their own sense.

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

All four of these videos directly relate to the readings and the Chapters.  The artwork and cultures we saw in the videos we chose were shown in the readings.  African art and their masks were talked about in detail in our text and we were able to visually see them in the African art video.  Buddhism and Hinduism were brought to life in greater detail as well.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I enjoyed the films I chose, especially the one on African art.  The work is just so unique/distinct.  I learned a few new things as well about Buddhism and Hinduism that I did not know and gained a better understanding of them.  The readings get a little boring so the videos make a nice change while learning the same materials.

African art, Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese Art- Video Blog & Questions

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose the African art video because I find their art very interesting and appealing.  There is so much variety to their works and I wanted to learn more.  I then chose the Buddhism and Hinduism videos because I wanted to learn more about the art and their cultures, which I was able to do.  I didn't know which video I wanted to watch last so I went with the Chinese art video, which I learned some new material from as well.

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

African Art- There is a strong aesthetic sense of African art and in the making of everyday utensils. There is lots of expression in dress, hairstyles, and other forms of ornamentation.  Art has always been important in the tradition of African ritual.  Music and dance play a huge role.  Many generalizations about African art may be misleading.  There is a rich mosaic of cultures throughout the continent and a lot of variety.  An example of this would be that figure sculpture is more common in Western Africa opposed to other regions.

Buddhism- Buddhist art and architecture flourished around India in and after the Golden Age.  Between the 3rd and 7th century AD, Sanchi became a center of Buddhist art and architecture.  Within the carvings of the Great Stupa, Buddha disappears into symbolism and is only represented by the Bohdi Tree.  This religion began with questions, prayer, and rituals and it truly embraced all of them, including the idea of a personal god.

Hinduism- Hinduism's gods/goddesses are very similar to Christian saints in that they provide access to God or the Brahma.  Hindu art is full of decorative sculpture of many different gods.  Cremation was also practiced and assures direct access to heaven.  Hinduism has a very deep sense of spirituality in the ordinary and everyday life.  The source of all life to them is Brahma.

Chinese Art- This video shows a few dozen Chinese works of art that are not often seen.  Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art dynasties, most of which lasted several hundred years.  Most of the works in this video are very simple, yet fascinating in their own sense.

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

All four of these videos directly relate to the readings and the Chapters.  The artwork and cultures we saw in the videos we chose were shown in the readings.  African art and their masks were talked about in detail in our text and we were able to visually see them in the African art video.  Buddhism and Hinduism were brought to life in greater detail as well.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I enjoyed the films I chose, especially the one on African art.  The work is just so unique/distinct.  I learned a few new things as well about Buddhism and Hinduism that I did not know and gained a better understanding of them.  The readings get a little boring so the videos make a nice change while learning the same materials.

dominant/non-dominant hand drawings & questions

1. What was it like using your hand as subject matter for a drawing?

Using a body part of our own as the subject for this work felt a little strange.  You needed to hold still and pick up small details while trying to draw with another part of your body.  It was kind of neat doing so.

2. What media did you select - pencil or charcoal? Why?

I just happened to use pencil instead of charcoal.  Nothing against using charcoal, a pencil was just more easily available for me to use for this work.

3. How did it feel to create a drawing with your non-dominant hand? 

It was a little bit harder to use my non-dominant hand(which is my right hand since I am left handed).  I am pretty ambidextrous when it comes too many other activities, but I still needed to focus a little more when using my non-dominant hand and it definitely did not feel as natural.

4. Compare and contrast your final drawings. Do you think they are successful studies?

I think it was successful in the fact that they came out okay and it was nice to see the slight differences in both of the hands I drew, but my drawings aren't anything special.

5. Would you consider using your non-dominant hand to create artwork in the future?

Most likely not, but you never know.  It would all depend on what I was doing.