Art Making/Material Exploration: Exploring Line

Drawn using dominant hand

 

Drawn using non dominant hand

 

It was different using my hand as the subject manner because I never really have.  I did think it was fun though using my hand as the subject of my drawing.

 

I used pencil for my drawing because it was less messy.  I also used it in case i needed to erase at all it would be easier.

 

It was a little bit difficult to create a drawing with my non dominant hand.  It definitely did not turn out to be what I wanted it to be.  My left hand just doesn't work the same as my right.  It kind of felt funny trying to draw with my left hand.

 

My final drawings are kind of similar.  The difference is the drawing that I used my dominant hand for looks neater and is more defined where the drawing with my non dominant hand looks shaky and not as neat.  I do think this was a successful study.  It portrayed the difference between using a dominant and non dominant hand in a drawing.  The results appear quite obvious from the drawings above.

 

I would not consider using my non dominant hand in the future to create artwork.  I won't because it was difficult to use my left hand to draw and it was hard to control the look of my drawing.  Therefore I will not be using my non dominant hand any time soon to create artwork.



Video Reviews

The Drawings of Michelangelo

The key concepts/ideas of this video are through looking at Michelangelo's drawings we can see his techniques and how he is a perfectionist. Michelangelo claimed to not be influenced by Ghirlandaio through his artwork but when compared there are similarities between the artists. The "Pieta" was Michelangelo's signature sculpture. It was surprising how much he knew about human anatomy for that particular time. The sculpture of "David" was the first colossal marble sculpture to be carved since antiquity. When his drawings were analyzed it was revealed that he emphasized the solar plexus of human figure. The Sistine Chapel was Michelangelo's greatest and most difficult work. In 1508 he began by painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was then called by the Medici pope to design the Medici family church in San Lorenzo. In the end it became a funeral home and family tomb. He had a strong passion for the male form. It is believed that Christianity was his artistic driving force. Michelangelo created his Crucifixion drawings while thinking of his own death. He explored feelings of dread and hope.

I chose this video because I always loved the painting of the Sistine Chapel along with other works of Michelangelo. Therefore i chose to watch this video to learn more about Michelangelo and his works of art.

 

La Primavera (Botticelli)

The key concepts/ideas of Botticelli's "La Primavera" is it has been fro centuries subject to many interpretations about the meaning. The great size and presents captures visitor's attention in the gallery. There are nine figures that stand in a meadow. Botticelli worked under Fra Filippo Lippi as an apprentice. He learned how to depict female movement. This was done through drapery techniques. "La Primavera" brings out religious sentiments. Venus and Cupid are referred to the virgin and child. They are portrayed in the same light. It is said the painting was originally commissioned for Lorenzo's nephew as a wedding gift. It is said it hung over the bed in a Florentine townhouse. Botticelli's paintings portrayed themes of rape and violence. "La Primavera" portrays the opposite and how life can end in a happy marriage. The secret to Botticelli's ethereal magic in his paintings is he paints with egg tempura. Certain flowers in the painting are associated with marriage. In 1743 the last Medici died and passed on the painting to the city of Florence. It caused a sensation in the early 19th century. Simeon Solomon responded to the "La Primavera" was great feelings of sadness due to the artist's sexuality. The painting is often mocked and is in high demand with its sexual overtones. Flora is the most popular figure in the painting. It is a beautiful Florentine. The question does remain if the character in question is a male or female in the painting.

I chose this painting because I have heard of it and new there was some controversy associated with it. Therefore when I saw it was one of the choices in videos I had to hear more about it. I picked the video because I had a little background knowledge of it and was wondering more about it.

 

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

 

The videos relate to the text because they elaborate on the reading material by providing a visual.  The movies help us to visually place the readings and give us a better grasp on it.

 

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

 

I liked the films because I had some previous knowledge on them before watching.  I found them very interesting and entertaining to watch.  They add depth because they provide some background on the art that we see in the book.  The videos help us to have a better understanding of how and why these paintings were created.

Video Reviews

More Human Than Human

The human form creates a great obsession for artists. None of the world’s most famous images of the human body actually resemble a human being. One of the first images found was in 1908 at the Danube river valley. It was an intact statute of a female figure. Venus Willendork gives clues to the tendency to make unrealistic human figures. It is thought that the human brain of our ancestors was preprogrammed to exaggerate female features that were of the upmost importance. As the weather changed nomads gathered along the river. The Egyptians used images of the body very often in art. On the Tomb of Ramses VI there were thousands of human body images. The figures were not exaggerated though. Egyptians created images of the body for 3000 years consistently. Ancient Greeks were also fixated on the human body. They believed in many gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed the gods took human form and had beautiful bodies and good looks. Greek and Egyptians ways of making larger sculptures. Polyclitus made a break thought in art by dividing the body into quadrants and moved the parts of the body to give a sense of movement. He captured the way parts of the body moved the tenses and relaxed body and poised for action. The Riace bronzes give the idea that a culture that is able of realism chooses to exaggerate the human body. Today, the art of caricature is driven by the human desire to exaggerate what is important to a culture.

  I chose this video because I found the title interesting and the video was interesting.  I liked how the talked about the human body as art.

Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England, 1400-1547

The key concepts/ideas are in the 15th and 16th centuries there was a time of faith and consumption in England. People then began buying more things. Henry VII was a part of the Tudor Dynasty. He added perpendicular style Chapel to Westminster Abbey. This chapel was dedicated to the Virgin Mary in 1503. Lord Cromwell commissioned Tattershall Castle which is a building which was the top limit of what a person is allowed to build. In the 15th century the pilgrimages demonstrated piety. The middlehan Jewel is full of religious images. Hans Holbein wants to make sure Henry VII is known as a patron. Many art books and objects were sent in from Europe. The regional architecture of wealthy East Anglia is notable for its extensive wooden roofs. Churches became a place of worship and socialization in the community. The tomb monuments were sculpted into emaciated figures. The end of the middle ages was the end of king Henry VIII reign. There were many great works of art that came out of the middle ages. 

I chose this video because the title stuck out to me and I like to learn about the order of the ways art progressed throughout history.

A word Inscribed: The Illuminated Manuscript

Most people during the middle ages were illiterate. Scribes worked hard to preserve events in order and knowledge. In old manuscripts it tracks the process of making a book.  The process is scraping the animal skin to making the hasp of the book, lastly it is used to teach others when the book is finished.  Scribes worked in some poor conditions such as an aching hand, poor weather, difficult texts, and tired bodies.  They worked hard and believed their work makes up for a life of sin.  In the 13^th century there were many changes throughout Europe.  Increases in cities and trade between areas made reading a necessity for business.  Toward the end of the middle ages there was an increase in luxury books.  These books were romances, histories, and prayer books.  The invention of the printing press ended the need for scribes and illuminators, although there work should not be forgotten.  They were extremely devoted individuals. 

I chose this video because I find it interesting how hard the scribes worked to capture events and why they did it.

 

The videos relate to the text by elaborating and portraying a visual from the information in the text.  The videos really help to capture the meaning in the text.  It also helps when your having trouble picturing some of the information in the text.  It gives you the visual. 

I like the videos they taught me about the human body as art, more on the history of art and how it impacted religion, and scribes.  I especially liked watching the video on the scribes.  I find their work fascinating and the reasoning behind working so hard at it.  Overall i enjoyed the videos and they continued to add to my knowledge base of art.

Video Review

Architecture: The Science of Design

The key concepts/Ideas of the video are when we run out of space to build, we build up.  We are running out of room to build, skyscrapers become more apparent.  With skyscrapers being more popular, new materials are needed such as steel and cement.  Steel is apart of the skeletal structure.  Issues with skyscrapers are wind, earthquakes, and precipitation.  It needs to be able to withstand mother nature.  Concrete is found today in all sorts of architecture.  It now comes in different colors.  It is a mix of sand, pebbles, or broken stone combined with cement and water.  Skyscrapers are built today with high performance concretes.  It has a 100 mega pascal of compression resistance.

Classical Architecture

The key concepts/Ideas of the video are: Indigo Jones introduced classical style to England.  Vitruvius believed that architecture harmony was the basis of the human body's measure of things.  Roman and Renaissance architecture was the basis for design and it was applied to new building surfaces.  The three Greek styles are Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric.  The Romans are credited with creating columns as ornaments and the arch.  Classical architecture is used on classical buildings to signify importance.  Post-modern classicism is the combination of classical style with modern.  Architects are still searching for new ways of interpreting the ancient architecture principles.

2.  The videos relate to the reading in the text because they touch base on these concepts.  The reading gave us a good understanding of the concepts.  The video helped to give us a picture of the terms used in the book.  It gave us a visual to connect to the reading.

3. I enjoyed the films.  I found them interesting and I liked the visual they gave which added to my knowledge from the readings.  I enjoyed learning about skyscrapers and what goes into making them.  I also liked the video for classical architecture it added to my knowledge of the Roman and Greek beginnings of architecture.

4. I chose these films because they captured my interest.  I enjoy the science of anything.  I like to know what goes into making certain structures.  I went to New York City over the summer so I liked to learn more about skyscrapers and what materials go into making them.  I am also a huge history lover.  I love learning about ancient architecture and who was the first to create these structures.  I believe we need to know the background to fully understand the big picture.  That is why I ended up choosing these two videos.

Art Making/Material Exploration #3: Installation

A. Installation art is a form of art that presents a space.  It can be experienced, explored, entered, and reflected on.  It is a way an artist modifies a space.

B. The materials used in Installation art are everyday objects.  The artist can use many different objects depending on the piece they are creating.

C.  Installation art is made to let the world into the artwork.  It can be created for an event or even for a personal reason.

D.  The artist's installation that I found the most interesting was Yayoi Kusama, Fireflies on the water. 2002.  I found it interesting because the arrangement of lights instantly caught my eye.  I was drawn in.  I think this piece is beautiful.  The lights are stunning.

A.  The piece I felt most connected to was Tracy Emin, The bedroom.  I loved her pictures in her room.  I began looking up some of her other works.  I believe she is a great artist.  She really draws you in and makes you feel like you have been there.  Her work with her bed reminds me of mine at times.

B.  The themes I plan to explore are environment, self, and media.  I will portray environment because the installation will take place in my room.  It also is self because my room represents me and my interests.  There are books on the floor and a laptop on my bed which represents media.  It also represents the here and now theory because this is my life day after day.

C. The materials will be my bed, sheets, lamp, nightstand, sunglasses, books, laptop, pillows, and curtains.

D. My installation is located in my house, in my bedroom.  My installation is located here because this is the place where I spend most of my time.  I spend a lot of time doing homework and relaxing in my room.

 



My installation represents me because this is what goes on everyday in my room.  I have my books that I am using for homework scattered on the floor beside my bed with my laptop on my lap doing homework.  I have my sunglasses on my nightstand where I often leave them when I come home.  I also have an arrangement of pillows that are often arranged neatly on my bed when it is made but here they are scattered on my bed.  I even have a little vase on my nightstand holding fake flowers.  My installation represents colors that I like such as red, silver, and gray.  My installation portrays sculptures such as my nightstand which is made out of wood and my lamp.  The vase on my nightstand is a ceramic sculpture.  There are also many shapes present in my installation.  The pillows are different shapes along with my laptop and books.  The nightstand and lamp are also different shapes.  There are also different textures such as my pillows and my comforter.  I enjoyed creating a three dimensional installation of my bed.  This was an enlightening project and gave even greater emphasis on the fact that installation art really is everywhere and can involve just about anything.

Video Review

Sculpture Video
One of the key concepts from the video was you should plan and sketch exactly what you see in your head when making a sculpture.  Marble was also another topic.  The video talked about the amount of time that goes into making a marble sculpture.  It takes a long time to complete a marble sculpture.  Sculptures can also be made using different materials such as; wood, clay, stone, or marble.

Glass and Ceramics Video
The art of glassblowing was a topic in the video.  I found this topic interesting because I knew little about glassblowing.  The video explained how glassblowing is formed from sand.  The sand is turned into a liquid, followed by being put on a stick.  The process of blowing happens in the stick.  I found this cool to know.  I knew a little bit about ceramics prior to the video.  I knew one of the concepts from the video that plaster has to be molded and the clay is mixed.  However, I did not know that the clay is mixed with quartz.

Installation Art Video
In the video people were asked what installment art was.  Each person had their own definition.  Overall Installation art refers to space and sculptures.  Installation art is everywhere.  It seemed to be a controversial topic in the video.

These videos relate to the reading in the text because they touched on the key concepts that were in the book.  The videos elaborated on what was read in the text.  It also helped to give a visual on what we read in the book.  It basically helped bring the book to life and make the concepts easier to understand.  Glassblowing can be considered a craft.  Sculpting was also mentioned in the book.  Installation art is unique and interesting to learn about.

The videos were good.  They were still a little long but really elaborated on the topics.  They gave a good understanding on what sculpting is, glass and ceramics, and Installation art.  I found installation art to be interesting and I was interested in the controversy behind it.  It also made me realize how installation art is all around us.  I learned many more things about sculpting such as how heavy the marble sculptures are and how long they take to make.  I also enjoyed watching Emmanual sculpt, it was amazing to see how good it was.  I also learned how glassblowing occurs and ceramics are made.  I enjoyed watching the videos and relating them to my environment.

Assessment of Project #1 and #2

2. When looking at Project #1: (Elements and Principles), did you agree with the element or principle the artist listed with the images? Did you see other elements and principles in the images?
http://mollyeustace.blogspot.com/2012/09/reflection-on-creating-slideshow.html
I did agree with Molly's portrayal of element and principle in her slide show.  I also thought for time it could be line from the lines in the stairs.  Also in her picture for pattern with the stones, I also thought it could be for color.  I think in most pictures there is one or more elements or principles.
http://shovel-the-surface.blogspot.com/2012/09/oh-my-color.html?showComment=1349481291908#c180305324366147051
I did agree with the elements and principles of the images.  Once again the photo of repetition could also be color since the circles were different colors.  Many of the pictures could be more than element and principle.

http://mollyeustace.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-visit-to-albright-knox.html?showComment=1349479796741#c6582429376979314705
2. Molly and I did not have any similar pictures.  Although i did find a couple of her photos to be very eye catching.  My favorite one was "The Quiet of Dissolution: FireStorm." I feel like it is a very powerful piece. I find the controversy behind the Mayan calendar ending interesting. I think that's why I also feel so impacted by the picture.  The fire spreading over Los Angeles was very powerful.  I would like to know the story behind the artist painting that particular picture. 
http://shovel-the-surface.blogspot.com/2012/09/gallery-visit-1.html?showComment=1349482096772#c6863799154445892567
Dixie and I did not have any similar pictures.  I did find her pictures to be very powerful to look at.  I felt many emotions while looking at her photos.  The photos of racism and prejudice were sad to look at and also angered me.  It angered me to think that these events had taken place in history.  I do think it is important to learn from these mistakes and not let history repeat itself.  I really enjoyed looking at her photos because they are pieces of history and should be known.

I find it very valuable to read people's blogs.  It is nice to read other people's thoughts and criticism on artwork.  I like having another perspective when looking at art because sometimes people catch and look at works differently or in way you never thought of.  That's why I enjoy reading what other people write.  I also liked reading my own comments.  I find them to be very helpful and I liked when people enjoyed my pictures.  I also enjoyed reading their criticism on my pictures.  I enjoyed doing this assignment it was very informative and interesting.