Self Portrait

1. I chose these pieces because the two are simple easy to follow, and the third is probably what my self portrait will look like, very abstract.
2. I chose pencil because I think that in the past I have had the most luck creating the image I wanted to with pencil. Also I can erase if I make a mistake or do not like the final product.
3. I am not very good at drawing or artistic so it took me awhile to get my picture to actually look somewhat like me. I just tried multiple times and had to erase a lot.
4. This piece represents me because it was modeled after my face and represents who I am to the world.
5. I used the elements and principles of lines, texture, value, and form.
6. I did like this project even though it was challenging. I tried my hardest to create something that looked like me, and I wish that I was a better artist.
7. I think that it is decent, the best I could do with my limited artist abilities. I went the more abstract route because I knew that I would not be able to create a realistic portrait that someone would actually think resembled me.

Art Critique

1. I reviewed "The Beauty in Darkness" by Mary McDonough, "Dimensions of Dance" by Bateson-Brown, "True Beauty of Nature in Darkness" by Pavel Belavus, and "Chasing Storms" by Megan Land.

2. I chose "Black Art" because I thought that the topic was interesting as well as controversial and I knew that I would be learning about art and historical events while I reviewed the project.

3. I did not always know what to say about the works of art or how to convey my thoughts and emotional reactions in writing.  I focused on listening to my inital reaction to each work and why I think that I felt that way.  Also, by using the descriptions that the creator provided that helped me to convey my thoughts in to words.

4. I think that it was a good learning experience because I could look at the work they created and their final product, in the eyes of an art critic but also in the eyes of a student.  By creating the project myself and knowing what the other student's went through helped me emphasize with them and see their project in a different light.

5. I would like to read what was written about my project because I think that feedback is always good and necessary for improvement.

6. I would say an 8 because I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to say and how to say it.  I could have used more elements and principles but I focused more on my emotional respones and the overall quality of the presentation.

7. I did enjoy this project.  It was a great way to find works of art and see how different themes emerge.  By looking at projects by my classmates I learned to look at art and descriptions in a different way, and through the eyes of others.

Reflection

1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met? I wanted to learn more about art and how to look at art in a different way. I learned a lot more than I knew before, I do not feel like I could go out and critically asses a piece but I did learn a lot.

2. Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your initial posting? I still think that art is a way for people to express their feelings to others without words.  I do not still think that art is always meant to be visually pleasing, but that it is meant to convey people’s inner thoughts.

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so? I still like Salvador Dali because his works make you think. The objects are recognizable but still unique and they make you think about why they are created the way they are.

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 like taking online courses because you can work at your own pace and learn the material in the best possible way for you.  I do like a classroom environment though because even though it is hard to get motivated to go to class sometimes, being in class makes you pay attention and learn all the materials and do the work.

Reflection Journal

During this process I learned a lot about how to create an art exhibit and all that goes in to it. The color of the walls, the lighting, everything matters when creating an art exhibit. I learned a lot about looking at paintings objectively and explaining the materials used, and the style as opposed to simply saying whether or not I like a painting. I expected the slideshow to be difficult but it really was an easy process once I got going. ArtStor was an amazing resource and my presentation would have been so much harder without it.

Module 15

1.     Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T.J Clark: In this video Clark discusses how art criticism came to be and the issues that surround modernist painting.  Clement Greenberg’s career, his influence on areas of art theory, art journalism, and the philosophy of aesthetics are all discussed in his video.  The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture focused on The Paris World Fair which took place in 1900 and ran for 8 months with 15 million visitors.  Half of the area was centered on French Imperialism and the other half represented other nations’ colonies.  I did not know much about the world fair or the extent of time that it ran for so that was interesting for me to learn about.

2.     The videos were informative for my understanding of the concepts but not so much to my project because the concepts really did not have a lot to do with my theme.  I would have liked to see more examples of art criticism and more areas of the Paris World Fair.

3.     They helped me understand somewhat more about art criticism but I did not learn an exorbitant amount from the videos.

Week 13 & 14

1.     Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art, I learned that Lowbrow culture is a response to high brow culture, it is more of an artist created concept, there really is no way to define works of art that are lowbrow, and refers to people who have poor or no taste. 

In Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach I learned that the artwork in MOMA from 1929 on was displayed in chronological order and described different art movements.  Also, the entrance to Tate Modern was created in 2000 as a home for Tate’s collection of international modern art. 

Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology: I learned that during the United States genocide against Indians their bones were collected to be studied and tens of thousands of Indian bones have been collected to be studied. 

And Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan Museum of Art: I did not even know who Philippe de Montebello was before this video but I learned that he was born in France and was the director of MOMA for 31 years, which meant he was the 8^th and longest director.

2.     The videos were not that beneficial to me because they discussed concepts that I did not choose to include in my project.  However, the style such as lowbrow and some of the techniques that were discussed on how to present artwork could be useful to me.

3.     I definitely learned a lot from the films.  I did not know about anything the films talked about before I watched them.

module 12 video review

1.             I chose to watch Andy Warhol: Images of an Image because I already know some of Andy Warhol’s works and some of his background.  I think that he is an interesting person and his cultural background brought a lot to his works of art.  I watched Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50s and 60s because I feel as if it ties in with Andy Warhol and his style and works would be included in the film.  By watching this video I feel as if I would learn more about Andy Warhol as well as other pop artists of the time period. 

2.             In the Andy Warhol vide I learned that he was inspired by the lives of famous women and he created dozens of self-portraits.  I did not know that he always wanted to be a tap dancer and that his studio became the hang out place of New York artists.  In 1963 he purchased a video camera and shot about ten films that turned his friends in to movie stars.   In the Abstract Expressionism video I learned that the main approach to art in this time period was its unpredictability of experimentation.  Art during this time period was more of an attitude and uncontrolled techniques were used.

3.             The videos relate to the text because they both described Warhol’s life and his works, and both Abstract Expressionism and the text described works of pop art and pop artists such as Johns, DeKooning, and Warhol.

4.             I thought the videos were interesting because they gave a more in depth look of the time period as well as a closer view of Warhol’s life.  Seeing the images and works described in the text made it more interesting and created a more lasting impression.

Gallery Visit

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:1. What is the title of the exhibit? Being There: Bruce Jackson Photographs 1962-2012
2. What is the theme of the exhibition? The theme of this exhibition was photographs from this man's life that showcase what he went through, his daily experiences, and what shaped him in to whom he is today.

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:1. What type of lighting is used? Throughout the exhibition bright lighting was used that focused on the pictures as well as making the exhibition space very bright and inviting.
2. What colors are used on the walls? The walls were white.
3. What materials are used in the interior artchitecture of the space? The exhibition was mostly simple with white walls, bright lighting, and the focus being on the hanging paintings.
4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space? The viewer creates their own path by going from painting to painting along the walls as they choose. There is no set order or sequence but I just went along the walls as I came to the paintings.

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:1. How are the artworks organized? They are neatly organized on the walls, there was no clutter or chaos.
2. How are the artrworks similar? They are similar because they depict some of the same situations, and the scenery is similar.
3. How are the artworks different? The photographs show different scenes and stages that this man went through so the scenes and images depicted in them are different.
4. How are the artworks framed? They are mounted on the walls.
5. How are the artworks identified and labeled? There are small tags next to the works of art.
6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other? They are close to each other but not so close that they are on top of each other.

4. What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

Looking at it from this perspective made me think about the time and thought that goes in to planning how each exhibition will be presented.  The spacing, the lighting and the presentation enhance the exhibition in so many ways and I never really thought about it like that before.

http://www.burchfieldpenney.org/

Module 11 Video Review

1. I chose to watch Picasso and Matisse because I had read about both the artists in the chapter and wanted to learn more about both of them, and see what works of art the videos would showcase.  Dance at the Moulin de la Galette had an interesting name and I wanted to know if it was an actual dance or a representation of something else.

2. I learned that the first Matisse was later hung up and surrounded by Picasso's paintings.  Matisse was unaware of his talent for 20 years and very organized and meticulous in his thoughts and work.  Picasso on the other hand is impulsive and throws himself in to his work.  The film Dance at the Moulin de la Galette is Renoir's most famous piece, and most controversial.  It was painted twice but almost nothing was changed except its size, and it was meant to make women look beautiful and men to be interested in women.

3. Both the videos relate to the text because they showcase more of Picasso and Matisse's works and add to the concepts that were covered in the text. The videos help us to remember what we learned in the textbook.

4. I thought that the videos were informative and helped to reiterate the points that were being made in the text.

Module Ten Video Review

1. I chose to watch Islamic Art: India and the Middle East because I wanted to see more of Islamic art. I had read about it in the chapters and was interested to see more.
I also watched The Great Wave because the title was interesting to me and I wanted to learn more about what it was going to involve.

2. In Islamic Art I loved seeing the mosques, I think they are so beautiful and the fact that they have both spiritual meaning and beauty makes them even more special.  Just to have a place where one can go to worship and be at peace is very special and I like the concept of that.
From The Great Wave I learned how to see the different meanings in everything.  When the wave is about to crash on the edge of chaos we are always looking at the peak of nature such as a mountain or the sky, and it leads to the question: am I looking at the sea or something inside of me? I liked this video because it showed how life can really be lived in the moment and if you truly want to you can see the beauty in every moment.

3. The videos related to the text because they further explained what was going on in the readings. The videos helped to reinforce the concepts and to back up what we had previously read in the text.

4. I liked both of the videos I watched because I learned a lot from them that I had not known before. I like to hear about different cultures and the different ways in which various cultures view the world and both these videos definitely provided that.

Module 9

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

It made me more aware of what my hand actually looks like. It is a lot more complicated to capture what your hand actually looks like than one would think.

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

I chose pencil because I think that the lines pencil creates are more similar to the actual lines of my hand than charcoal.

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

It felt so weird! I did feel like I had more control with my non dominant hand drawing rather than writing something.

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

I think they are, my dominant hand drawing had much more realistic lines because I could control the pencil more, while my non dominant hand drawing is much more abstract as opposed to hard lines.

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

I would, I think that it offers a different perspective and brings out a different side of artwork.

Module 9 Video Review

1.I chose to watch Leonard da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance because I have heard of Leonardo da Vinci and I thought that it would be interesting to learn more about someone that I had already heard of.  He contributed a lot of knowledge to a lot of different areas of study and it was interesting to learn more about that, as well as learning about da Vinci himself outside of his works and contributions.

 I also watched The Drawings of Michelangelo because I had heard of Michelangelo as well and am familiar with some of his works such as the Statue of David.  It was interesting to see the entire process from sketch to sculpture because it shows how much time and thought go in to the entire process. 

2.  The Leonardo da Vinci video went in to an in depth look at da Vinci’s life, such as at age 20 he was accepted in to the painter’s guild.  His creative imagination was a new inspiration, and sometimes he would go for hours or even days thinking about a painting without even picking up a brush.  I thought that was an important fact because it shows just how creative his mind was and how long it took to build up an idea that was worth putting in to creation.

The Drawings of Michelangelo video explained that The British Museum contains more than 90 drawings by Michelangelo alone, and while it draws numerous viewers his works were hidden when they were first created.  The video reflected the creativity and process the artist had to go through in order to achieve great results.

3. As usual the videos enhanced the readings and added to the material that was being taught.  It helps the viewer to understand what is being taught and what information needs to be retained.

4.  I thought the films were informative and helped me to learn more about the artists and how they created the works they did.  The videos help to make the readings in the text more clear because you can actually visualize what is being talked about.

Module 8: Video Blog Review

1. More Human Than Human: The title intrigued me and I wanted to know more about it.
Late Gothic Art and Architecture: I think that Gothic art and architecture is beautiful and I wanted to see examples of the work and learn more about it.
The Greek Awakening: I wanted to know what was "awakened" by the Greeks or in their culture. Also, the last few modules covered the Greeks so I wanted to keep learning about that.

2. More Human Than Human: I learned about the particularity that the human race presents and how the majority will not settle for sub par, and why unrealistic depictions are seen so often throughout history.  I also learned about the discovery of the full female figure statue that was found in the Danube River Valley and was called "The Venus of Willendorf."
Late Gothic Art and Architecture: I learned that the tombs, sculptures, and stained glass windows at St. Mary's Warwick were created to honor Earl Warwick.  Also how unknown art can be identified by specific clues that help to pinpoint the time frame.
The Greek Awakening: I learned that Greek art and culture really grew when Christianity grew and how the two were connected. I also learned about the impact of art on religion and vice versa.

3. The videos are good tools that coincide with the readings because they help to reinforce what the book says. Also these videos really create a picture in one's mind about the readings and what each piece of art or element actually is.

4. I thought that the videos were informative and added to my understanding of the topics. I did not know about the discovery about The Venus of Willendorf or about St. Mary's of Warwick. The videos help me to remember the concepts and information learned because of the visual aids.

Module 7 Video Review

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

In Architecture: The Science of Design I learned a lot about skyscrapers that I did not know before. I knew that skyscrapers require a lot of structural support because they are so tall, but I did not know that they consisted of two layers.  The superstructure is above ground and the substructure is below ground and helps create a more solid foundation.  In the video Classical Architecture I learned a lot about how architecture was developed and the roots of it.  The video talked a lot about the Roman influence and the three Greek orders.

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

The videos helped to elaborate on the readings in the text.  The text talked about the Greek columns and ways that architecture and styles developed from the ancient times.  The book also talked about different building structures and designs, which was elaborated upon in the videos.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I thought the videos were informative and added to my understanding of the different kinds of architecture and how it originated. 

4. Why did you choose the films that you watched?

I wanted to watch the two films I did because I wanted to learn more about the basics of architecture.  I wanted to learn more about structural systems and the history of the different styles.

Peer Review

2. I agreed with both of the blogs choices for the elements and principles they used.  Each student's pictures had a lot of variety and depth to it so I think that the majority of the pictures had more than one element or principle that could have been used to describe it.

3. None of the images that the two other blogs I looked at were the same as my own.

4. Marisol "Baby Girl" interested me because it is so unique and a concept that is rarely seen. I want to know what the connection between the baby and the other doll on its leg is. I want to know why "Fairy Puke" by Peregrine Honig is called what it is. When you look at the image it is not immediately thought that there is a fairy in the picture so I want to know what the deeper/hidden meaning is.

5. Reading other people's reflections gives me a different perspective. I can only look at things the way I see them but reading about what other people have to say and what they find important in images helps me to expand my horizons and my thought process.

6. No one has commented on my blog yet, but I know that feedback and/or constructive criticism always helps me to branch out and go more in depth with my responses and thinking!

Blog #1
Blog #2

Module 6

1.  Through the Eyes of a Sculptor taught me that sculpting is a lost art and is not well documented or recognized.  Sculptors literally take a block of marble or other material and transform it in to something completely different.  I like how almost every element of sculpting is natural, the materials come from the Earth, and the sculptor uses their vision to create something unique.  The Glass and Ceramics video highlighted the fact that glass and ceramics are two of the oldest man-made materials and there are constantly new uses for the materials.  I think that glass blowing is so interesting and can create some of the most beautiful pieces in the world.  The use of glass is expanding as well and it is replacing other materials in the creation of buildings and other structures.  In Installation Art the artists explore "the dynamic tension between artwork and its setting."  This video reminds me of the Dennis Maher exhibit at the Albright Knox.  This form of artwork is highly controversial because it is so unusual and frequently involves using trash or other discarded objects to create artwork.
2. The videos help to reinforce what was learned in the text. I think that the videos help the concepts in the text come to life.  The pictures in the text help to explain the topic but the video helps to reinforce the topic and make a lasting impression in my mind because I can see the concepts "in action."
3. I think that the films-especially the sculpture video do not need to go as in depth into the artist's background and daily life as they do. I would rather see a few different artists creating sculptures and going through the steps of how they got their ideas, their materials, their inspiration, and see them actually creating something.  I like to see the various works of art and hear the stories behind them, I did  not know that glass was replacing other materials in creating buildings, or that sculpture is so over looked.

Albright Knox

Wire Ways

A. Wire Ways by Peter and Al Szalay which is made entirely of electrical materials and found in Dennis Maher's House of Collective Repair made an impression on me because I thought that it was so unique.  I liked the way the materials came together to create something so unique and original out of every day items that no one even looks at or thinks twice about. 

Beach Nd

Also Beach Nd which was created with watercolor and ink on paper by Agnes Martin was interesting to me because I wanted to know why it was created.  The piece was so odd yet so simple I wanted to know what was going through the artists mind and that really intrigued me as to why it turned out the way it did.

B. I left a connection to Franz Marc's The Wolves which is from 1913 and is an oil on canvas. I connected with this piece because he created it in the midst of the war and it showed all the turmoil he was going through. Sometimes in life it seems like there are wolves attacking us and nothing is going right, so I thought this piece was comparable to the real world whether someone was in the war or not.  I can also relate to

La Voix des airs

The Wolves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

René Magritte’s La Voix des airs (The Voice of Space), 1928 oil on canvas because sometimes it seems like we are all alone in our world (space) and no one understands us or connects with us and to me that is what this painting is saying.

House of Collective Repair

C. I would really like to know more about Kelly Richardson's Exiles of the Shattered Star high definition video installation with sound 2006 because I think the concept and the theme is so unique I want to know what she was thinking when she created the piece.  I would also like to know more about Dennis Maher's House of Collective Repair 2012-2013, which is made of various found objects because I want to know why he chose the objects that he did. I wonder what significance the objects had and if he was trying to reconstruct something in particular with them.

Exiles of the Shattered Star

Logo Design

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

Creating my logo really made me think about what is important in my life. There are a lot of things that I focus on and take up my time, but creating a logo made me see what was the most important to be represented.

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

I learned to be more artistic, and the use of space. I wanted to use a unique outline for my logo and there was limited space to fit in everything I wanted to.

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

I discovered what really matters to me in life and what I can live without. Looking at my logo it shows what I want represented when people look at me and think of me.

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?

I learned that there are so many ways to convey the image you want.  I also learned how important a logo is, and how beneficial or detrimental it can be to a business. I thought the videos were informative, and they summed up the other materials that were given.

final
sketches

Color Wheel

1. Discuss what you thought about creating the Value Scale and Color Wheel.

I liked that we got to create something using art materials but I also liked that the assignment was very doable and not challenging or frustrating.

2. Which media did you enjoy working with the best and why?

I liked working with the acrylic paint because it blends very easily and it gives off strong colors, and distinct differences. 

3. What was the most important discovery in the creation of these studies?

How hard it is to create black from the 3 colors!

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

I thought the videos were informative and educational, and I think it is important to know that every color can virtually be created from the three primary colors.

PhotoBucket Slideshow

I thought that this was an assignment that made us think about what we see everyday in a new light.  I chose to take pictures of every day things that I see around my apartment. I chose to do this because I do not live anywhere particularly special, or a place that has numerous unique architectural features or anything like that. I wanted to be able to show that things we see every day and do not look twice at can be considered elements and principles of design. I took this assignment as a challenge to create something interesting out of the ordinary.
I liked experimenting with different angles and lines while taking my pictures, and turning the camera or my body to capture the imagine in a different way.
PhotoBucket
HTML Code

Color Blog

1. Different colors have different affects on every one's emotions depending on who they are and how easily their mood can be influenced by what they see.  However, there are some colors that have been proven to have a similar affect on a great amount of people.  Blue, which is a cool color, is calm and tranquil and seems to put people at ease. Red on the other hand is a warm color, and is usually used to depict horror, or anguish, but it is also known to stimulate the appetite and increase people's desires to eat. Bubble gum pink is also known as passive pink, and complementary colors such as red and green share different associations across different cultures. In America those two colors are associated with Christmas, but in a Van Gogh painting they were used to make people feel as if they wanted to commit a crime.

2.One theoretical aspect of art and color that fascinates me is how people are drawn to certain colors but then not to other colors.  It is interesting to see the psychological and physiological responses that people have to certain colors, such as blue lowers blood pressure and when people were asked to eat mashed potatoes that were dyed green they had no idea what they were eating. The colors of things changes our opinion so much that it can even distort a food that the majority of Americans eat all the time and would immediately know what it was.

3.In the Color video what had the biggest impact on me was the fact that colors are so unpredictable with emotions and we never know how someone is going to feel when they look at something.  Color is unique to every individual and as June Redfern said "color is a very physiological thing, it has lots of meanings and symbols and ideas behind it but I think at the end of the day, it is how you feel."  This means that while there can be studies done and predictions as to how people are going to feel when looking at certain colors, there is no true universal set of feelings.

4. What had the biggest impact on me in the Feelings video was the Mona Lisa painting. The fact that a single work of art that was created hundreds of years ago is recognized is virtually every culture is remarkable. What I also like is the fact that the Mona Lisa is not beautiful by today's standards.  She is not recognized for her beauty but for her smile, and the way the colors used place emphasis on her smile is what makes the painting so unique and memorable.

Module 2

1. For the article I learned that art is considered a "lie" because art is just illusions created with colors, depth, and brightness that make things seem real that are not really there.  In art people recognize lines, faces, color verses luminance, Mona Lisa's smile, shadows, and mirrors and people like art because of symmetry and the "peak shift principle."  I also learned that neuroesthetics is devoted to the neural basis of why and how people appreciate art and music and what beauty is.  In the Aesthetics video I learned about understanding and defining aesthetics and philosophers that contributed to the aesthetic theory such as Plato, Francis Hutcheson, Leon Battista Alberti, Stenahal, and Tolstoy.  Furthermore I learned that art has no universal meaning or purpose but it means something different to everyone.  In the Carta video it discussed neurologists Vilyanur Ramachandrant and Jean-Pierre Changuex who talked about the scientific meaning behind aesthetics and how biology and science are related to art.

2. Plato was born in the classical age of Athens and lived through the early part of the Hellenistic age. I think that his philosophy is important because he looks at beauty in a way that is different than the "norm" and it is important to be able to look at things in a different light.  Plato believed that beauty exists in a world apart from us, that it is unchanging but it only occurs occasionally. Beauty is a Form and it can be reached through love, it is universal and not unique to certain people.

3. I think that the way they look at the connections between art and science and biology are very interesting. I have never really heard of art being connected to science before and I think that it is a very different, interesting view point. The most interesting facts I learned form the videos were Changuex's theory on genetic evolving with the origins of art and how our culture and species can be tracked through the way that art has changed.  Also Ramachandrant discussed where art and science met is actually the human brain and art is all about distorting everyday images to be pleasing.

4. The videos and article just reviewed the text material in a different light and gave a different perspective to the readings. The articles and video gave more real world examples and backed up what the text was saying.

5. I thought that the videos were interesting but they were far too long and made me lose interest in the topic. They were informative but I think that I missed out on a lot of the information solely because they were too long. I liked the length of the article and I thought that the concepts were well explained and laid out.