Aleatoric

2006-12-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

Extra-Credit

I am pretty happy with the way this piece is turning out. It is quite surreal- as most of the things that are happening in the scene do not actually happen in real life. (Such as a tangle of wires turning into a swingset). This piece evolved as I painted it. It didn't quite turn out as I had envisioned it, but the process is fitting to the concept of the piece. The concept is about creating my own world as I go along, once I get out of college and start a life and family of my own. Therefore, the piece should be allowed to evolve naturally as I experience more and gain more knowledge and find what interests me and makes me joyful. I think I will take the advice presented in the critique of putting a "title" on my piece. I won't make it so very obvious though. I will graffiti (with watercolor paint) the words, "this is the good life" on the wall, because that's what it will be (well... what it's turning into even at this moment). It will go in the huge empty space on the top right, and I think I'll paint it with yellow paint, with a red border. This will tie the yellow bits of everything with the red drawings that the little girl is randomly doodling on everything (and nothing but air). I like the idea of it, and now all that's left is researching graffiti and going at it!

2006-12-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #15

Figure-ground reversal

Frank Miller (my hero) is a master of light and shadow. He uses a very modern and innovative method of light and shadow, and he uses figure-ground reversal to its fullest potential. The most obvious figure-ground reversa in this piece is in the bottom panel where the woman is holding a gun up in front of her head. The gun is pure black, but her wavy hair is pure white. This would not happen in a photograph or film, so this contrast of black on white makes the picture very visually appealing. Since it's other-worldly, it makes us stop and consider what we are really viewing. Also, in the above scene, Marv seems to be walking into his own shadow. There is no value difference between him and the wall he is walking in front of. It blurs the line between what we really see and what we think that we see (on another thought, closure is used in this panel, when only the wall is in shadow, but we logically think that there is a whole wall that Marv is walking in front of, because we know it doesn't make sense that there is just wall where his shadow falls- even though the whole wall is not patterned). As stated in the vocabulary essay about Chiaroscuro, dramatic contrast builds interest because it advances from the piece. This is one very dramatic instance, where only white and black are used. Figure-ground reversal only heightens the interest of this piece.

2006-12-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #14

Allegory

This piece is one of the more famous allegorical pieces. It is called "Melancholia I" and has been the subject of many books and discussions. The title of the piece comes from the words displayed in the sunset (in the piece) that say, "melencolia I." The work is somewhat reminiscent of Salvador Dali's works, which feature a variety of objects (sometimes oddly juxtaposed) that portray a meaning. This is an allegory- a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal. In Salvador's piece, "The Persistence of Memory" (The melting clock piece), the clocks are not simply clocks. They are layered with meaning: time, memory, etc. Objects do not simply exist- they have meaning associated with them. An artist who desires to creat an allegorical piece will employ the sometimes hidden meanings of objects to convey an overall meaning of a piece. In "Melancholia I", the meaning is not readily apparent, but judging from the subject's sullen, fustrated expression, it cannot be a good one. The hourglass hanging on the wall is a very cliche symbol of time running out (employed by many artists- as in the movie "Wizard of Oz"). There are several mathematical instruments laying about, and a truncated rhombohendron. Perhaps the meaning is about how the logic in this world will not satisfy, but leave the mathematician or scientist with a restless feeling, and thoughts such as, "is there more than this?" The rainbow and sunlight in the sky lights up the piece and provides a faint glimmer of hope for our poor mathematician.

2006-12-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #13

pen-and-ink with watercolor artistic style

This piece portrays the medium I am working in with my last project. I started out using watercolor, but it was slightly weak and did not have an "illustrator" quality to it, which I wanted to explore, as I am planning on entering that career, and would like to experiment with on this project. My pen lines are rather bold and almost outline the figures, much like this piece. Also, this piece corresponds to mine in that it almost tells a story, and it's very surreal. Obviously, this is something that could not happen in our world, and so it makes the concept of the piece rather interesting. My goal with my piece is to draw people in with detail and surrealism- an artistic double-take, if you will. This piece has a cartooney feel to it, which is my style as well. It employes solid colors as well as washes, and uses mostly organic forms. I like the use of color in this piece- the round orange figure contrasts with the blue ghosts that comprise the background, and the blue skin of the snake-woman. It creates visual tension and makes the question arise, "what is the conflict between the two figures, and why does the little orange guy look like he's going to throw up out of his nose?" The whole piece interests me, and I plan to use most of the same style in my piece. Hopefully it will be effective and memorable.

2006-12-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

Blog Entry #5

Chris Ware

This artist is innovative and inventive. He is a comic-strip artist, but recreates the strip into a minefield of information. He directs the viewer throughout the piece using arrows and different sized boxes.

As with all his pieces, he guides the viewer through each frame of his story. We (in American nature) read top to bottom, left to right. Therefore, he logically starts his story on the left top side of the piece. He then guides the viewer's eye to the next part of the story- the same-sized, same-shaped circle below. He also uses an arrow to make it even more clear. The rest of the story can then be deciphered, because there are only boxes left, and we are brought back to the top, then guided again with an arrow, our eye naturally drops down, and we figure out that the gangster really IS riding dirty! :) Chris uses very bold, bright colors, and usually in a theme. This composition uses mostly warm colors like red and yellow. The color scheme is very simple, but this is because there is a lot happening conceptually- this is very obvious in the next piece:

Again, the simplicity of the colors Chris has chosen is apparent, but the scene requires so much observation that it is good that the colors are simple. Chris uses symbols to portray meaning in this piece: the bird is a blue contour-line drawing, and his song is a simple music note. The jet-plane is also a contour-line drawing, and is shown flying by lines coming off of its wings. The man in the image is very simplified- this is characteristic of Chris' work. Most objects are simplified down to basic shapes, and then colored in. Even though the drawings are simple, they are very clean, which adds to the aesthetic aspect of the pieces.

The concept of this piece is particularily interesting to me. It portrays the process and history of an adoption. It seems to be a very complicated process, because of the lines and multiple boxes that can confuse the eye on a first glance. Indeed, an adoption can take a long time and is not a simple process. It also involves the emotions and maternal bond that accompany a separation between a mother and her child. The history of this adoption is especially interesting to me, because it shows the mother as very rejected in high school. I am very interested in the emotions and thought processes of other people. For this reason, I thought about becoming a psychiatrist in high school. It is almost ironic in this piece that a comic-strip displays such a somber topic as teen pregnancy and rejection. It makes one stop and re-evaluate the piece. Also, the color scheme also presents a contrast. Much of the piece is either orange or blue- which are contrasting colors. There is contrast throughout this piece, both conceptually and visually.

Another piece that shows sadness and serious issues is this piece. It is slightly surreal- it shows a person in a space suit observing a small, red bird. Suddenly, in the next panel, the bird lays dead at the person's feet. There is a sad, hopeless expression on the face of the stunned person. It extracts an emotion from the viewer- a sad, sympathetic feeling for the poor bench-sitter, as they witness sad morbidity of life. It is obvious that they would prefer to play pretend, as if they were in another world. Sadly, a space suit cannot save humans from the negative experiences of this world.

Again, the sadness and bitterness of a child is seen in a casual, cartoon manner. This strip, however, is more somber in color. The shades are darker, and the character is colored black to symbolize anger and disappointment at childhood. The text is surprising- one would not expect to see such vulgar language in a comic style such as this. It just makes the piece all the more interesting and surprising.

The theme of "not belonging" is prevalent in Chris' work. In this story, a man is flown above a city, and on the outskirts of the city are a couple small, run-down shacks. The man in the plane is dressed quite plainly, and seems out of place on the modern-looking jet plane. He stares out the window longingly at the shack, and then sits back in his seat looking pale and small. There are many characters in Chris Ware's work who seem uncomfortable and forced into situations they are not happy with. It is obvious that the elderly man on the plane would be much more comfortable in his own house (probably the one seen from the plane window), as opposed to the snazzy jet or big city. His works elicit feelings that normal comic strips simply would not do. I am inspired to convey feeling, even though a cartoon medium. It makes a powerful message that way, that makes people think twice about the message I am portraying.

2006-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary essay #12

Color Theory

Color theory takes into account the various ways color can be put together and their pleasing (or sometimes unpleasing) affect. Color is usually grouped into a wheel, with red, yellow and blue being the primary colors and orange, green and purple being the secondary colors. There are other colors that fall alongside the others, but it would take too long to name all of those. These colors can also be separated into shades (with black added) and tints (with white added). The image above has very bold and true colors, with little black or white added. Colors can be separated into two categories: warm and cool. Cool colors are blue, purple and green. Warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Warm colors appear to advance, and cooler colors recede. For this reason, the bird in the above piece was painted with warm colors, because it is the focal point. The rest of the painting recedes because it is painted in cool colors, but the bird seems to pop. Also, the artist has created a split-compliment color scheme. Green is the compliment of red, with blue right next to it. It creates contrast and similarity at the same time. The artist has utilized color in this case to create a dynamic piece that is bold and confrontational.

2006-11-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #11

Metaphor

Metaphor is defined as "something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; emblem; symbol." This sign is used as a metaphor for "twisty, turny road", "danger", "be careful." Taken by itself, it's just a wavy black arrow on a bright yellow diamond. Metaphor depends mostly on context. If this same arrow were pink and placed on a t-shirt, it would not hold the same meaning. It also depends on cultural understanding. Everyone understands what this symbol means, because we're used to seeing it all over the place. It's commonplace, and therefore recognized. It can be more complex than just a road sign though- many paintings employ the use of symbolism through various objects or colors. For example, green can symbolize illness or envy. It can also symbolize nature. Objects can also be used as symbols. A heart represents love, passion and life. Butterflies represent happiness, innocence and beuty. There can be many meanings applied to symbols in different situations, contexts and time periods. They are used to explain meaning in a piece, and if used effectively, can have a strong impact upon the viewer.

2006-11-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

Self-identity statement

I have changed very much since the beginning of college. I came into school with the intention of meeting new people and jst learning more about art, but I found that I lost myself in this experience. I lost myself, but I found God. I've placed my relationship with Christ at the axis of my existence, and now whatever I do is for his glory. I create art for him, I speak to please him, I think about him all the time. You might call me a little fanatical, but I'm a very happy fanatic! I've met a lot of new people here, and people define me as well. I pick up certain characteristics from people, like an accent; the way I laugh; the mood of whomever I'm talking to; etc. I'm very driven by other people (God can be included into this, because I see him very much as a person). So who I am is defined in part by the people I interract with. Like Alice, I feel like other people sometimes, when I'm put into this foreign situation (college, that is). She sat listing all the people she could have turned into, and sometimes I think, "I got my laugh from Emily, my accent from Erin, my love for art from Mary..." and it just goes on from there. I'm not quite myself, I'm a mixture of all the qualities I've copied from other people that I admire.

One of the main conflicts in my life right now is deciding whether or not to stay at Bowling Green. I've been given the proposition to attend UC's DAAP program next semester, and I think I'll be taking it. The decision has forced me to evaluate what in my life is very important, and more than anything else, it's relationships. I am driven by other people very much.

My self-identity statements go very long, so I'll wrap this one up. I'm thinking of doing my project on how Alice relates to the White Rabbit. He's a familiar face in a foreign environment, just as God is to me. We both chase after that, and that's how I relate to Alice.

Fin.

2006-11-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #10

Value contrast

Dinh Q Le uses value very effectively in this piece. The piece has three distinct parts defined by value: the right side, which is mainly white; the middle, which is very dark; and the left, which is more of a grayish tone. The area of highest contrast is the left portion, because it has a great amount of value change in the small, pixel-like parts that make up the buddha. The viewer's eye is drawn to this part of the image because it is the most complex and it constrasts the most. The amount of value change in this figure also adds to the definition of this part of the image. Because it is so much more visually "busy", it is an exciting part of the composition. It takes more time for the mind to piece together the bits of the image to form one figure. This is a principle of Gestalt, called "closure." In the time it takes to piece together the differently contrasted parts of the image, the viewer becomes interested in the piece, and stays longer to process all of the information. Thus, the piece is successful.

2006-11-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #9

Warm vs. cool color schemes

Both of these paintings are by Edgar Degas, and both paintings feature ballerinas as the subject matter. The thing that these paintings do not share is their color schemes. The top painting is predominantly blue- a cool color. Blue connotates coldness, disassociation, and isolation. The bottom painting is made of reds and yellows and oranges, which are warm colors. Warm colors draw the viewer into the scene. They are welcoming, beckoning, and associative. The two paintings have completely different moods because of the colors that Degas picked for each of them. I think of fire and ice when I view the paintings next to each other. I feel the chill and the heat of the dance. The top one looks as if the dancers are ice princesses who are about to perform during the Nutcracker. The bottom piece reminds me of a scene in Phantom of the opera when the singers are wailing in a firey place that resembles hell. What is interesting about the top piece, is that even though the dancers are so close, they are not looking at each other, as if they weren't even there. That is the mood that the piece portrays as well. It's the same thing that happens when cold students walk shivering to class. No one notices their friends walking the other way, because they're so preoccupied with the chill. In contrast, the girl in the bottom piece seems to be beckoning the viewer into the theater, even into the dance! She says with her arms, "Look at me, dance with me!" This is the warm feeling we get from the piece as well. The meaning of a piece can be completely changed with a color switch.

2006-11-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary Essay #8

Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro is an old technique that the master painters used. It dates all the way back to the seventh century. It is defined as a bold contrast between light and dark. The image shown here is an older exaple of this principle used, but a more recent example includes Frank Miller's Sin City comic book series. he uses an extreme amount of light and dark, using even just black and white to achieve this effect. Chiaroscuro has a dramatic effect on the viewer. Bold contrast advances in the composition, while low contrast recedes. In this case, there are two figures in the piece that have extreme contrast, and so the drama is put onto these characters. We know that they must be the most important ones in the piece, and the narrative must revolve around them. So just by creating this dramatic contrast, the artist has told us visually where we must concentrate, and therefore, what is happening in the piece. This can be used in any piece to draw interest- when there is an area of high contrast, our eyes are naturally drawn to that place. Usually it is the foreground, because things seem to lose contrast when they draw back into the distance. It is a way to separate foreground from middle ground from background. Chiaroscuro has been used for centuries and will continue to be used, for its highly dramatic effect.

2006-10-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Blog Entry #4

Place:

1. Do we define a place, or does a place define us?
-I believe that places define us. Someone would act differently in a bar as opposed to church. A lot of it has to do with cultural representations of places, but people also behave differently in a place that has special significance for them. For example, I attended homecoming that was held in the school gym. Upon entering again, I would perceive the dance experience. In another situation, if an athlete made the winning shot in our final game of the season, they would perceive the gym very differently than I would. Also, people can be intimidated with places they have never been in before. When I entered my high school for the first time, I was startled at the size of it. I had never been able to define the place before, since I had never entered the building. Therefore, the place defined my impression of it, not the other way around.
2. How is each of the featured artists influenced by particular places? How is this influence reflected in the artist's work?
- Richard Serra was influenced by a shipyard when he was young- he was struck by the gigantic size of the boats in the yard. He now works with giant metal sculptures that are inspired by that trip. Sally Mann loves nature, and was raised outdoors (she said she hardly ever wore clothes for the first 7 years of her life). Her photographs present natural landscapes and her children interacting with nature. Barry McGee and Margaret Killgallen both live in the city. Their tight, urban surroundings inspire them to make art that is seen by many people, such as graffiti, or wall art. Pepon Osorio's work "No crying allowed in the barbershop" was inspired by his first visit to the barber, and the traumatic experience involved in that. He creates "sacred" spaces, in which he allows the viewer to enter the piece and experience themselves in the situations he creates.
3. How has the program altered your notion of how art expresses place?
- I realize how powerful a work is when it not only portrays a message, but allows the viewer to become part of the message (especially in large, interactive works of art like Richard Serra or Pepon Osorio). Also, places have a way of eliciting a certain feeling, like Sally Mann's photographs. Many are serene, and they make me want to take a visit down to the place where she lives.
4. Which artist do you feel most connected to and why?
- I feel most connected to Sally Mann. I have a dream to raise a family and work on art at the same time. Also, my dad used to take us on numerous camping trips, and installed an awe and respect for nature in us. I love being outdoors and feeling sunlight and rain and being in the middle of something alive that is so much bigger than I am. I envy Sally Mann for being able to live like that all the time.
5. Compare the media used by each artist and discuss how it affects the scale, composition and accesibility of his or her work.
- Richard Serra uses steel to create his enormous sculptures that he displays in public areas. By being so large, they allow the viewer to actually walk around and inside of them to experience a feeling of awe and insignificance next to or inside something so large. The installations take much time and effort to set up, but the end result is durable and intruiging. Sally Mann uses photography as her medium. It is definitely smaller than Richard Serra's work, but she packs so much detail into a small space. It is much easier for her to work with composition to create powerful images of the places and people she loves. Barry McGee and Margaret Killgallen work very large scale with their paintings. It emphasizes the vastness of the city life- how everything is so large in the city (skyscrapers and towering billboards). They paint on walls and trains- public domain. Everyone is exposed to their art and has an opportunity to react to it. Finally, Pepon Osorio works in a real-life scale. He creates environments That mimic real life situations, such as a crime scene investigation. It allows the viewers to really connect with the work on a personal level.
6. When you were young, was there a place that interested you? A place that scared you? List five places from your childhood. Use one word to describe each of them.
- Church: storytime
- Circus: exhilarating
- Joy's house (old lady next door): playful
- School bus: intimidating
- Dark basement: terrifying
7. Pick one of those places. try and remember it as well as you can. Answer these questions about it... What objects occupy that place? What are the textures and sizes of those objects? What was the lighting like? Was it a dark and dreary place? A bright and happy place?
- Place: Circus
- Objects: cotton candy, clowns, metal seats, family, ticket stubs, program, camera, binoculars, tigers, acrobats, guy shot out of a cannon, ringleader, elephants
- Textures and sizes: cotton candy was sticky (it stuck all over our faces and fingers), seats were cold and hard, performers were very tiny since we were so high up (nosebleed seats), binoculars were huge and hard to hold because my hands were so small, program was shiny and full of bright pictures.
- The lighting was sporatic because of the spotlights and the colored effect lights. It was a little hard to see where we were because it was so dark.
- The atmosphere was bright and happy (possibly because of the music as well), but the lighting was dramatic. It was a little scary at times, because of the combination of music and darkness. Also, I was so afraid of the man being shot out of the cannon because I hate loud noises.

Stories:

1. What are the important stories that are told in our society today — in books, movies, pictures, music, the news, or by friends and family? Consider — if you could personally guarantee a single story to be passed down to future generations — what would that story be, what form would it take, and why?
- There are many different stories in our culture right now. Some are very serious like the 9/11 attacks. I'm sure those will go down in history. Others are more light, like genres of movies. Chick flicks seem to be very popular right now. Romantic comedies have gone through various periods of change, but the inherent message in them remains the same no matter what decade the movie is made in. Family seems to recount nostalgic memories of the past. At a family gathering you're guaranteed to hear some story of great aunt Betsy who tried to drive Uncle Bob's car without knowing it was a stick shift and running it into the garage door. The "remember when"'s play a big part in family stories. This applies to friends too. Recounting past experiences draws people together.
2. Why are some stories told, as opposed to others? Why do some stories continue to be told over time while others are lost?
- The most memorable stories are the ones passed on through the years. Usually they are the funniest, or most dramatic, or most gripping. The subject matter that Kara Walker deals with is the South during slavery controversy. This was a very inhumane time, one that people remember for its viciousness and brutality. A lot of stories are passed through religion. In fact, the whole Bible is comprised of stories passed through generations. Kiki Smith talks about how "Catholicism is about storytelling." Many religious rites and texts are simply a collection of stories and traditions.
3. How do the artists featured in Stories use journals or sketchbooks in their artistic processes? Is a journal or sketchbook a work of art? Why or why not?
- Kara Walker uses a sketchbook to form and manipulate characters before she enlarges them and cuts their silhouettes out of black paper. This was the only artist in the movie who used or mentioned a sketchbook or journal. I think that both of these can be a work of art. They can reflect better the artist's feelings or drawings, because they are completely uninhibited by a potential viewer. It's a very honest and pure artistic process.
4. Each artist in this hour describes an event or element in his or her childhood that resonates in current work. Do you remember a time when you were 5, 10, 15 years younger? Please record, in present-tense voice, the experiences that were important at that time. How did you spend your days? What did you dream about? What emotions did you feel? Write a self-description in your childhood voice, followed by a second description of yourself at that age from the point of view you have now.
- 7-year-old voice: Mommy brought home a refrigerator box today for us to play in! We made a jail, a store, a rocketship and a house. We had some little plastic tokens that we used for money, and I sold candy at my store. My brother sold hats at his store. We're making a rock band. I'm the lead singer because I'm the oldest. Aaron will play a tennis-racket guitar, and Timmy will be our mascot. We'll drag a mattress off our bed and use it as a stage. I'll sell the tickets to Mommy and Daddy, and Aaron will make some popcorn for them. After that, we'll go play legos and see who can make thie biggest house. I bet I'll win. Mommy took us shopping to Jungle Jim's today. I like that place. It has lots of funny food, like mangos. I don't like mangos too much. We watched the dancing bear and I hid behind mommy because it scares me. I went to ballet school today. The teacher's helper was named Erin! That's like my brother, because his name is Aaron. It's not spelled the same way because she's a girl and my brother is a boy. In the lesson today we had to jump and face the right, but the teachers said to face their right. Their right is different from my right, but I don't know why. I'm confused why there can be two rights, but they're not the same. Mommy taught me that when you hold your hands out, the one that looks like an L is the left hand. I think I'm right-handed, because I can't draw with my left hand.
At seven years old, I was young, impressionable, and very amused by everything. (I guess I still am- myabe not as impressionable but definitely amused by everything, and young compared to my grandma). I found much satisfaction in a simple game. I'm sure my parents got sick of playing tag for hours on end. I was still figuring things out, like my right and left, and also how to make friends. I don't remember much of anything that was negative about my childhood. I know I hated animatronic creatures, like a dancing bear in our local grocery store. It scared the heck out of me, and I recently went back to try to cure myself of this childhood fear. It didn't work very well, because that fear is rooted pretty deep in me. I moved from one thing to the next very quickly. If I were to make a resume of my childhood activities it would be 20 pages long. I played with legos, ballet-danced, did gymnastics, played tag, journeyed through the woods in our backyard, put on shows, sang songs at sunday school, sang in a choir, played computer games, harrassed my little siblings, wrestled with my dad, played in the stream behind my house, and did a million other little things attributed to childhood. I had an incredible childhood.

2006-10-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary Essay #7

Continuity

This piece by Marc Burckhardt displays continuity- a fluid movement for the viewer's eye through the piece. There are several reasons why this is done effectively. The first reason is that the subject itself- the lizard- is twisted in a way to emphasize the curvilinear form of the canvas on which this was created. The viewer's eye starts at the tail and curves all the way around the body, through the head to end up back at the original starting point- the tail. It is almost a spiral pattern, but a disguised one, because spirals are usually very stereotypical and the "easy way out" or creating continuity in a composition. Another reason why continuity is effective in this piece is the framework. The outside design work also creates a circular frame in which to view the subject. The creatures placed in the triangular windows on all four sides of the piece are curved to accentuate this circular frame. The viewer does not focus on the outside frame as much as the lizard in the center because the lizard is a different color that the framework, and has more detail in it than the background. Marc has created a good sense of continuity that keeps the viewer's eye moving around the piece in a satisfactory way, so that they don't lose interest in the composition too quickly and the "circuit of meaning" is completed.

2006-10-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary Essay #6

Repetition

Bob Staake uses repetition quite effectively in this piece. The purpose of this artwork is to promote doughnuts as a great-tasting food. Therefore, the sprinkled doughnut is at the center of the composition and the other shapes in the image serve to enhance the dramatic effect of this marvelous doughnut. The man holding the doughnut is relatively the same shape as his displayed food. His torso is large and round, as are his hands and his head. There is a glow around the doughnut that is the same shape, and also enhances the almost-divine quality of the bakery sweet. Dougnhnut outlines bounce around in the background as well, evenly spaced so as not to draw attention to a broken pattern and away from the center of focus. Even the text around the doughnut is curved in a circular way so as to enhance the form of the focus. Bob Saake has used repetition effectively to emphasize a single object. No one could walk away from this piece thinking, "the one thing I remember from that was the orange color of the floor." He has positioned and displayed all the elements in a way that focuses on the doughnut as the ultimate center of interest.

2006-10-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary Essay #5

Implied Texture

This image exhibits implied texture since it is created through a computer medium. The textures used are the metallic/shiny look of the gas mask, the smooth look of the skin, and the sharp pieces of exploding metal. All of these combined into one unusual complete image create an interest for the viewer. Usually pieces that have skin are sensual or pleasant to look at. This piece, however, juxstaposes elements that are inherently different to create a very dynamic image. The artist even managed to create a dusty, in-the-midst-of-explosion effect with the medium. It creates a dirty image, one that isn't necessarily pleasant to look at, but engaging. It draws the viewer in, and does not let them leave because of the strangeness of the image. The artist (Nick Ainley) was right in calling it "alienation", because it is an image totally separate from "normal" life situations. This piece almost looks Fight Clubesque because of the dramatic, intense scene of a face exploding. Also, the unsaturated quality of it contributes to the Fight Club feel. Explosions, pain, death. It's all exhibited in this image because of the textures joined together into one slightly disturbing image.

2006-09-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary Essay #4

Symmetry

This artist- St.even- uses symmetry in this work which is untitled. The image is that of a man, with computer-generated designs that curl up and around his face. The symmetry is powerful because both sides seem to collide at the center line of the man's face. There is even a visible line at the center of his nose and forehead which contributes to the overall symmetrical BAM of the piece. The work has a consistency to it. Each side is precisely similar, which is not actually what a human face looks like. If you took two pieces of the same side of a human head, it would make the face look slightly funky. Overall, there is an eerie effect to the piece. The colors wind and twist around his face with a mystical glow. It makes the viewer wonder what the significance of the face is (since the symmetry makes the face the focal point- where the symmetry collides). It looks possibly spiritual, or dream-like. There is also another face directly above the large face, which is almost lost in the design work. This also raises questions as to the significance of the piece. I guess since the title of the website this image was taken from is "divine reflections", it muct have to do with spirituality.

2006-09-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary essay #3

Repetition

This image is taken from Jim Bradshaw's illustration blog. The color scheme is characterized by repetition because the main colors (white, yellow and red) are repeated over and over in the chickens squalking and fluttering all over the yard. The background is very neutral colored, in order to emphasize the power that the repetition of bold colors such as the red tongues of the chickens will have on the whole composition of the piece. This brings up another point- the reason that the tongues and beaks of the chickens are so brightly colored is that they are the most important parts of the piece- they provide the large, bold text proclaiming, "cock-a-doodle-doo!" The text is also repeated, not in the actual words, but in the font and relative size.

The shapes of the chickens are also repetitive. They are basically just circles with heads on them, and it is easy to see how all the chickens are shaped the same. They provide the very busy, dynamic composition with a sense of order because some shapes and colors are repeated. Without this similarity in shape, the composition would be very dysfunctional, and the viewer would become too frustrated to finish viewing the piece to the artist's intent.

In conclusion, the amount of repetition in this piece allows it to be bold and energetic, which is the intended mood of the piece.

2006-09-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Blog entry #3

Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever kept a journal, diary, or blog?
Yes, I still currently keep a xanga and a personal diary.
Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever written about art before?
A few times in my art classes in high school. We were required to write an artist's statement about almost every piece that we mad. It forced us to think through what our message was, how we were going to portray that message, and if it was really a good idea in the first place.
Have you ever written for fun (poetry, fiction or non, journalistic, or research)?
Extensively! I love writing! I write songs, poems, or narratives depending on my mood.
If given a chance, would you rather discuss art verbally or through written means?
Written, because sometimes I get a sudden case of stage fright. Plus, I have more time to think through what I'm trying to say if I'm writing it down instead of explaining it face-to-face.
How would you rate your overall vocabulary?
Above Average- I used to read a lot when I was young. It really helped me expand my vocabulary.
How would you rate your vocabulary of art terminology?
Above Average. My high school art teachers did a great job exposing us to art terminology. We learned all the elements and principles at least 5 times, so that's very engrained into my head.
How would you rate your writing abilities?
Confident- keeping a personal online blog consistently has really helped with that. It has helped me develop my "voice", or my specific "style" of writing.
How would you rate your writing abilities when writing about art?
Confident- I know what I see in a piece or what I'd like to portray in one of my own pieces. I can express that quite confidently because I know what I'm talking about.
How would you rate your ability to use specific vocabulary when writing?
Above Average- I learn quickly what specific words mean, and I'm usually able to incorporate them into my writing without a problem.

2006-08-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Vocabulary essay #2

Damien Hirst

This artist is particularily intruiging, because his work has more meaning behind it than a casual viewer might observe. I stared at this picture of a work he titled, "A Thousand Years" for a good 3 minutes attempting to discover it's meaning. Unfortunately, the work is meant to be viewed in person for longer than three minutes. I read about the function of this sculpture online. The dark hunk of something in the corner is actually a nursery for maggots, which transform into flies. The flies feed on the rotten meat (which I suppose that is on the left), and immediately die an electric death on the bug zapper right above the meat chunk. This piece represents the period from life to death, and how short it is. To be born, eat and die seems so unfulfilling, but it is the intent of many people in this world. Many people go through life without purpose or mission, and perhaps that is what Hirst is trying to present in his pieces. As with some of his other pieces, Hirst focuses on the temporary quality of life and how soon any being, whether it is a fly or a healthy human being, can pass away. In this light, it is essential for human beings to do something with their short lives instead of using it simply to eat and die, as the lowly flies do.

2006-08-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Vobaulary essay #1

The vocabulary I will explore with Salvador Dali's piece, "Slave Market with Invisible Bust of Voltaire", is negative space. Dali was a master at utilizing negative space to its full advantage. The bust of Voltaire, as the picture is named after, is not a real, tangible bust at all, but merely an apparition comprised of negative space. The face of the bust is positive space, but the outline of his skull and hair are negative space. The reason it was painted this way is to make the viewer do a double-take and reassess the painting. "What am I actually seeing? What is real and what is not?"
In a more conventional way, the rest of the negative space in the painting serves to push foward the main subjects- such as the woman, the table and the crowd. By painting a light background and a dark foreground, Dali is distinctly separating the background from the foreground and saying, "focus on this part of the composition." Also, the negative space of the background is very simple. There is one solitary cloud in the sky, and by simplifying the background, Dali pushes us into what is really happening in the painting- and the trippy visual mind twisters that come with it.

2006-08-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Blog entry #2

My composition was a successful one, in my eyes.
I achieved a (or group of) dominant, subordinate and accentual relationship within my piece. The large flower in the upper left of the frame is the dominant shape, and the radial symmetry within the object pulls the eye in initially to the dominant shape, establishing it inside the work.
The subordinate shapes serve to direct the viewer's eye around the picture. There are two smaller flowers on the top left and bottom right edges of the picture which push the eye back into the composition when the viewer attempts to leave. The other subordinate shapes do the same on the middle edges of the paper. They are practically across from each other, establishing a horizontal implied line that keeps the viewers eye from leaving those side of the paper as well.
The accentual shapes "pop" the eye to those specific locations, creating an area of interest. A very small flower is located next to the large flower, establishing a stark contrast in size.
The lines in the picture are either completely horizontal or completely vertical. They serve to act somewhat as "road lines." They direct the viewer, "this is the way to go" much as the yellow and white lines on a road keep a driver from going off-track as they're travelling. They are all connected to a circular shape, which is an example of repetition (but a subtle example). It creates a pattern that the eye determines to follow, which leads one from the top right to the middle and down through the center of the paper, on to another element. It creates movement within the piece.
The theme I chose was "the simple things" They are all personal items that create happiness within my life that I couldn't function without. The flowers, sweets, and paint all reflect a general joy of life and indulgence in simplification. It may be a childish approach, but I believe art can be about portraying joy instead of pain. Art can be about both, and I've been told to not let my art get "gushy" and "cotton candy sweet", but a major part of my art is my personality, which is inherently optimistic, and creating beautiful, joyous art is in my nature. Renoir is one of my favorite painters because he combined technical skill with the joy of life. He is known as the "happy painter" because he never portrayed any sad or solemn events- just parties and children and people enjoying themselves. Not all of my art will be happy, but a good amount will be, simply because of the person I am.

2006-08-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Blog entry #1

My name is Melinda Carson, but I've gone by "Mindy" for as long as I can remember. I've been involved in art classes since my sophomore year in high school. I took several classes that included three levels of drawing, painting and graphic design, and an AP art course in which we built a portfolio over the course of two trimesters that was judged by a board of college members. We completed a project that had a general theme to it. I chose "the human eye" as my theme, because I feel like the eye is a crucial part of determining a person's thoughts and emotions. I receive my inspiration through several sources. I feel that art is immortalizing; it represents a tangible experience that could otherwise be forgotten or repressed. By creating art about a certain period of my life (whether painful or joyful), I refuse to allow myself to forget about that time. I'm also very much a people watcher, so I make observations when I'm walking or simply just paying attention to human interaction. I love drawing stereotypical teenagers and presenting it in a humorous way. I'm also inspired by other artists, both famous and low-key. Salvador Dali is my favorite artist because of his fabulous surreal style. I love painting in a realistic way, but Dali puts a twist on his artwory that I respect. I also encountered some inspirational art here at Bowling Green inside a teacher exhibit. Other artists have new, fresh ideas that keeps my own art fueled.
I have used a variety of different techniques and mediums within my artwork, including acrylic, oil, watercolor, graphite, dark and white charcoal, cante, pen and ink, mixed media, and several other mediums like photoshop and darkroom photography. I enjoy (or respect, if I haven't used it) any kind of art form, especially if the artist is utilizing his/her talent in the process. I struggle with accepting some kinds of art. I took an art appreciation course during the last trimester of my senior year, and it really helped me broaden my horizons when it comes to artwork. We delved into abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian. I still go through mental conflict whenever I am asked, "is it art?" because I'm not really sure myself. I appreciate more realistic images, but I respect artists who break social and cultural boundaries to produce "original" art (which is one of the reasons I like Salvador Dali). I enjoy artwork with a strong message more than nice aesthetic pieces. (While I do enjoy a good Kandinsky every now and all the time). I don't think that art has to be beautiful. Some of Picasso's pieces were sad, and sometimes morbid (Such as "Guernica", created to immortalize a Spanish massacre), but Picasso is considered one of the most successful painters in the world, and this piece is one of his most famous. Of course, it is not I who determines what is art and what is a piece of crap nailed to a wall. That's the beauty of art- it is up to the discretion of the viewer. Each person carries certain experiences into their analysis of artwork. A person who has had a loved one die would appreciate a piece about death more than a person who has not had that experience yet. Art is usually determined by pop culture, and an artist has to decide whether to adopt pop trends or reject them and go for a bold approach, much like the Dada movement.
I create art because I have to. I am intrinstically motivated to make something with my hands that my mind holds captive. It is my way of releasing tension inside my mind and allowing others to view the ideas I hold. I also love the feeling of creation. Perhaps that's what God meant when he created humans "in his image." I hold the desire to create much like God himself formed Adam out of a hunk of dirt and breathed on him. Stepping back from a piece of work, after it is finished, and having the words, "it is good." in my head is one of the most fulfilling feelings in the world for me. I might also be a little selfish. Art is one of the things I can do better than the average human. I love to showcase my talent when I can. In that way, I'm not like God. unless he likes to show off a lot.
The reason I feel compelled to pursue art in college is because I feel most passionate about this subject, even though I know I run a career risk in doing so. I could be a psychologist, but I don't like people that much. I could be an accountant, but I don't like numbers that much. I also believe that God gave me a gift, and with a good gift comes great excitement. I get excited over art! I'm the girl who walks through a gallery with a camera (when it's allowed) and exclaims, "oooh, ahh!" with every camera snap. I couldn't enter another career path on a clear conscience knowing that I gave up what I love for something more dependable.
I'm very excited about taking art in college! I loved my art classes in high school (especially near the end when I had picked up technical skill and my teachers were challenging me to work with creativity and portraying messages with artwork. I'm anticipating great things in my art classes, and I hope I won't be disappointed. This is a really great opportunity for me to grow in my skill and produce things that astound even me.