carleelovelove

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #16 - Final

2006-12-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

My self portrait. I feel as though it portrays me in a way I could never describe using words. I've never been too good with words, anyhow.

I am going to revise this piece to make sure it is the best it can be in any way possible. I am first going to add veins to the green flower bud. I did not realize that the other two have very distinct veins as compared to the first flower. Once I add veins to the first flower the piece will be much more harmonious.

I believe I am also going to do something else with the watercolors in the background. I am not sure exactly what yet, but whatever it is I decide to do I will test it out on another piece of paper first. The goal is to make the piece look finished, not overdone.

This piece means so much to me. I put all of my spare time I had to work on this. It seems to be evident what this piece means but to me it means so much more than is portrayed. Not only do these flowers represent my personal growth, they also represent my soul and different parts of me that I never knew I had. It seems as though I learn a little more about myself each day but creating this painting made me learn more about myself in a couple of nights than I have learned about myself in a long time.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #15 - Composition

2006-12-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

Composition: The combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole and the manner in which such parts are combined or related.

Composition adds so much to every single aspect of a piece. It creates emotion, feeling, and overall appreciation of a work of art. The juxtaposition of the concepts of gestalt, size, detail, and color also add to the overall composition of this piece.

Emotion is definitely a huge part of this piece. The viewer wonders what is going on in the painting. What exactly is the man thinking? Why is he in this quiet, lonesome place alone? Is he homeless? Is he happy, or sad? An endless number of questions can be asked about this piece that will go unanswered. Nevertheless, emotion is a noticeable part of the composition of this piece.

Feeling also makes this piece what it is. The colors are part of the feeling of the piece. This painting being of a dark and dreary sort of tone makes the viewer think that the man sitting in this portrait is lonely or sad. If warmer tones had been used in this painting the idea that this man had a wonderful day and was happy with his life, and it would look like he was just resting after a long day's work watching the sun set. This would be would be the general idea portrayed if the piece had a warmer tone but since it has a cooler tone it is difficult to understand what this man is doing. Even though it is not understood, this makes the piece interesting and controversial because anyone looking at this painting would have a head full of questions.

The closure used in this piece makes it work together so amazingly. The foreground contains a clear focal point (the man). The lake in the middle ground and mountains in the background all kind of add depth to the piece while blocking it in so the viewer stays focused.

Altogether, this piece was given much thought by the artist (one of the Wyeth sons). The focus, colors...Everything in the piece was juxtaposed to make the final image work out as well as it did. The more I look at these pieces the more I wonder how many thumbnails each artist did before creating their final piece. Before I thought someone just came up with an idea and immediately it was a masterpiece. This may be true in some rare cases but most of the time artists experiment with different colors, scenes, moods, etcetera before formulating a final plan. I already appreciated art before, and realizing this now makes me appreciate and understand it even more than I thought I did.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #14 - Metaphor

2006-12-07T20:19:00.001-08:00

Metaphor - a direct comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects.

In literal terms, a metaphor is a statement that compares one thing to another without using the words like or as. This image stands out as a metaphor to me because it simply seems as though the person is being compared to fish and life in the ocean... kind of like saying "She is a fish".

It is kind of hard to spot or create metaphor in a work of art without using words. Placing this person behind what looks like water, coral, and fish makes it seem as though the creator of the piece is trying to relate the person to ocean life. Maybe they are trying to say that this woman in the background is a fish because she likes to swim. They could be saying she is a part of the ocean life because she relates to it so much. Whatever comparison they are trying to make it is clear that the artist is trying to compare this woman to life in the ocean.

If this piece is a metaphor it would make more sense if the girl in the background had gills or was a mermaid. This way it would be like she was transforming into some sort of sea creature in order to become a sea creature. It just seems like the artist wanted the person to be a part of the ocean life but it does not make sense.

The person used in this painting looks like they are wearing normal clothing and are just underwater observing what is going on inside a fish tank. This piece has potential, it is just that the artist should have thought more about the composition and what the piece is trying to say. It may have been helpful if the person had fishlike qualities or if they were nude. Maybe I have found an incorrect meaning in this piece but this is the best example of a metaphor I could find. It may not be the best portrayal of a metaphor but the message is definitely understood.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #13 - Allegory

2006-12-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Allegory - a figurative mode of representation conveying a meaning other than the literal.

This image is representational of the term allegory for a few reasons. It appeals to more than just a literal description, as it appeals to the emotions. With the color and image choices it is hard for the audience to feel comfortable looking at this painting.

This image clearly tells some sort of story. This is literal of course. However, this story conveys a different kind of meaning to each person looking at it. It has so much emotional appeal to it conveyed through images and color.

Anyone looking at this piece would probably say that it is an angry sort of piece. What I mean by this is by looking at this piece I don't find myself feeling happy at all. It kind of reminds me of a dictator or a punishment. The red used in the ground is not a pleasant, serene red. It is more of a negative bright red that is upsetting.

The partial nudity of the figure suggests negativity as well. This is not a beautiful kind of nudity. It seems in the piece as though it is almost forced. It is added to the piece so the viewer feels a bit of discomfort. This nudity, even if discomforting adds to the piece because the artist is clearly going for a negative feeling. The artist was aiming for the viewer to feel some sort of pain, evev if for just a second.

The multiple tentacles and arms coming out of the body in the piece look discomforting. The spikes on the blue arms look like they could be sharp. The hands that are more human-like look diseased and one of them looks like it could be lobster claw. This imagery was clearly chosen by the artist purposefully because everyone knows to stay away from the pinchers of a lobster claw. The areas of sharpness in this image add to its discomfort.

In general, what I am saying is that this piece was not meant to say "I was created by an artist that was angry with things going on in their life". It is clearly more than that. Every aspect of the painting represents some sort of derogatory idea and makes the viewer a bit uncomfortable. Allegorically, this piece appeals to the senses and that is what makes it come together.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #12 - Color

2006-11-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Color: Color is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, yellow, white, etc.

Color can say so much about a piece. The colors chosen by an artist can either make or break a piece and its' success. If there is not a color scheme or the colors look too tacky for the context of the piece, it can turn out to be somewhat of a waste of time.

The color scheme used in this painting seems to be a triadic primary color scheme. Red, yellow and blue are the focus. There are also other colors such as orange, turquoise, and purple. Even though the artist is going outside the color scheme these colors fit. This is because the orange is more of a red orange, the turquoise has more blue than green in it, and the purple seems to be more of a red-violet color. These other colors are composed mainly of the main primary colors used and that is what makes the piece successful. If the colors chosen were straight orange, purple, and turquoise this painting would be too busy and the colors would be very unpleasant.

There are many color schemes for artists to choose from. There are analogous colors which are any three colors which are side by side on a 12 part color wheel. An example is yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange. Usually one of the three colors is dominant. Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green. These are just two examples of color harmony and there are many more. Basically what I am saying is that if an artist slaps any color onto a canvas and expects it to work it more than likely will not work so well.

This piece generally was well thought out and the color theory was what made it work. If the piece would have been filled with any colors the artist could mix it would be far too busy and uninteresting. Color theory is what makes a piece work out for the better.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #11 - Emphasis

2006-11-12T15:03:00.000-08:00

Emphasis: Special forcefulness of expression that gives importance to something singled out; stress.

Salvador Dali

The blue of this marble makes a clear emphasis and focal point in this painting by Salvador Dali. It is notably emphasized in many ways. The marble in the piece is not only emphasized by its color and definition. It is also emphasized by other elements in the piece that direct the viewers attention directly to the marble.

One way it is emphasized is by color. There is blue in the sky and water noticeably and in small places such as the wood floor that the marble is rolling on. However, the blue in other elements in the piece is not as pure and extreme as the blue of the marble.

Also, the roundness of the marble makes it noticeable. The rest of the piece seems to have a certain roundness to it as the marble has its own unique perfect roundness to it. The charioscuro of the marble makes it appear more round than other somewhat round elements of the piece. The most round element is the black sort of lake in the background and it just seems to be like a flat black pool. This usually would take away from a piece but being that this pond is so flat it allows for the blue marble to be emphasized as much as it is. If the people in the background were reflected in the pond or the pond were more water-like the marble would be competing for dominance with the pond.

Also note the elegance of the piece. Some artists try to make the focal point of a piece in the center of the page. This particular point of emphasis is just right of the center mark. The lines if the wooden building also block the emphasis in so the eye is not directed to focus on the canyon in the subordinate background of the painting.

In all, the marble is emphasized wonderfully in the piece. It is the emphasis of the piece without looking too tacky or competing for dominance with other elements. All of Dali's pieces seem to have some sort of emphasis which is part of what makes them as successful as they are. This piece just seemed to stick out to me because every time I look at this piece it seems the only place I want to look is the marble.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #10 - Figure ground Reversal

2006-10-26T17:51:00.001-07:00

Figure/ground reversal: an arrangement in which positive and negative shapes alternatively command attention. Also known as positive and negative interchange

This piece clearly demonstrates figure ground reversal. At the top the background is white and the goose figures are mostly black with bits of grey. On the bottom half of the piece the geese slowly morph into fish and the background becomes black as the fish become light.

If this piece did not have reversal it would be somewhat interesting due to the change of the geese into fish. I also enjoy how as the geese turn into fish there are still images of geese in between the newly forming fish. The reversal makes the piece as interesting and memorable as it is. Without the reversal this piece would be dull and the viewer would quickly move on to look at something else. The reversal also adds depth to the piece. Without it the piece would seem more flat and it would not have movement.

The more I look at the piece the more I notice a reversal. There is also a reversal in the stripes around the border of the piece. The stripes in the top half of the piece seem to have white lines that are thicker than the black lines. On the bottom half of the piece the black lines seem to be thicker than the white lines. The part of the piece that interests me the most is the idea of the goose and fish becoming more detailed as they decrease in number. The less amount of geese and fish, the more detail. The fish seem more detailed than the geese because the geese seem to all be black and have little detail. The fish all seem to have a good amount of detail.

This piece is very similar to the pieces we completed in class. The only thing that may have helped this piece is by adding more greys since the piece is almost strictly black and white. The artist could have also added color to make the piece more noticeable. The piece is great and it definitely sparks my interest it just seems like the artist did not take any risks. If anything, their risk was taking the goose and turning it into a fish. This was a great risk it just seems like there should be a little more to the piece to make it interesting.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #9 - Repetition

2006-10-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

Repetition: The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated.

Andy Warhol is known globally for his artistic success. He is someone successful for taking other peoples' art and making it his own. He also uses repetition in man of his pieces.

In each piece, he takes finds an image he wants to create into a piece of his own art. This image happens to be of Curious George. He picks out a defined color scheme that will tie the piece together and make it flow.

Warhol uses even more repetition in this piece. Most of the repetition he uses tends to contain the same image many times, and each image is usually a different color. In this piece each Gumby has a different facial expression. One of them is even wearing sunglasses! A couple of the expressions are repeated but it is barely noticed because each image is colored differently.

Lastly, there is the repetition of the Marilyn Monroe image. This is more than likely one of Warhol's most famous art pieces. There are many different versions of it and when people see it they immediately know who painted it. Warhol started this trend and not many artists can get away with it like he did. His talent, ideas, color scheme, and individuality are what made all of his pieces turn out so wonderfully. The repetition he used was purposeful and definitely a risk worth taking. His art was made from the fifties until around 1987 when he passed away. He died nearly twenty years ago and his art is still famous today. A museum was opened in Pittsburg Pennsylvania in 1994 to display his work.

BLOG ASSIGNMENT #5 - Inspirational Artists

2006-10-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Inka Essenhigh

1) This artist has been contributing art into the world of painting since the year 1998. She of course was creating art before then, but her first pieces shown in major galleries were shown in 1998. Inka went to CCAD and got her degree there. She has been creating increasingly better works ever since.

One of Inka's first gallery pieces

2) Inka seems to create her own images and she just kind of does her own thing. She is not realistic or even what I would call abstract. I could be wrong, but to me it seems like she just kind of makes the images she creates up in her head and paints them how she sees them. Inka claims that her works are more 'drawings' than paintings.

3) I really enjoyed researching Inka's work because she seems to have learned the rules of creating artwork but then bends the rules to create what she wants. This is how all artwork should be. Too many people are afraid to take risks to better their pieces and if they did they would be more recognized by the general public. Notice in the above piece how the hair of the woman is not necessarily realistic but it makes the piece more interesting this way than it would be if her hair looked realistic.

4) Dominance in Inka's pieces is pretty basic. She tends to focus on one large mass as the only part of a painting. This way the image is the focal point and the viewer has no choice but to focus on the central image.

5) The human form in Inka's pieces is highly abstracted. In some of the pieces I can't really tell if the image is actually containing a human figure. In the piece below the human figure is very clear although abstracted. Even though the human form is not too clear it is still evident that these abstracted images are people. In most of Inka's paintings the human form is very abstracted but in the drawing shown above the human figure is just slightly abstracted.

6) I have realized that not everything has to be completely realistic. Also, doing research will help but sometimes the anatomically or visually correct way is not the correct way to go about something in an art project. Making things abstracted or incorrect sparks interest of the viewer. If someone is looking at a work of art and knows there is something that seems incorrect about it they are more likely to study and become curious about the piece.

7) Inka basically uses a monochromatic color scheme. She does not seem to stick to a particular temperature which surprises me. I personally stick to warm tones and I thought she would have been partial to warm or cool tones in her paintings. It seems as though she may start sketching out an idea and once she comes upon her final decision she knows what color to use. The fact that she uses a monochromatic color scheme makes her pieces very strong. I personally love monochromatic schemes so her usage of them made me very interested in her artwork.

BLOG ASSIGNMENT #4 - ART:21

2006-10-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

ART:21 - Place

1) Defining a place is a simple concept for most people to comprehend because a space is someplace given to us that we cannot customize to fit our preferences and desires. A place is defined differently for each person depending on what kind of space it is. If it is a public space there is usually no real attachment or relation. However, if it is a personal space such as a bedroom it has a much different meaning. A space such as a bedroom may define us because it is personal and our thoughts and ideas are evident in a more personal space.

2)Each one of the artists seems to be influenced by their childhood atmosphere. Each person seems to want to put into their art the kind of atmosphere they enjoyed as a child, but they also seem to incorporate some of the ideas they wish would have been incorporated in their childhood. For example, Sally Mann was raised in an atheistic family. She is still not a religious family, but Sally's daughter claims that her mother's photographs are her bible.

3)Art expresses place because it adds a personality and history to a space that was once boring. Graffiti has always been looked at as street trash, but it is really an art expression that tells some sort of story. I have always viewed it as a form of art but I not see it as much more meaningful than I did before.

4) I feel most connected with Margaret Kilgallen because she is really into the idea of traditional art. She sees billboards as "mind garbage" and she likes it when people make something themselves. I also enjoyed her choices as far as art is concerned because she is very into folk art and traditional ink colors. Modern day artists tend to focus more on modern art and more new age colors. Margaret just does what she loves and her research is part of the reason her art is enjoyable.

5) Richard Serra begins with a model and creates his sculptures with wood and steel. The steel makes the piece easily accessible because the steel pieces are so large and sturdy. The steel also makes the piece available on a large scale since the steel will not collapse.
Sally Mann quoted in her interview "if it [a photo] doesn't have peculiarity, don't take it". This affects the composition of her work because it makes each one of her pieces interesting. She does not just take pictures to hope they mean something, she takes pictures to convey a feeling she has about something.The scale of her work makes it easily accessible because the photos can be displayed in galleries and textbooks.
Margaret Kilgallen and Barry McGee created interesting art that they wanted the whole world to see. They encouraged the expression of art in any way possible and they enjoyed graffiti because it can tell such a wonderful story to anyone that sees it. The work was easily accessible in galleries and the graffiti was accessible to anyone studying a passing train. Their wall paintings were amazing because they seemed to be limitless in size and meaning.
Pepon Osorio was an interesting artist. His work was hard to miss with the bright colors and more than enough subjects for the eye to partially focus on. His work is easily accessible in galleries.

6) When I was a child, there were many places that interested me that were primarily outdoors. Most of these places interested me and there was only one place that I was afraid of. However, I was still interested in the place that I was scared of.
Outdoor Fort - leaves
Creek - filth
Corn Field - itchy
Cemetery - stomach
Pasture - dust

6) The outdoor fort my neighbors and I shared contain some of my best childhood memories. It was virtually invisible to anyone that did not know about it. It was fairly large encasing a picnic table, stove, card table, and tree fort with much room left to spare. The main textures I can recall are the dryness of the leaves and dirt under my bare feet on summer days. I can feel the tree bark rough against my palms and each of my fingers. The trees towered over the large fort and streaks of sunlight poked through areas of it. The area was normally bright and happy because we would all go there to play all day. Nothing else really mattered.

ART:21 - Stories

1) Generally stories of loss and sorrow are told in society today. The news anymore tends to be nothing but depressing. There is rarely an occasion where there is something positive in the news. Movies primarily consist of romantic comedies and sports heroes. The themes all seem to be recurring. If I could be guaranteed that any story would be passed down from my generation to future generations I would want

2) Many stories that are told repeatedly are the stories that teach a lesson. Stories are also told to appeal to peoples' desires. Stories pertaining to love will always exist because most people are interested in it to an extent. Stories pertaining to gossip or daily news do not generally get passed on because usually once they circulate they are forgotten. People care to hear about things they may not necessarily remember for a long period of time.

3) Artists use sketchbooks to work their brains and try to find more than just one basic idea for a project or story. I think these sketchbooks are beneficial because they open an idea up to its' fullest and gives it it more potential to be great. A sketchbook or journal can definitely be a work of art because it is the mapping out of new wonderful ideas that are just miniature parts of what will be the whole.

4)
Age 14 - I wake up at 5:30 a.m. Shower, blowdry hair, makeup, clothes, school. My social life is nearly nonexistent, but I enjoy it the way it is. I still want to be more accepted by other people I just don't know how to get people to like me more. I go home after school and so my homework, then I get online for a few hours to talk to friends. I am in bed by 9 or 10 because my mom makes me go to bed at a certain time.

At the time, my life was so structured. I did not understand why my life was the way it was and I was still confused about people my age. I am still confused about people my age, but I think I misunderstood so much at the time that it made me uncomfortable. It made me mad that I had structure because I was always so independant that I felt I could make my own decisions about when I could do my homework or where I could go. My mom made my have structure in my life in an attempt for me to learn organizational skills. I don't think it helped at all because I am in no way how she wanted me to be.I am glad that she did not let me do certain things at a young age like go on dates and go to unsupervized parties. When I was younger it would make me so upset because all of my friends could go and I wasn't allowed. Now I see where these people are in life and how they feel and I realize how lucky I was to have a strict parent.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #8 - Gradation

2006-10-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Gradation: any gradual transition from one color to another or from one shape or volume to another. In drawing, shading created through the gradation of grays can be used to suggest three-dimensional form.

Angeles - Da Vinci

Da Vinci uses gradation wonderfully in every piece he creates. I chose this piece to represent his use of gradation because I love how he paints the human figure. It is difficult to paint a person's face using the lights and darks because you do not want to make someone look like they have dark skin if they have light skin. It is also difficult to make a dark color close to black without wanting to make it completely black. The shadows cast in folds of the skin and in different areas on the skin appear to be black, but using the color black in a painting makes it weak. Skin tones in general are hard to paint. This painting, along with his others just seems so smooth and delicate. His gradation choice makes the flesh appear to be smooth and real. Many of his pieces look so real that they could be mistaken for a photograph.

The gradation also adds drama. The piece is light up close and the darker areas of the skin are a darker brown color. There is very little black anywhere in the figure. As the piece moves back into space it becomes a color very close to black. I really enjoy that he does not use black in this piece because black would take away from the delicate feeling of the piece.

The gradation in the fabric is highly noticeably. If the fabric did not contain any gradation there would be no drama or realization to it. The folds make their way out of the canvas and definitely add a certain kind of 'pop' to the piece. The outer parts of the folds seem to be a yellowish tan color, and some parts appear to be almost white. The inside parts of the folds are a brown and almost turn black. It is hard for many artists to create such drama with color in their pieces because it is a risk but in this painting the risk pays off.

Overall the choice of gradation in this painting makes it strong. Without the gradation choices the piece would not contain depth and hold interest as it does now. Again, the gradation is a risk but it definitely was a risk worth taking in all of Da Vinci's pieces.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #7 - Analogous Color

2006-10-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

Analogous color: a color scheme based on hues that are adjacent on a color wheel, such as red, red-orange, orange and yellow-orange.

Douglas Montross - Autumn Pear

This piece is a great example of analogous color because it is harmonious in many ways. The piece itself is harmonious, but the colors are what pull it all together. The focus colors in this piece range from a soft yet deep yellow to a deep green. The light and dark colors used to accentuate the primary focuses in this painting include these colors to pull the painting together.

It is important to mix the floor at focus with subordinate and accentual colors so the piece has harmony. Douglas clearly demonstrates this idea in his painting. If other people knew more about this idea paintings would probably be more successful, since many people mainly work with straight colors (red, purple, orange) without adding a bit of the focus color or adding a complimentary color to soften the tone.

There are many different color schemes than can be used in a piece to strengthen it. If a piece does not have a color scheme it is probably not worth the effort because usually a color scheme will either make or break a piece. This color scheme definitely made the piece stronger and the tones used made the piece seem calm.

Tones of a color also play a large part in a painting. If the pear in this painting would have been a bright green and everything else around it were a soft tone the painting would have ended up a failure. Keeping the soft tones with high contrast in the area of the focal point is what made this piece so gripping.

BLOG ENTRY ASSIGNMENT #3

2006-09-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

1. Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever kept a journal, diary, or blog?

Yes. For the past few years I have kept an online diary. It is pretty basic, containing current thoughts and ideas based on my lifestyle at the time of writing. I have never kept an art journal until this year.

2. Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever written about art before?

Yes, often. My art teacher in high school had us do critiques of outside work, other students' work, and our own work very frequently. At the time I didn't like doing it much because I did not understand the purpose of it. Looking back, I believe I attained skills and ideas from others just by studying and writing about their work.

3. Have you ever written for fun (poetry, fiction or non, journalistic, or research)?

A few times. When I write it is usually just for fun to let my mind escape for a bit. I wrote my first semi-serious poem last year and my school ended up publishing it in their literary art magazine. That happening made me lean toward writing more, but I rarely have time to do so with school in session.

4. When writing, do you use a dictionary or thesaurus?

Both, but more thesaurus than dictionary. It makes is to simple to use a thesaurus since it is so easily accessible in Microsoft Word.

5. If given a chance, would you rather discuss art verbally or through written means?

Verbally. I definitely feel that I learn more by looking at something and discussing it than writing about it. I also tend to like group discussions about art because it gives more than just one perspective on a piece of art.

6. How would you rate your overall vocabulary?

My general vocabulary is average to above average. It depends on how tired I am, honestly. I understand above basic vocabulary. If I do not know what a word means I can usually read it in a sentence to understand or infer its' meaning.

7. How would you rate your vocabulary of art terminology?

My knowledge of complete art terminology is probably below average to average as compared to a graduate student. However, compared to other freshman I think my knowledge of art vocabulary is average to above average. My art teacher in high school was dedicated to making sure all of her students were ready for college art courses, even if they were not majoring in an art related field. She drilled us on the elements of art daily, sometimes more than once in a day. I did not understand why it was so important but it is now coming together for me.

8. How would you rate your writing abilities?

Average. It is hard for me to tell what average actually means. In English classes I always do well on essays and papers. Then again, what is great writing to one person may just be mediocre to another.

9. How would you rate your writing abilities when writing about art?

Insecure. Sometimes I do not like writing about art or critiquing it because I know that my own pieces need work. Due to this knowledge why should I be the one to say something looks wrong or needs work when my own piece does. I can critique and write just fine I just need to gain more confidence.

10. How would you rate your ability to use specific vocabulary when writing?

Average. I try to remember to use vocabulary but I tend to forget. I normally write something, proofread, and add in some vocabulary. It just depends on the content of the article and what information is being discussed.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #6 - Gestalt

2006-09-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

Gestalt - A configuration of elements so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its' parts.

Six principles of Gestalt:
*Grouping
*Containment
*Repetition
*Proximity
*Continuity
*Closure

To me, this image demonstrates gestalt in all forms possible. All six principles of gestalt are shown in this work.

This piece demonstrates grouping because more than one horse is used in the image. There is the dominant horse and two subordinate horses behind it, but the three are grouped together.

Containment is also evident because the piece is fluent and the colors are flowing but the eye stays on the page. The colors make the piece wild but not too busy. This is important because it keeps the viewer interested in the piece without making the piece so involved that it is uninteresting.

Repetition is shown in this piece because there are three horses. One, three, and five seem to be pleasing numbers of repetition in art pieces to me. It seems as though if there are even numbers the piece seems too balanced. The repetition in this piece also adds depth.

There is proximity in this painting because there is definately some depth to the piece. There is a large horse in the foreground, a smaller horse in the middleground, and an even smaller horse in the background. I note the overlap of the two subordinate horses and notice that the overlap of those horses makes the largest horse even more dominant. If the horses in the background were touching the horse in the foreground it would make the horses seem like they were one large blob. This would take away from the effect and depth of the piece.

The continuity of this piece makes it successful as well. Everything is related. Even the colors make the piece pull together wonderfully.

Lastly, closure. This piece has closure because the horses seem to form a frame. The viewer first looks at the horse in the foreground, then the two horses in the middle and background. The horse in the foreground has its head turned inward to the left as the horse in the background has its head turned inward toward the right. This makes the piece closed and finished.
Alotgether this piece is very well composed keeping in mind all six principles of Gestalt.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #4 - Implied Line

2006-09-27T08:13:00.001-07:00

Implied Line: 1. a line that is suggested by the positions of shapes or objects within a design. 2. a line that is suggested by movement or by a gesture rather than being physically drawn or constructed.

Meyer Lieberman - Sextet

I find this painting to be an above average example of implied line. The people themselves do not demonstrate implied line, but it is implied that these people are sitting in chairs playing their instruments. They are all bent over as if they are sitting comfortable in chairs but they are really just floating along. Anyone looking at this painting would assume that these people were sitting in chairs even though the chairs are not shown.

It is almost assumed that these people are sitting in the paper. The paper is textured so it may be assumed that the paper itself is a chair. Regardless, people will look at this painting for a bit since the circle of meaning is pretty open. No one really knows what this painting may represent or why these people are acting as if they are sitting in chairs when they really are not.

Implied line is evident, but why? Does it strengthen the piece? Why did the artist decide to not put chairs in this piece? I think the implied line concept in this painting does strengthen the piece because it makes the viewer question why the piece is the way it is. This makes the piece memorable to the viewer because if a person questions a piece's meaning they will more than likely remember it.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #5 - Definition

2006-09-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Definition: 1. The degree to a shape is distinguished from both the ground area and from other shapes within the design. Clearly defined shapes tend to advance while blurred shapes tend to recede. 2. The degree of resolution or focus of an entire image.

Poussin Nikola - An Ideal Landscape
Trees and people atop a hill: it is quite evident. Up close, these aspects are all detailed and obvious. The trees have the texture of bark and the peoples' clothes are soft and warm. Each leaf is painted and detailed individually. Everything in the front is defined in such a way that it is nearly realistic.
As the objects in this piece move back into space they get a bit blurry. They are not as detailed as the trees and people in the foreground.
In the background the trees and a house atop the mountain are barely visible. This form of definition gives the piece a sense of space. The leaves on the trees are not clearly defined in the background. Instead the trees are simply a trunk with a carefully placed rendering of the leaves in a tree. This idea in the painting makes it wonderful, because simply the point of view is accurate. Standing in a forest a person will see each pine needle, leaf, and blade of grass surrounding them. As a person looks farther into the forest, details blur and eventually fade away: just as portrayed in this painting. If everything in the painting were detailed it would make the piece seem flat and it would be too busy. This piece has a clearly defined foreground, and there is a smooth transition to the middleground and the background.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #3 - Overlap

2006-09-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Overlap: 1. To lie or extend over and cover part of. 2.To have an area or range in common with.

This painting by Steve Skinner is a wonderful example of overlap. It is a still life of what looks to be a plant in a basket. The color scheme is wonderful and all of the colors are blended well so the painting is pleasing to the viewer. This painting has wonderful overlap because there is a foreground, middleground, and background. This idea gives the painting depth.

This form of overlap suggests the plant to be the dominant subject in the painting. The leaf in the lefthand corner is the dominant subject, as the other pieces of grass and leaves are subordinate. The basket is in the background and is accentual.

Altogether, this form of overlap gave this painting a positive turnout and it made the painting much better than it would be if overlap was not used. In general when overlap is used in a painting it makes everything much more interesting.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #2 - Juxtapose

2006-09-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Juxtapose- Images next to each other in a composition that work together to make the piece pleasing to the eye.

L'admiration de la foret

The juxtaposition of the trees in this photo are pleasing to the eye. The image itself is great because it has depth. Notice the largest tree in the foreground has the most detail. The rocks by the tree also contain a great amount of detail. As the trees move into the middleground and background, they get smaller and less detailed. The idea of space makes the image seem larger and makes it more realistic.

The analogous colors used in this painting are also a form of juxtaposition. The warm colors of predominantly yellow along with bits of red and orange are arranged on the canvas in such a way that they balance one another out. Even if there are colors other than the predominant analogous colors (blue, white) they still contain a twinge of yellow to tie the piece together.

IMAGE ASSIGNMENT #1 - Hierarchy

2006-09-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hierarchy- a system of ranking and organizing things or people, where each element of the system (except for the top element) is subordinate to a single other element.

"Boomerang"

This is an original oil painting by emerging artist Scott Andrew Spencer. I found it extremely relevant to hierarchy because the image at the top, which is probably the boomerang, is the most dominant image in the painting. All of the other images painting are subordinate to the dominant image. There are also a few accentual shapes.

I chose to critique this painting because it compelled me in some way. Normally, abstract cubistic paintings do not attract my attention but this one seemed to pull me in. It is more than likely just the layout and design of the painting. All of the images keep the attention of the viewert and the piece and creates a harmony that is pleasing.

This composition demonstrates hierarchy in one main way. The top, largest element is the dominant figure. All of the other shapes are either subordinate or accentual to the large shape. Of the subordinate figures, there are accentual shapes. Of the accentual shapes there are also accentuals. What I mean by this is that none of the shapes are the same size or shape.

The way this image's hierarchy is composed makes it work well. The hierarchy keeps the eye traveling around the page, it does not lead the viewer off the page. The shapes are positioned well because they are not the same distance apart from one another, and they are not the same size. The contrast of shapes and colors in this piece makes it pleasing and visually satisfying to the viewer.

BLOG ENTRY ASSIGNMENT #2

2006-09-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was very concerned that the juxtaposed images should relate to each other before I rendered my first version of our first project. When I came into class the day our projects were due I noticed that many people did not relate their images to one another and I was worried that I did something wrong...But at the same time the syllabus for the assignment never said we could or could not relate the images to one another so my worries quickly left my mind.

I came across the images I wanted to use just flipping through one of my many fashion magazines. I did not have a specific topic or design in mind, but I wanted to build a little inspiration before I decided exactly what it was I wanted to do. The images I chose for my final piece were lips (dominant), eyes (subordinate), and just the length of the body (accentual). I chose lips as my dominant subject because I saw this wonderful advertisement for a new brand of lipstick and it really grabbed hold of my attention. Since I chose lips as my dominant subject I felt as though I should either use foods or other body parts as my subordinate subjects. In the end, I chose to use generally facial features because beauty and body image are such highly recognized ideas in society today. Most people think that the only way to be beautiful is to be unhealthily thin.

My theme did develop as I worked on my project. At first I just chose lips and did not know what I should add as my other two subjects in my overall design. I then chose to use other body parts as my subjects. After looking through my magazines I realized how much body image impacts everyone every single day. People are so worried about the media and what other people think of them that they will stop at nothing to have the best clothing, makeup, and especially body type.

The lips are the dominant subject in my project for one main reason. I actually came across an article in the first magazine I browsed through and it was about people temporarily and sometimes permanently enlarging their lips. Some people want them enlarged for a few days so they actually go into a clinic where bees sting peoples' lips to infect them. If people want something longer lasting they may go with collagen lip injections which usually last for a couple of months. For permanent enlargement, people get lip augmentations. In this case, a needle is stuck through the lip or lips and the effects of scar tissue and the procedure the lips are left this way forever. Both ways leave the lips looking swollen, and in my opinion unnatural and somewhat unattractive.

In this case, I wanted the lips to be the largest and most dominant because I felt a lot of passion toward this article. I felt that people are starting to worry about more than just the few extra pounds around their waist. People are starting to pick themselves apart and trying to make themselves flawless. I think the fact that these images are larger and more dominant than the other images makes them the most noticed in the piece.

The smaller images pull the viewer in noticeably. The subordinate images I chose to use were eyes. For a couple of the images I used complete eyes, and for the other images I used only the pupils of the eyes. I believe these images pull people in because it is hard look at people or images without going directly to the eyes. It is human nature to look someone in the eyes when trying to communicate with them. In my opinion the eyes were the best subordinate images for me to pick, but it would have been interesting to experiment with other body parts such as limbs or other facial features (ears, nostrils) as well.

I believe my accentual, which were just a few thinner lines really made my piece. When I turned my piece in I glanced at it one final time and noticed that all of my lines were of the same thickness. Even though I should have made them of all different sizes, they were all different lengths and I think without them my piece would not have been as complete. I think they helped keep the eye on the paper, sort of acting like a fence. The accentual lines kept the viewer focused on the mouths and eyes in the piece. I do not think my accentual provided an area of focus because they were not as interesting as they mouths and eyes, but they kept the viewer focused on the dominant and subordinate images which was my goal in this project.

BLOG ENTRY ASSIGNMENT #1

2006-08-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hello blog, my name is Carlee and I am a native to the Toledo area. I have enjoyed art my whole life, but didn't take a particular liking to it until my freshman year in high school. Since then, I have become more passionate about my art. With each project my love for it seems to grow, even if the project consists of a medium or idea I am not particularly fond of. Altogether, this will be my fifth year learning about the principles of art.

The sources of my ideas come from a wide range of places. I am inspired by fashion, photographs, books, any form of art really. I highly appreciate and am inspired by the works of Georgia O'Keffe and Salvador Dali. However, I appreciate numerous other artists and am looking forward to learning more about them. All past artists are the basis for techniques current artists are using, and everyone inspires one another to some extent.

I personally learn the most in an environment which everyone is focused on learning. People that are not interested in learning or being in the class make it harder to grasp new concepts and ideas. Sometimes it may be hard to focus on some ideas mentioned in class because it is easy to zone out at times, but that does not mean people should ruin this experience for others. I also enjoy constructive criticism. There is nothing wrong with suggestions because everyone is in the classroom to learn and grow in ways they have not yet encountered.

So far, I have used the mediums of graphite, charcoal, chalk, colored pencils, india ink, wax, watercolor paint, tempera paint, and acrylic paint. My teacher in high school did the best she could to make sure we used as many art materials as we could get our hands on so we could learn what we liked to work with best. I worked with acrylic paint the most because it seemed to work the best for me. It has been my favorite medium since I discovered it my sophmore year in painting class. At first, I was afraid I would ruin my stark white, newly streched canvas but I soon learned that I could layer the paint and there was no such thing as a mistake.

Just being around art materials makes me excited. I just feel like art is something I need to do to define myself. I feel inspired to learn more about it and in turn come up with ideas of my own to express how I feel about it.

Any kind of art inspires me. Some types of art inspire me more than others, but for the most part I am inspired by all types of artistic expression. Music and people also inspire me because they give me ideas for new kinds of expression. I believe my works turn out better when I have music playing as I work. When I see peoples' artwork or when people critique my work it inspires me because it makes me want to put more effort into my artwork.

The definition I have for art is simply any way a person effectively expresses themself. I believe this definition is logical because everyone has a different way of expressing themself. Due to this, each person has a different idea of what art is. If a person writes, makes music, paints, or does anything to express themself in a way they feel suitable it is art. Even if someone expresses themself in a way they feel is are and no one else in the world would concider it to be art, it is still a form of art.

Again, Art is defined differently by each person. Everyone has a different idea of what art is. Honestly, as long as someone puts everything they've got into the art they are creating and it means something to them, it is art.

Movies, music, video games, comics, and television are all forms of art. They all start out with a script, a plan, a motive. Someone has a passion to write, draw, or construct some sort of plan to start something. This requires a person to be driven to express a passion they had inside of them, to create something they had no guarantee would be successful. When someone creates a work of art, there is no guarantee it will be famous so the artist has to give the work everything they've got and hope for the best.

I don't personally think it's my responsibility to decide what is art and what is not. Everyone has a different idea of what they believe art is so what I believe to be art is not necessarily what others believe to be art. Everyone should have their own opinion about art. When it comes to art works, people can have opinions but no one is necessarily right or wrong.

I chose to pursue art because it is definately something I can devote time to and not feel as if my time is being wasted. Art is something I can devote my life to without feeling as if I have wasted money on schooling or that I have forced myself into a career that does not suit me. Most people in the world have to work, some people like their jobs more than others. There will always be days where I wake up and do not want to go to school or work, but if I am going into a career I enjoy it won't be nearly as much of a struggle as if I were going into a career I did not enjoy just to make better money. A career needs to involve money because people need to make a living, but money is not everything.

Music and movies fall into many different categories and genres. There are several important factors in composition when it comes to music. The most obvious requirements for music to be successful are: lyrical flow, instrumental talent, and vocal abilities. In movies the most obvious crucial factors for success are: acting ability, budget, script, director/cast, and how much time was put into the movie. So many factors can determine whether a musical artist or an actor will become successful.

I do not watch movies very often at all, I am more of a reader I suppose. Crash was probably one of the best movies out in 2005 but it is hard to say that it is my favorite since it is one of the few movies I watched all year. I liked it because it plunged right into racism and there was not really a place the line was drawn. Everything played out in the movie as it would in real life as far as racism in the United States goes. The acting was definately satisfactory and it was very well composed.

Oh, art films. There are so many films I would concider art films. The first ones that come to mind are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, What Dreams May Come, and Big Fish. The older Disney movies are also art films. Examples of these are Snow White, Pinnocchio, Cinderella, and newer films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King. The movies that involve real people require proficient acting skills as well as a great script and an experienced stage crew. Animated movies require devoted artists and much patience; especially the the older films. The older disney movies and cartoons required an artist to paint each frame of the movie by hand. Due to technilogical advances, artists do not have to do that ever again!

I go to the Toledo Museum of Art a few times a year, and the last time I went was at the beginning of the summer. I went to Owens Community College last year and there was a student gallery in the fall and again in the spring that I enjoyed. Other than that, I have not seen much other than what is shown in textbooks. I am looking forward to exploring local artists and learning about other works of art more fluently.

The last drawings and sculptures I did were in the spring because I had a drawing and a ceramics class at Owens. I worked on a painting all summer and I enjoyed it very much. I am looking to start something new very soon and am searching for some new inspiration.

My favorite CD would definately be Bright Eyes- Fevers and Mirrors. Bright Eyes is definately my favorite band of all time. He, however, is the only person in his band but he writes all of his own lyrics and music. His abilities are above proficient, in my opinion and if I had to pick an artist to listen to the rest of my life, it would definately be him.