Compared to the last two artists, Ed Ruscha’s Standard Station is neither a wood cut or an engraving. it’s a screen print and as far as stylization goes it is very stylized. The simplicity of this image is beautiful. There are so few colors used yet they are used in such a way that the image itself stands out. The red Gasoline pumps which would not stand out against the sky, stand out starkly against the beige of the station. This also holds true with the “Standard” Sign, which would be missed amongst the intense orange yet seems so bright in comparison to the blue sky in which it sits.
In Comparison to Standard Station, March Chagall’s Solomon from the Bible is very different. Not only is it a lithograph instead of a screenprint but the images are made up of distinct black lines, whereas Ed Ruscha’s screen print had no lines around his chosen colors. Solomon from the Bible Also lacks that crisp transitioning between colors. Colors don’t end, instead they bleed and blend together to color the piece and without the black outlines it would be difficult to depict the image at all. However, much like Ed Ruscha’s, Chagall’s lithograph is very simple. Both pieces, regardless of colors, are flat, and the lines used in Solomon from the Bible Are used minimally and very simply very much as the colors in Standard Station were used very minimally and simply.
Although it is difficult to say which one is in essence “better” in my mind due to both pieces being so different, I will say that I much prefer the clean-cut simplicity of Ed Ruscha’s colors over the muddled hues in Marc Chagall’s work. I can see how this kind of image would be mark able and easily reproducible and overall “Likable”.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Chapter Eight: Artist Contrast 1
Albrecht Durer’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a beautiful woodcut and while Durer is given credit for the drawing it is possible that he did not carve the tedious hatching lines himself. This print is phenomenal because of its intricacies. Considering it had to be carved into wood the detail is phenomenal and the scene, albeit a bit gruesome, is mythical as well particularly with the angel swooping amongst the clouds. Ironically, while the angel is swooping down from the top of the print, there are people being trampled underfoot at the bottom of the print and a beast with its mouth wide open, swallowing them.
Contrasting to Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is Raphael’s drawing The Judgment of Paris, engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi. This drawing is taken from mythology more so than Four Horseman of the Apocalypse yet it lacks the gruesome death of humanity. There is no disease in the drawing. In fact, the scene depicted does not even have the mortality of humans in it. Instead it is filled with the beautiful images of greek gods and goddesses. Coincidentally the “angel” in this drawing is in the upper center portion of the piece as well, only slightly lower than where Durer's angel is depicted. Only there are no horses following him. In fact in this drawing the horsemen are heading in the opposite direction and not gruesomely trampling humans underfoot which is always a plus.
Despite this, I prefer Durer’s woodcut. Raphael’s and Raimondi’s engraving is more ascetically pleasing and “beautiful” but every time I glance back at Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse I notice something new, something different that I had not seen the last time and it draws me in all over again whereas in The Judgement of Paris, my mind basically just sees a gathering of beautiful people. It just does not have the same illustrative quality.
Contrasting to Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is Raphael’s drawing The Judgment of Paris, engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi. This drawing is taken from mythology more so than Four Horseman of the Apocalypse yet it lacks the gruesome death of humanity. There is no disease in the drawing. In fact, the scene depicted does not even have the mortality of humans in it. Instead it is filled with the beautiful images of greek gods and goddesses. Coincidentally the “angel” in this drawing is in the upper center portion of the piece as well, only slightly lower than where Durer's angel is depicted. Only there are no horses following him. In fact in this drawing the horsemen are heading in the opposite direction and not gruesomely trampling humans underfoot which is always a plus.
Despite this, I prefer Durer’s woodcut. Raphael’s and Raimondi’s engraving is more ascetically pleasing and “beautiful” but every time I glance back at Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse I notice something new, something different that I had not seen the last time and it draws me in all over again whereas in The Judgement of Paris, my mind basically just sees a gathering of beautiful people. It just does not have the same illustrative quality.
Lecture Analysis: Identity
Identity is one of those things that vary from person to person. No one has the same sense of identity nor does anyone have the same level of identity. Most importantly though, not all people are happy with the identity that they are seemingly stuck with.
Second Identities, are not necessarily a reflection of ourselves (although they could be) but a reflection of who an individual would like to be. This is taken to an extreme in Avatar where wheel-chair bound Jake Sully is given an Avatar body to pilot and control where he can walk, run, jump. Not all second identities are as immersive as Jake’s though. Some can exist as a mere virtual character online, as we also learned. This character can be anyone, thick, thin, redhead blond, It does not even have to be human. The physical attributes can be the exact same as the person playing the character yet the personality can be different.
After all, compared to physical appearance it can sometimes be more difficult to change one’s personality as we often times act differently around different people thus distinguishing, in a sense, multiple identities. With friends, a person could be fun-loving, lazy, and loud, however when dealing with their boss that same person can become a quiet, dutiful hard worker, and then transform into the golden child or better yet, the rule breaker, when surrounded by family.
Overall I enjoyed the lecture. Not only did I get to watch Avatar in class (Huzzah!), but it left me with more thoughts in my head then when I entered a classroom which, to me, is very important.
Second Identities, are not necessarily a reflection of ourselves (although they could be) but a reflection of who an individual would like to be. This is taken to an extreme in Avatar where wheel-chair bound Jake Sully is given an Avatar body to pilot and control where he can walk, run, jump. Not all second identities are as immersive as Jake’s though. Some can exist as a mere virtual character online, as we also learned. This character can be anyone, thick, thin, redhead blond, It does not even have to be human. The physical attributes can be the exact same as the person playing the character yet the personality can be different.
After all, compared to physical appearance it can sometimes be more difficult to change one’s personality as we often times act differently around different people thus distinguishing, in a sense, multiple identities. With friends, a person could be fun-loving, lazy, and loud, however when dealing with their boss that same person can become a quiet, dutiful hard worker, and then transform into the golden child or better yet, the rule breaker, when surrounded by family.
Overall I enjoyed the lecture. Not only did I get to watch Avatar in class (Huzzah!), but it left me with more thoughts in my head then when I entered a classroom which, to me, is very important.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Chapter Seven: Artist Contrast 1
Zhang Daqian’s “Mountains clearing After Rain” Is a beautiful scroll done with ink and color on paper. It looks very much like water color. The majority of the piece is composed of cool hues or greens and smoky blues to be more specific. The images are vague and the colors bleed together beautifully with pigments of reds and orange intermingling with the blues and greens. There appears to be a buildings on a portion of the mountains and more buildings far below. At the bottom right hand corner foliage and trees.
In Comparison to this beautiful by Daqian, Pablo Picasso’s “Guitar and Wine Glass” is vague in a completely different sort of way and that way is meaning. The image itself, a collage and charcoal, is crisp an clean. It is composed of eight distinguishable items that are easy enough to point to tell where one begins and one ends unlike “Mountains Clearing After Rain” Where the colors blend and bleed with each other to create one indistinguishable object.
Picasso‘s choice and use of the colors in this collage is also very different as well. Instead of focusing on a cool color palette, Picasso uses primarily shades of browns in this piece with the exception of the blue rectangle shape in the very middle, the black half-moon at the bottom, and the white circle hovering just above it.
As stated previously, the primary similarity in the two paintings is that they both are very vague. It is unlikely that the true image that each painting depicts would be envisioned and coherent if not for the Artists’ helpful titles which clearly suggests what should be seen within the artwork.
Unfortunately in Picasso‘s case, even the title “Guitar and Wine Glass” Does not make the collage hint at a guitar and wine glass. However, this is not the case with Zhang Daqian’s wall scroll. After reading the title it is easy enough to make out the mountains clearing after a draught of bad weather, the lines that make up what could be buildings, and the rainy clouds off in a difference. In addition to this the choice of colors definitely gives it a “rainy day” sort of appeal and feeling.
In Comparison to this beautiful by Daqian, Pablo Picasso’s “Guitar and Wine Glass” is vague in a completely different sort of way and that way is meaning. The image itself, a collage and charcoal, is crisp an clean. It is composed of eight distinguishable items that are easy enough to point to tell where one begins and one ends unlike “Mountains Clearing After Rain” Where the colors blend and bleed with each other to create one indistinguishable object.
Picasso‘s choice and use of the colors in this collage is also very different as well. Instead of focusing on a cool color palette, Picasso uses primarily shades of browns in this piece with the exception of the blue rectangle shape in the very middle, the black half-moon at the bottom, and the white circle hovering just above it.
As stated previously, the primary similarity in the two paintings is that they both are very vague. It is unlikely that the true image that each painting depicts would be envisioned and coherent if not for the Artists’ helpful titles which clearly suggests what should be seen within the artwork.
Unfortunately in Picasso‘s case, even the title “Guitar and Wine Glass” Does not make the collage hint at a guitar and wine glass. However, this is not the case with Zhang Daqian’s wall scroll. After reading the title it is easy enough to make out the mountains clearing after a draught of bad weather, the lines that make up what could be buildings, and the rainy clouds off in a difference. In addition to this the choice of colors definitely gives it a “rainy day” sort of appeal and feeling.
Chapter Seven: Artist Contrast 1
In chapter seven the two paintings “young woman with a Gold Pectoral” From Fayun in 100-150 C.E. and “The School of Athens” painted by Raphael in 1510-11 caught my eye.
First off, “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” is an encaustic painting and is part of the reason why this painting is so interesting. This medium involves wax that is melted, mixed with pigment, and then painted, creating layers of varying thickness upon the painting surface. The textbooks likens it to wax candle drippings. Then, heat is applied swept over the final painting to further ensure the different hues blending. This Technique works well in “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” The colors are beautiful more natural and earthy tones as opposed to the flashy colors often seen nowadays. The subjects eyes are huge and dark, very much like the saying “mirrors to the soul”. This is part of the reason it caught my attention despite being what appears to be a simple portrait.
Although the color choice in Raphael’s “the School of Athens” are very similar to “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” with earthy tones of browns and beiges, the painting itself is very different.
Rather than being an encaustic painting, it is a Fresco, a painting done on still-damp plaster and whereas most mediums are still changeable after being put down, Fresco’s are permanent.
This particular beautiful mural features an entire group of people instead of just a simple portrait and focuses primarily on the depiction of the Greek Philosophers Plato and Aristotle .
Whereas “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” Her eyes could be mirrors into her soul, I think Raphael’s mural presents a different kind of mirror: a mirror into the mind. This is only strengthened by the appearance of the two well known philosophers.
Overall Both paintings are beautiful and stunning. The simplicity and textural quality of “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” grants the painting a unique quality and despite being anything but simple, Raphael’s stunning mural is not to be out done as it opens up into the great city of Athens.
First off, “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” is an encaustic painting and is part of the reason why this painting is so interesting. This medium involves wax that is melted, mixed with pigment, and then painted, creating layers of varying thickness upon the painting surface. The textbooks likens it to wax candle drippings. Then, heat is applied swept over the final painting to further ensure the different hues blending. This Technique works well in “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” The colors are beautiful more natural and earthy tones as opposed to the flashy colors often seen nowadays. The subjects eyes are huge and dark, very much like the saying “mirrors to the soul”. This is part of the reason it caught my attention despite being what appears to be a simple portrait.
Although the color choice in Raphael’s “the School of Athens” are very similar to “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” with earthy tones of browns and beiges, the painting itself is very different.
Rather than being an encaustic painting, it is a Fresco, a painting done on still-damp plaster and whereas most mediums are still changeable after being put down, Fresco’s are permanent.
This particular beautiful mural features an entire group of people instead of just a simple portrait and focuses primarily on the depiction of the Greek Philosophers Plato and Aristotle .
Whereas “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” Her eyes could be mirrors into her soul, I think Raphael’s mural presents a different kind of mirror: a mirror into the mind. This is only strengthened by the appearance of the two well known philosophers.
Overall Both paintings are beautiful and stunning. The simplicity and textural quality of “Young Woman with a Gold Pectoral” grants the painting a unique quality and despite being anything but simple, Raphael’s stunning mural is not to be out done as it opens up into the great city of Athens.
Chapter Six: Artist Contrast 1
Chapter six discusses drawing and the various drawing surfaces and mediums. Because most drawings are studies and non-serious work, this chapter offers an entirely different selection of artwork to pick from.
Drawings are wonderful because they often times are studies and can show how an artist begins the process of a thought or concept which is still identifiable in the finished product. A good example of this is Filippino Lippi’s “Figure studies: standing nude and seated man reading”. This particular drawing is done in metal point on pale pink paper. As titled, it is a study of the human figure and is realistically rendered with the metal point.
In contrast to this “Prince Among Thieves with Flowers” By Chris Ofili, is completed in Graphite rather than a study of figure, Ofili uses the pencils to draw attention to the portrait made up of small afro-haired heads. In the background he used harder pencils to create the lighter, sharper image of the flowers.
Ofili uses a newer technique and the resulting image is certainly cleaner and more modern. This is not just because of his choice of medium but also how he stylized the drawing.
Unlike Filippino Lippi’s figure study, where you might be able to identify a portion of the image without seeing the rest, in “Prince among Thieves with Flowers” if a small portion of the drawing was separated from the rest it is doubtful that the portion will remain recognizable and hint at the full image.
Also some-what coinciding with this is the fact that Lippi’s figure study is created to appear three-dimensional whereas Ofili’s drawing is flat and without the transitional use of value.
Drawings are wonderful because they often times are studies and can show how an artist begins the process of a thought or concept which is still identifiable in the finished product. A good example of this is Filippino Lippi’s “Figure studies: standing nude and seated man reading”. This particular drawing is done in metal point on pale pink paper. As titled, it is a study of the human figure and is realistically rendered with the metal point.
In contrast to this “Prince Among Thieves with Flowers” By Chris Ofili, is completed in Graphite rather than a study of figure, Ofili uses the pencils to draw attention to the portrait made up of small afro-haired heads. In the background he used harder pencils to create the lighter, sharper image of the flowers.
Ofili uses a newer technique and the resulting image is certainly cleaner and more modern. This is not just because of his choice of medium but also how he stylized the drawing.
Unlike Filippino Lippi’s figure study, where you might be able to identify a portion of the image without seeing the rest, in “Prince among Thieves with Flowers” if a small portion of the drawing was separated from the rest it is doubtful that the portion will remain recognizable and hint at the full image.
Also some-what coinciding with this is the fact that Lippi’s figure study is created to appear three-dimensional whereas Ofili’s drawing is flat and without the transitional use of value.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Lecture Analysis: Blind Contour Drawing
This evening we discussed drawing and how our brain often times interferes and makes the process of drawing infinitely harder by skewing what we truly see into what we think we see or how I brain processes what we see.
To get around this the whole class participated in a Blind Contour Drawing. This is a type of drawing done without looking at the paper. It is supposed to be completed without lifting your pencil from the paper or lifting it only the smallest amount of times possible.
Despite my dislike of this particular exercise, it is a useful thing to do. Much like a warm up before a work out, it can help ease the mind and sometimes can take a person to a complete other world. unfortunately, despite the benefits, most contour drawings do not exactly turn out pretty.
To get around this the whole class participated in a Blind Contour Drawing. This is a type of drawing done without looking at the paper. It is supposed to be completed without lifting your pencil from the paper or lifting it only the smallest amount of times possible.
Despite my dislike of this particular exercise, it is a useful thing to do. Much like a warm up before a work out, it can help ease the mind and sometimes can take a person to a complete other world. unfortunately, despite the benefits, most contour drawings do not exactly turn out pretty.
Chapter Five: Artist Contrast 2
Also found in chapter five, Principles of Design, are the two paintings “the three ages of woman and Death” painted by Hans Baldung Grien, and “Venus with a Mirror” by Titian.
Both paintings were completed at the same relative time, about fifty years apart. Both paintings also depict a woman admiring her reflection in a mirror. However, in “Three ages of woman and death” the woman is holding a small hand mirror and in “venus with a Mirror” it is a cherub holding the mirror in which the Goddess Venus admires herself in. Coincidentally there is also the form of a child in Hans Baldung Grien’s painting, only rather than a cherub it is the woman’s younger self playing amidst the scarf tied around her hair.
While both paintings are very similar their major difference is ironic. In “The three ages of woman and Death” the young woman is gazing into the hand miroor and admiring her current beauty. This painting draws attention to mortality and the aging process of humans. It depicts the woman’s child-self, more interested in playing than anything else, the woman in her “current state” admiring her youthful beauty, and then her older self fighting off death who is holding the ever significant hour glass over the young woman’s head, as though waiting for the last sand to fall so that her life might be claimed. What is ironic about this in comparison to “venus with a Mirror” is that the Goddess of Love is immortal and her beauty and life far surpasses the “mortality” of the woman in Hans Baldung Grien’s painting. Venus will be beautiful forever. She does not have to worry about aging or death which, I believe, gives Grien’s painting a more significant meaning behind it.
Both paintings were completed at the same relative time, about fifty years apart. Both paintings also depict a woman admiring her reflection in a mirror. However, in “Three ages of woman and death” the woman is holding a small hand mirror and in “venus with a Mirror” it is a cherub holding the mirror in which the Goddess Venus admires herself in. Coincidentally there is also the form of a child in Hans Baldung Grien’s painting, only rather than a cherub it is the woman’s younger self playing amidst the scarf tied around her hair.
While both paintings are very similar their major difference is ironic. In “The three ages of woman and Death” the young woman is gazing into the hand miroor and admiring her current beauty. This painting draws attention to mortality and the aging process of humans. It depicts the woman’s child-self, more interested in playing than anything else, the woman in her “current state” admiring her youthful beauty, and then her older self fighting off death who is holding the ever significant hour glass over the young woman’s head, as though waiting for the last sand to fall so that her life might be claimed. What is ironic about this in comparison to “venus with a Mirror” is that the Goddess of Love is immortal and her beauty and life far surpasses the “mortality” of the woman in Hans Baldung Grien’s painting. Venus will be beautiful forever. She does not have to worry about aging or death which, I believe, gives Grien’s painting a more significant meaning behind it.
Chapter Five: Artist Contrast 1
“Burning Houses of Parliament” is a painting created by Joseph Mallord William Turner. Physically it is thirty-six and one fourth by fouryy-eight and one half inches. However in the book it is tiny, tiny but beautiful.
Turner created the painting with asymmetrical balance. The brightness of the flames is balanced out by the whitneness of the bridge. In Addition to balance this painting also has movement. The white bridge leads to the crowd of onlookers and more specifically the single white lamp. In turn this lamp and crowds draws the eye across the canvas to the fire before leading off to the smoke and the stars.
Despite the fact that it is based on an event that actually happened, which Turner had the ability to whiteness from a boat on the Thames River in London, I cannot help but find the painting almost unreal. I enjoy the contrast of the yellow flames against the blue sky as well as how the white bridge seems so bright in comparison to the darkness of the crowd of people.
Whereas “burning House of Parliament” is a depiction of a real life event, Rene Magritte’s “Delusions of Grandeur II” is not. In fact, it does not show any event, real or fictitious. Instead, Magritte plays with the scale of his subject, a woman’s body, by separating it into three pieces that get smaller and smaller the higher they are stacked. The sky is also skewed. At the top of the painting it breaks off, proving to be blue boxes stacked up while clouds weave themselves around the boxes.
Altogether, Joseph Mallord William Turner, and Rene Magritte are two very different people and artists. They were from different times as well as different countries. Turner focuses on real, touchable events whereas Magritte played with scale and manipulation to create scenes that never existed and probably never will exist in real life.
Turner created the painting with asymmetrical balance. The brightness of the flames is balanced out by the whitneness of the bridge. In Addition to balance this painting also has movement. The white bridge leads to the crowd of onlookers and more specifically the single white lamp. In turn this lamp and crowds draws the eye across the canvas to the fire before leading off to the smoke and the stars.
Despite the fact that it is based on an event that actually happened, which Turner had the ability to whiteness from a boat on the Thames River in London, I cannot help but find the painting almost unreal. I enjoy the contrast of the yellow flames against the blue sky as well as how the white bridge seems so bright in comparison to the darkness of the crowd of people.
Whereas “burning House of Parliament” is a depiction of a real life event, Rene Magritte’s “Delusions of Grandeur II” is not. In fact, it does not show any event, real or fictitious. Instead, Magritte plays with the scale of his subject, a woman’s body, by separating it into three pieces that get smaller and smaller the higher they are stacked. The sky is also skewed. At the top of the painting it breaks off, proving to be blue boxes stacked up while clouds weave themselves around the boxes.
Altogether, Joseph Mallord William Turner, and Rene Magritte are two very different people and artists. They were from different times as well as different countries. Turner focuses on real, touchable events whereas Magritte played with scale and manipulation to create scenes that never existed and probably never will exist in real life.
Escape from Electricity
10/04/11 Art Project 1
I told my family about the assignment given to us in Art 100 C. My mother felt inclined to laugh. "No Electricity? No thank you." Unfortunately I was limited to my only my bedroom in this escape from the frustrating energy source. I occupied my time with drawing by candle light which offered a completely different sort of drawing experience. I had originally planned to read until I remembered that the book I wanted to read was a digital copy on my Kindle which (surprise!) you have to charge and use electricity for.
The drawing was interrupted by frequent visits from my little sister whom the room also belongs to. She found great enjoyment in flipping on the light, blinding me, before grabbing what she needed, turning the lights off, and plunging me into darkness once again.
In one of these excursions she let my cat in. He and candles do not mix. Twice he had nearly knocked the candle down and after deciding the candle was becoming more of a fire hazard than anything else, I blew it out and went to bed.
Overall I think it is ridiculously difficult to escape from electricity. It is everywhere nowadays. Just stepping outside will make the hum of a street light noticeable or the headlights of a car.
I told my family about the assignment given to us in Art 100 C. My mother felt inclined to laugh. "No Electricity? No thank you." Unfortunately I was limited to my only my bedroom in this escape from the frustrating energy source. I occupied my time with drawing by candle light which offered a completely different sort of drawing experience. I had originally planned to read until I remembered that the book I wanted to read was a digital copy on my Kindle which (surprise!) you have to charge and use electricity for.
The drawing was interrupted by frequent visits from my little sister whom the room also belongs to. She found great enjoyment in flipping on the light, blinding me, before grabbing what she needed, turning the lights off, and plunging me into darkness once again.
In one of these excursions she let my cat in. He and candles do not mix. Twice he had nearly knocked the candle down and after deciding the candle was becoming more of a fire hazard than anything else, I blew it out and went to bed.
Overall I think it is ridiculously difficult to escape from electricity. It is everywhere nowadays. Just stepping outside will make the hum of a street light noticeable or the headlights of a car.
Lecture Analysis: Graffiti
10/04/11 (Late blog post)
During this particular week in class we watched a video on Graffiti and voted yay or nay on whether or not we find it acceptable.
I am torn between the two sides. For me, it depends on where, when, and what. For instance, if its just a name written with nothing particularly "artsy" about it, then I don't want to see it and it becomes a nuisance, such as profanity scrawled over a bathroom stall. This kind of Graffiti I find pointless because it has no real expression in it. It does not peak my interest and I end up more annoyed with whoever wrote it than appreciative. Yet when larger, complex word types and imagery begins to appear it grabs my attention and I want to see more of it. Instead of a nusiance it creates interest.
During this particular week in class we watched a video on Graffiti and voted yay or nay on whether or not we find it acceptable.
I am torn between the two sides. For me, it depends on where, when, and what. For instance, if its just a name written with nothing particularly "artsy" about it, then I don't want to see it and it becomes a nuisance, such as profanity scrawled over a bathroom stall. This kind of Graffiti I find pointless because it has no real expression in it. It does not peak my interest and I end up more annoyed with whoever wrote it than appreciative. Yet when larger, complex word types and imagery begins to appear it grabs my attention and I want to see more of it. Instead of a nusiance it creates interest.
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