Video Review

1.     In the video Through the Eyes of a Sculptor they discuss the process of creating a marble sculpture.  The process required a lot more work then I would have thought.  First the artist has to create a clay version of what they want the marble sculpture to look like.  After they are satisfied with the clay representation they create a mold using silicon and plaster.  When the mold is finished, it is removed from they clay and filled with plaster.  This plaster representation of the sculpture is then sent to a workshop that specializes in creating marble sculptures.  From there the artist chooses the block of marble they believe works for the piece.  Someone working in the workshop then carves away the big chunks of marble to create a basic shape of the sculpture.  When this step is finished another person carves the basic details out of the marble until the artist is satisfied and is ready to finish.  The artist takes over the sculpting process when they feel ready and carve the final details.  When they are satisfied they sometimes file down areas on the statue they want to smooth chisel marks out of.  The sculpture is finished when the artist believes there is nothing more they can do to improve the piece. 

The second video discussed glass blowing and creating ceramics.  Glass is created from melted down sand and minerals.  The artist uses a hollow pole to pick up some of the molten glass.  They blow in the opening as they shape the molten glass how they want.  The glass is repeatedly returned to the fire so it is easy to manipulate, and so when it cools the molecular structure is stable enough to handle changes in temperature.  Ceramics are created from clay that is fired in a kiln and painted with glaze to keep moisture out.  There are a few different processes for creating ceramics.  The temperature that the clay is fired at determines how hard or fragile the final product is.  Also the material the clay is made out of determines how hard the fired ceramic piece is.  One way to create a ceramic work is simply to mold it out of clay.  Another way to create a ceramic piece is using silt, which is watered down clay, and pouring it into a mold that absorbs the extra water.  This leaves behind a clay figure in the mold that can be glazed and fired. 

2.     Both videos related to the readings because the readings discussed the processes mentioned in the videos in much more detail.  Also, they show more examples and related techniques.  For example, the first video showed us the process of creating a marble statue of the human body.  Chapter 11 discusses the many different types of sculpting like low relief and high relief sculptures, and also goes into further detail of the processes of modeling, casting, carving, and assembling.

3.     I liked both of the films because they taught me something new.  The film on sculpture showed how the artist sometimes has to plan their work around the area it will be placed in.  The artist in the first video shows us his sculpture of two horses and a man he created out of marble for a fountain.  He goes over the process of placing the piece and describes how it connects to similar pieces in the same area.

Blog Reviews

http://aed200nicolejasz.blogspot.com

http://stocksj01.blogspot.com

1.  When looking at Project #1: (Elements and Principles), did you agree with the element or principle the artist listed with the images? Did you see other elements and principles in the images?

Yes, I think both of the artists of these blogs did a great job with representing the elements and principles.  You can definitely see other elements and principles represented in the images because more than one element and principle make up any piece of art work.

2. When looking at Project #2: Where there any images in the Peer Blogs the same as your own? If yes, what were they? Where the reasons the image was selected the same or different as your own?

No there were not any images the same as my own on my peers blogs.  The reasoning is most likely that I went to an art museum in a different area than where the other students went.

3. Where there any images that your Peers selected that pique your interest now? If yes, what are they and what is your connection with them? What would you want to know about them?

Yes there were a few images on each of the blogs I reviewed that caught my interest.  Specifically, on the blog aed200nicolejasz I liked the piece Contact by Ali Banisadr.  I like this piece because it has very vivid colors and easily caught my attention.

4.  What do you think about  the process of reading your peers reflection? Do you find this to be a valuable in your learning?

I found it helpful to read my peers reflections because they reinforced that I was doing the assignments correctly.  Sometimes with art it can be difficult to interpret into something that can be graded because art is expressive.  However it was a little difficult finding a blog from my classmates that included the assignments.

5. Check your Blog and read comments posted by your Peers. Do you find their comments helpful?

Yes I found the comments helpful and hope my classmates did as well.

Art Museum Visit #1

    A)   The FREE MONEY sculpture by Tom Otterness is located at the Nassau County Museum of Modern Art.  This sculpture caught my eye because it reminded me of the banker from monopoly.  Another work that caught my attention was the oil on canvas painting called At the Well by Daniel Ridgeway Knight.  I liked this painting because of the use of so much color.  The painting looks like it could be a framed photograph.  The garden the women are standing in looks serene and peaceful.

 

         B)   I felt a connection with the oil on canvas painting Landscape with Poppies by Paul Georges because it reminded me of a place I like to walk my dog.  The dog in the painting and surroundings remind me of the nice walks we have.  I also liked the painting Spray of Great Yellow Marechal Niel Roses by Martin Johnson Heade because roses are my favorite flowers.  The painting looks so realistic and the gold frame brings out the colors in the flowers.

        C)   I would like to know more about the artist Carson Fox’s inspiration for their piece called Virginia Garden.  To me the work looks like the ocean and its creatures inspired it.  Specifically star fish, jellyfish and shellfish.  The title of the work is Virginia Garden, which to me means it was most likely inspired by an actual garden.  Another piece I would like to know more about is Flowers in a Blue Vase, After Chardin from the series Pictures of Magazines by Vik Muniz.  I liked this piece because it looked like a collage.  I would like to know a little bit more about the medium this artist chose to create his work.

Logo Project

I thought it was a little bit difficult to create my logo.  It took me a while to think of an image I could use to represent myself.  I chose a tree because to me it represents being grounded.  Also, a tree can represent knowledge, strength and growth.  The S shape in the leaves is something my friends and me used to draw on everything when we were younger, which to me connects my past to the present.  I chose purple and blue to fill the S shape because they are my favorite colors.  When creating my logo I discovered it could be somewhat difficult trying to unite different images into one.  The video helped me because it emphasized the importance of color. 

Exploring Value and the Subtractive Color Theory

 I created this value scale and color wheel.  I liked making the color wheel better then creating the value scale because I like to paint.  Making the color wheel was a little more difficult because the secondary colors were coming out very dark.  I had a hard time taking a photo that showed the difference between the green, purple and black.  I ended up adding water to lighten the purple because it was so close to the black.  I found the color theory video interesting.  The video talks about the primary colors and shows that they are not Red, Blue and Yellow, but actually Magenta, Cyan and Yellow.  I found this interesting because we are taught all our lives that the primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow.

Video Reflection

1.     Color effects emotions because people already associate colors with different feelings and emotions.  Artists use the association between a color and its emotion to create emotion in their work.  For example, the color red can be associated with anger, passion, love, etc.  The use of bold color usually represents a strong emotion in art.  Bold colors also grab the viewer’s attention.  An artist may also use different shades of colors to enhance their piece.  Shading can enhance an artist’s work to make the viewer focus on a specific area, enhance the emotional feeling of the piece, and help the piece to look more unified. 

2.     Color is an interesting concept because there is such a large variety.  There are hundreds of different colors an artist has the option to work with.  Each color evokes some kind of emotion from people.  The ability to use different colors together in a piece to create an emotional atmosphere is made possible by the many different shades of colors.

3.     In the color video they discussed the effect of color on emotions.  Artists use the association between color and emotion that people have to develop their art.  The message the artist is trying to convey through the piece is emphasized through the artists’ choice of color.  It is interesting because when you look at a completed piece, its hard to imagine that the interpretation can change because of something as simple as changing the color scheme.

4.     In the feelings video they discussed how an artist uses color to enhance the emotional interpretation of their work.  They use color to show the emotion they are trying represent in their work.  The idea that the whole concept of a painting can be thrown off by the shade of color the artist used is very interesting.