drawing of my hands

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

It was a little difficult using my hand as the subject because I had to remember to keep it still and try not to move it. I ended up having to start over twice because I moved my hand and it wasnt in the same position anymore. I also found it interesting because I never looked at my hands so closely. It was a little weird scrutinizing how they actually look.

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

I chose charcoal pencil because I thought it would be easier to shade and it would turn out better. Personally, I prefer using charcoal over graphite pencils because overall i think the pictures look less like just lines and more like a drawing.

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

Personally, I thought it was annoying. I just wanted to switch hands. It was an awkward feeling because I never use my left hand for things like this. It felt very uncomfortable.

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

My drawing with my right hand (dominant hand) was closer to the accurite size of my hand. It also took longer to draw. The drawing with my left hand (non dominant) was a lot bigger and not as proportionate. Also the lines inside my hand are darker because it was harder to control how hard i pressed down.

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

Overall, I did a lot better than I thought I would do. I am horrible writing with my left land so I thought this drawing would come out really bad, but compared to my other drawing it actually wasnt as bad as I thought. Although I didnt do horrible, I dont think I would draw again with my left hand by choice. It was too annoying and I couldnt wait to finish. that drawing.

Drawing with my right hand (DOMINANT) of my left hand (NON-DOMINANT):

Drawing with my left hand (NON-DOMINANT) of my right hand (DOMINANT):

video review-week nine

Leonardo DaVinci- The mind of the Renaissance
I chose this video because I saw the movie the DaVinci Code and was interested to see if it went along with what I saw in the movie. Also we read alot about the Renaissance in the book and I always like to add connections to that and actually get to see things that relate to the readings, instead of just creating pictures in my mind. The video starts out by talking about DaVinci when  he was young and how he impressed his family. He became an apprentice to Andrea del Verrocchio. He became a painter very young and was accepted into the painters guild. At the same time he was also very skilled in engineering. He also began dissecting humans to further his understanding of the body. He painted the famous "Mona Lisa", designed an excavator big enough to build a canal, and believed beauty came from balance and proportions. He became the first painter, architect, and engineer to the king of France and died at the age of 67. I found this very interesting. DaVinci was such a complex and successful individual. He was truely a Renaissance man.

Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master
I chose this video because I really didnt have much of a clue who this was when I first read the title and I wanted to learn more. Durer was considered one of the "greatest artists of the Northern Renaissance". He was the main person through which the Italian ideas were passed on to Germany. He traveled to Italy and from his travel he became a lanscape artist and was very aware of his works' form and perspective. Not only was he a landscape painter, but he was very good when working with engraving copper. On of his famous works was "Knight, Death, and the Devil". Although he was not as weel rounded as DaVinci and not as famous other artists, in my opinion his art was beautiful and very unique. I enjoyed this video because we did not learn about him in the book much and i gained some extra knowledge.

Velazquez
I chose this video because when I was younger I once had to do a project on him for an art class. Velazquez was a Spanish artist. He was an idealist who was influenced by Italian artists. He was married to Dona Juana Pacheco and had two daughters, one who died young. He created a painting of his wife called Sybil. His art also showed a little psychology and painted truth rather than perfection. He painted people impefections and flaws. H took his skills to Rome where he painted Villa Medici and showed signs of impressionism. He and his wife died about the same time. This video brought back memories from my last project. Its crazy how when you do a project you know so much information about a subject but over the years you forget most of it. By watching the video I started remembering a lot more.

 El Greco: Rediscovering a MasterI also chose this video because I did not know much about this artist and wanted to learn more. Like Velazquez, El Greco was also an artist in Spain. The video goes through the life of the artist, Domenikos Theotokopoulos. Although he grew up on Byzantine style of law, he moved to Venice and began taking up Renaissance fundamentals. After a few years in Rome, he moved to Spain for a commission on the Cathgedral of Toledo. He stays in Spain and creates works such as "The Triumph of the Holy League", which combing Medieval, Byzantine, and Renaissance style, and "The Disrobing of Christ." What I found most interesting about El Greco was the difference he made in one painting to the next. He was able to paint in many style and combine them if he wanted to. El Greco died at 73 and went unappreciated for years. His "modernistic" ways began being noticed later on and even went on to influence artist such as Picasso.

Video Review

More Human Than Human
This video was a lot about how sculpture of the human form dont exactly resemble a real human being. They go into the 25,000 year old statue, Venus of Willendorf. This statue had many distorted body parts, such as the breasts, hips, and genitalia. They compared that to the French Venus of Grimaldi and the Moravany Venus of Slovakia and they all were similiar in that matter. The video then goes to talk about how changes in weather, lifestyle, and other factors affected how human beeings were being portrayed. They also came to the conclusion that there were differences found in cultures such as Egypt and Greece. What I found most interesting is that modern day portrayals of the human form is based on what people and society pictures as "important." I believe that and I agree totally. It goes along with music videos and magazines and things in everyday life. That is why I enjoyed watching this because it was interesting how I could relate the video to real life.

Cairo Museum
 I chose this video just based on the name. I like museums and enjoy seeing historical things, so I wanted to see what this museum had to offer.  The video was all about the world reknowned museum in Egypt and discussed and showed different artifacts it holds. It has a huge collection and draws viewers from all over the world. What I found most interesting was all about the mummies. I have never seen or even knew about mummies really until watching this. It gave a lot extra that I didnt get to read in the book. Also I enjoyed seeing about King Tut's jewels and the artifcats from the queens thrown. SOme were really beautiful.

The Greek Awakening
I chose this video because I read the descriptions of all of the videos on the list and thought it interested me the most. It went along with the book, so it gave a picture to some of the things we read about. It started with the changes that took place in the 5tyh and 6th centuries in Greece. Many of these changes are what led to beautiful buildings that were built and either are stilkl standing or have artifacts today for us to see. The video talks about how the city went from wood to marble. In my opinion, marble is so much prettierand is the reason why some of these things are so important and famous today, such as the Parthenon. Although some things got ruined due to pollution and other factors, the video showed how some were preserved and restored and are now in museums. What I thought was most interesting was how the sculptures and artifacts were able to tell stories about what the Greeks believed in, especially the gods. I loved learning about all the gods in highschool so I really enjoy when I can add on to that and see scultures and art from that time.

The Measure of all Things: Greek Art and the Human Form
I chose this video because, like I said earlier, I enjoy learning about Greece and seeing art from years and years ago. The video disscusses how the artists were/are obssesed with the human boday. The Greeks though changed from an abstract form to a more realistic form of the body. This was something we read about in the book, and it reminded me of Roman potraitures. It showed how the cultures influenced eachother. The video also talked about cycladic sculptures and how they were a more abstract style, how sculptures in the 6th century moved from the Egyptian style to realism, espcially in the human body. People believe it was a turning point in Western art and began a revolution. The part I found most interesting was the part about the Olympic Games. Its interesting how it came from just one game, mens sprinting. I never knew athletes competed naked. I liked how the video compared the games to art.

video review - architecture

Prarie Style
This video was mostly about Frank Lloyd Wright and the changes he made to the architectural world. When designing his homes, Wright had a sort of prarie style to them. One of the first to show this style was his Tomak House in Chicago, Illinois. This house had a very spacial house with many windows and it influenced many other houses throughout history. What I found most interesting was the fact that he designed the house so that it followed the sun throughout the day. The video then goes into showing how it influenced Ron Thom's and Dan White's houses later on. The book also features Frank Lloyd Wright as a major influence in architecture.

Architecture: The Science of Design:
This video explains how architecture is more than just art, but it is also a science. For example, knowing the physics of buildings and how gravity will affect it is a very important part in architecture. The video explains not only this bu how other things affect buildings (skyscrapers especially), such as wind and percipitation. Another thing the video goes into is a "smart house." This means that things, such as lighting and heating/cooling are controlled automatically through a centralized computer system that runs throughout the house. Although these are very expensive, I found it interesting that a more affordable voice activated computer system can be bought and it controls a lot of every day items in the house. The video ends with how concrete and other construction related items are made and used. This video I thought was more interesting b ecause it was something different than the readings in the book.

Classic Architecture
This Video goes along with the book very well. It shows how architecture is an art and uses principles and elements. It goes through how the Greek and Romans were the major influence in classical architecture and how these influenced buildings such as the White House and other buildings in DC. It goes into a lot of detail about the Romans and Greeks architecture and the beauty that both used to build such important structures that formed a basis of things today. This video was pretty dry because it was a lot about what I already read in the book.

I chose the Last Call For Planet Earth video. I chose this because I am a supporter of green efforts and believe we should all pitch in to save the world. Every effort counts and that includes building new buildings and houses. People dont always think about that because it is a pretty big project but even the smallest changes can make a huge difference!

installations

A. What is installation art?

Installation art is art that is placed or arrange in a certain way by the artist. It can be sit specific or not and it can be permanent and temporary.

B. What materials are used installation art?

The materials are determined by the artist. They can really consist of anything and everything the artist desires. They can be abstract or everyday items.

C. Why make installation art? 

Just like all art, installation art is created to express the ideas of the artist. It is a way to give artists a chance to show their work in a specific and unique way. It can be simple or difficult. It also gives veiwers a way to experience the piece in a different way than just looking. They can experience it by walking around or through it. It gives two dimensional art a three dimensional quality.

Art Criticism: Describing and Analyzing Artwork Worksheet

Artist: Melissa Kelly

Title of work: Stuck

Media: Installation - Photograph

Date: March 6, 2011

Size: life size

Source of picture (URL):kellmr35.blogspot.com

1.   Be receptive - Keep an open mind.  Look for what is good.  No put-downs allowed.

2.   Description – Describe what you see.  (subject matter)?

The installation is a car, with snow on and around it. It is dark out and it is taken on a street. There is a shovel, a pair of gloves and boots, a coat, and a hat on the car.

3.   Formal analysis – (form)  What principles and elements were used and how are they used?

Color is used because the bright snow and dark sky gives the viewer a sense of cold, brisk air. Texture is used because the snow and footprints in it looks like people have walked through it to try to get the car “unstuck.” There is also emphasis on the snow. Everything else is a dark color and the snow is so bright, which is what the viewer then focuses on.

A. From the material reviewed, is there a inspiration piece that I feel a connection with?

As state above, I really liked the Firefly in the Water, but I also liked the installations that were simple and to the point. I liked the examples that used everyday items and were site specific.

B. What theme do I want to explore in my installation? Refer to your textbook if you need to review Themes of Art. (chapter 3 in text)

(Nature, Environment, Self, Mass Media, Consumerism, etc.)

I actually used two themes in my installation, nature and environment. The snow made it a part of nature, but the situation and placeing and use of everyday items made it a part of its own environment because it was very realistic.

C. What materials will I use?

I will use a car and snow. I will also use the street, a hat, gloves, boots, a coat, and a shovel.

D. Where will this installation be located and why?

It will be located on a street and in the dark, in the winter. This makes the installation realistic and site specific. These elements allow the viewers to feel the cold, brisk state that the picture was taken in.

Site specific installations, I beleive, take a lot more thought and planning to create than others. Artists must figure out all the differrent obstacles they may run into before they can even start creating it. They must be able to overcome these obstacles as well. It may be a little more work, but I believe it is worth it. It puts it over the top for veiwers and allows them to see the installtion exactly how the artist sees it and planned it to be.

D. Which artist/installation did I find most interesting?

The example I found most interesting was from the book, Fireflies in the Water by Yayoi Kusama. This installation is very unique and it makes me wonder how it was done. Also if you take yourself out of the real world for a second and enter the piece, it makes you feel like your surrounded by fireflies. It gives you a sense of imagination and creativity. I think it is a beautiful piece.

peer review

http://artinquiries.blogspot.com/
http://monicawhite420.blogspot.com/

2. 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?

I reviewed Stephanie's and Monica's projects. They both did a great job. Stephanie's pictures were of everyday items which I found very interesting. Her icicle picture that she used for harmony was very impressive. I definetly agree with her choice for that one. I also agreed with the dead end picture she used for rhythm. I also found it balanced and symmetrical! The form picture was also interesting to look at. I also found value could have been used for that picture as well.

Monica's pictures were also interesting because they were from travles that she must have taken. The hot air balloon picture she used for emphasis was beautiful. It really emphasized the balloon because of all the empty space around it. The hummingbird picture also showed movement very well because of the fluttering wings.The cat picture for shape was also well thought out. I also found emphasis on the cats bright blue eyes. It is so cute!!

3. 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?

In Stephanie's project of the art gallery, the only exhibit that we both used was the exhibit of Paul Pfeiffer and the Stanley Cup. Her reasoning was very similar to mine. We both love hockey and made a connection with it.

Monica and I both used Claude Monet's "The Tow-Path at Argenteuil." We both chose it because it made an impression and inspired us. We both found the use of color and lines intriquing.

4. 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?

Many of the pictures really caught my eye. My favorites were the icicle picture in Stephanie's and Monica's picture for line. The icicle picture is really pretty and I wish I could capture something like this. I would like to know how she thought to take this and how she thought to choose that angle. Monica's picture really stood out to me because I have been to the place where it was taken. Off in the distance is Toronto and At dusk there is a beautiful view of the sun setting over the water. I love it there!

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

I enjoyed this assignment. I thought it was very insightful. I would have probably never looked at other classmates blogs if I did not have to complete this assignment. It was interesting to see the different views of my peers and the different pictures they took. I admit, I looked at many other students projects, not just the two I used for the assignment!

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

I have not recieved any comments on my posts yet.

video review

Installation Art
Installation art is used to let viewers interact with art and experience the art. It invites them in and allows them to view the art in a different way than just two-dimensional. The video provides you with examples of many different installations over the years by different artists. Installation art is interesting because it has changed over the years. Technology has alloed it to open new doors by using digital and video in the exhibits. Installations can also be any size, shape, or form, which also makes them so interesting to see. The book goes along with the video in that it shows different artist's installations. It explains the importance of time and place to connect the artists' ideas, which is what makes the installations so unique. This film I thought was interesting. Installations I enjoy seeing and it really made me see how much time and effort goes into this type of art. What would be even more interesting is see all of the installations in person.

Through the Eyes of the Sculptor
The video shows the process of crating a sculpture. It shows different artists and different materials used to make sculptures. It goes through marble, clay, bronze and limestone. It also shows how you can carve different sculptures. It also interesting because it shows how the ideas are formed. This video also goes along with the text book because the textbook also talks about the different ways sculptures are made, including modeling and assembling. This video I thought was a bit dry because it was so much like the reading in the book.

Glass and Ceramics
This video shows how glass is made, both blown and making stained glass. It goes through the step by step process that glassblowers use to create art. It then goes through the process for staining glass and using different colors to make things such as windows. It then goes into talking about how ceramics are made and what materials go into ceramics. It also tell some of the uses of ceramics. All of these things are also explained in the book. I found this video interesting because I never realized how many everyday things ceramics are used by, such as medical uses.