Post #10

   Cupboard Friend
         Lynn Magie
    This painting is a cliche because toys are repetitively used as subjects for artworks. First of all, toys such as dolls, bears and twirling ballerinas are redundant because they are easy to paint. This is because they are not real, therefore the facial and body structures are simple. They are pretty much just shapes and colors. For instance, in order to draw a human girl, you would have to create the cheeks, eyebrows, and adequate sized nose. This is a challenge because sometimes the painting does not look like the model. On the other hand, the doll above can easily be replicated by making circles for eyes, a line for lips, and a dot for a relatively small nose. Truly, using toys as models for paintings is not worthwhile. 

Post #9 Post-Modern Painting

                                             
                      http://collageartbyjesse.weebly.com/work-1.html
                                  AutoSpell by Jesse Treece

I think the subject matter of this painting is technology. The artist was probably trying to say that in this advanced era of technology we want to get everything done by a click of a button. We want everything to be as easy as possible that we even want the computer to spell our words instead of typing. The two strategies being used are text+image and juxtaposition. The text  "AutoSpell" is found on the key. Without the text and its font we wouldn't know whether they key was an eraser, or just a simple button. If the artist had not placed the text where it is then the message wouldn't be as clear. It would not have the effect that we rely too mush on technology. There is juxtaposition because the large key and small man in the yellow wardrobe are placed side by side. They are different objects placed next to each other.

POST #8 Reflection on First Quarter

          During the first quarter, I learned many things about art. The projects were fun because I had never done them before. I enjoyed the corpse drawing and the accordion book. Both projects had surprising results. The drawings were humorous while the books were abstract. They did not turn out like anything "normal," but that's what made them special. I was also introduced to new vocabulary such as the principles and elements of art. In addition, I learned the steps needed to criticize art. Not all artworks have to be paintings portraying real life. They can be abstract paintings, masks, and sculptures, just to name a few. I was also intrigued by the issues in the art world such as censorship and racism. I had no idea art had such a wide variety of concepts and that its not only the creativity aspect of it.

Post #7 My Accordion Book

              

     I enjoyed making my accordion book because it allowed us to show our creativity. We we're able to create the book according to our liking. From the process of bookmaking, I have learned that you need to have an overall theme in order to produce a successful composition. The components of your book need to go together somehow. They have to make sense and form some type of unity.Something I have found enjoyable was creating the elements of texture, emphasis and decorating the front cover. The difficult part of the project was creating the poem with all the elements and principles of design. It was also hard to create unity among different shapes. If I made another book, I would add more shapes and texture.  I would also try to have less empty spaces between the shapes.  Overall, making a book was a fun experience.                                                             

                                                                                                                                           

Post #6 Handmade Book

                                                                                

  


                       Orange Swirl Pyramid Book
             http://www.flickr.com/photos/decklededgebindery/2237695810/in/photostream/

      
   I chose this book because it has an interesting structure. The pages get smaller and smaller as they go up, forming a perfect pyramid. I think the artist took a lot of time and consideration for this project. He or she probably had to measure each triangle to make them fit accurately. I like the fact that the artist used the colors orange, yellow, and red. The book is overall very complex and beautiful.

Post #5

A Drawing by Ed Tajchman

          This abstract drawing includes the elements of line, color, shape, form and rhythm. The curved black and red lines give the drawing a sense of movement. Most of the shapes are organic. There's thick and thin lines overlapping one another. All the colors are dark and intense. From my perspective, the drawing shows a race cart going upward on a curved race track. The two purple circles outlined by black thick lines seem to be the wheels of the cart. The curved black lines on the right side of the drawing make up the track. 

Post #4

Spring Mouse and Duckling

      One element found in this painting is texture. I can clearly see fur on the mouse's chest. The color is darker than the mouse's yellow and brown body. The feeling of feathers appears on the duckling's chest.  The two animals look soft. In addition to fur and feathers, the duck's beak implies that it is made of a smooth surface. Another element in the painting is value. Starting from the mouse's back the color is brown, then becomes a yellow beige. The middle of the duck's side and head  is bright yellow while the chest and rest of the body are a darker yellow almost hazel. Also, the lines in the middle of the grass blades are a darker green then the rest of the blade.

 A principle of art in this piece is proportion. The mouse is smaller than the duckling in size. Both are smaller than the grass. The repetition of the grass blades and the two animals on both sides create balance. If you divide the artwork in half, there would be equal weight on each side

Post #3

Donald Zolan, Golden Moment, 1984

       (http://www.flashcoo.com/paint/Donald%20Zolan_Early_Childhood_01/painting_children_childhood_kjb_DonaldZolan_14GoldenMoment_sm.html)


         Donald Zolan's art piece, "Golden Moment," is an oil painting created in 1984. A young girl is kneeling down in what appears to be a riverbank. She is wearing a white and yellow dress. Her hair is in pigtails and golden blond colored. She's surrounded by tall, yellow green strands of grass. It's a bright sunny day in the country. She is watching four ducklings swimming in the water. It isn't clear whether her eyes are open or closed. There's a small ripple in the water. The color of the river is dark green, reflecting the green scenery around it. 
        
         The bright sunlight shining on the girl makes the painting have a pleasant and peaceful mood. It's peaceful because the girl is calmly watching the ducks. She seems to like watching them instead of reaching over to touch them. If she did then they would probably swim away, quacking. This would break the silence. She doesn't want to scare them off. Her face doesn't seem to be cheerful nor glum. She seems relaxed. The theme is mostly a peaceful one. The girl and the ducks notice each other but without making a sound or movement. It's a golden moment meant to be cherished.
       
 The questions I would ask Donald Zolan would be:

1. Why is the girl alone?
2. How old is the girl?
3. Are her eyes closed?
4. How does she feel about having the ducks so near?
5. Is it her first time seeing the ducklings?
6. Is the river deep?
7. Does she live in the country?

Post #2 Race and Gender Criticism

       The main issue this article talks about is that women and people of color are not taken seriously as artists. The art world is mainly dominated by white males. The more powerful, wealthy artists who have a position in the socio political pyramid have more chances of having their work shown. Having power means they are worthy of being acknowledged. The decision whether to display an artpiece or not is no longer based on how and why it was made, but on who made it. We should judge artworks on their own standards instead of trying to make them meet others definition of art.  Gender and race have blocked our eyes from enjoying beautiful masterpieces. How can someone express their artistic talents when they can't even be recognized as an "artist?" What happens if an artwork presented by a woman or person of  color is more outstanding than an artwork of a powerful figure? Will the artwork be accepted and praised even though it's distasteful?

Post #1 My First Day of ART

        My first experience with art was in kindergarten. We were making a Mother's Day card. My teacher said we were going to paint our hands on a piece of construction paper. I took out my pencil in order to trace my hand. I was waiting for her to pass out the paper, but then she started calling people to the back table. Then she called my name. She told me to put my palms up and started painting my hands with yellow paint. She used a roller to apply the paint, which tickled quite a bit. She told me to place my hands on a piece of pink construction paper. After washing my hands she told me to paste my photograph next to my hands on the paper. That day, I found out that drawing and coloring are not the only types of art