Course Evaluation

1. What were your expectations for this course and where they met?

I didn’t know what to expect until I read the syllabus for the course.  I had never taken an art course online so I wasn’t sure if we would have to actually do some art or if it was all just writing online in the blog or discussion forum.  I didn’t know how we would have to submit the art work that we did.  I obviously expected to learn about different artists and types of art and those expectations were met. 

2. Now that you've been through this course, what is art? How would you define it now compared to your initial posting?

Looking back, in my initial posting I wrote “I would say that art is everything around us - music, photographs, paintings, nature, etc.”  I still think the same things.  Art is all around us, it’s everything.  Even throughout this course and learning about different types of art, I still agree with my initial posting. 

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

In my original posting I didn’t have a favorite artist and I don’t think I do now, either.  There are all kinds of art that appeals to me by all different artists.  I really enjoy the work of Georgia O’Keefe.  I’ve liked her since grammar school when we did flower art work then. 

4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I really enjoy taking online classes.  I took another one this semester and have taken many before.  It allows me to work on my own in my own time which is when I do my best work.  I’ve always liked online courses, including in the beginning of the semester so I would say that my answer is the same.

Self-Portrait

3 inspiration pieces:

http://www.googleartproject.com/collection/whitney-museum-of-american-art/artwork/new-york-interior-edward-hopper/34486054/

http://www.googleartproject.com/collection/fundacion-mapfre/artwork/the-brown-sisters-1988-nicholas-nixon/27814732/

http://www.googleartproject.com/collection/fundacion-mapfre/artwork/madonna-mexico-df-graciela-iturbide/29710370/

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?

I selected the pieces that I did for inspiration because I really liked them.  I didn’t copy their work and two of them were photographs but I really enjoyed looking at the work and at the way the people are portrayed in the pictures.

2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait?

I chose to draw with pencil.  It is much less messy than charcoal and you can erase with a pencil, which is a bonus :)

3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them?

I am awful at drawing so I literally just kept trying to copy the picture as closely as possible and it still didn’t really work out for me.

4. How does this piece represent you?

I don’t really know how this picture represents me.  Maybe with my glasses, but I don’t have to wear them all of the time.  Also, my hair is curly in this picture and it is usually straight.  I just liked this picture of me.

5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?

I used emphasis when I darkened in certain parts and line.

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?

I did enjoy working on it.  I tried my best even though it maybe isn’t my best work artistically.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?

I think it’s okay, I guess.  I don’t really think it looks like the picture but I tried and I enjoyed myself while creating this work.

Art Critique

1. Which projects did you review?

I reviewed Chelsea Randorf’s exhibit, “Pop of Life.”

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?

The title drew me into opening up this PowerPoint presentation.  I was always interested in pop art so the fact that I didn’t do my exhibit on it and I could critique someone that did was what did me in.

3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?

I used the words “I” and “you,” which I wasn’t too sure if we could or not.  I thought that since it was my opinion, it was okay to use them.  I found it easy to write about this exhibit.  It was interesting to me and I liked reading what she had to say.

4. How do you feel about critiquing your peers work?

I never really like critiquing other people’s work.  I never know why they do what they do or why they wrote what they wrote.  Everyone has something different in their lives and that may be the cause of what they do and if I don’t know about it, who am I to judge?

5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?

Yes, I would.  I know I did a good job, with 100%, but I would be curious to see what someone else has to say about it.

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?

I would say 8-10.  I’m not sure if my critiquing is exactly what was expected but I did my best.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

I enjoyed working on creating my PowerPoint and being able to see other people’s.  It was good to see what my classmates did for their exhibits, too.

Module 15

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
I chose to watch 'Greenberg on Pollack: an interview by TJ Clark,' & 'An Introduction to Italian Renaissance.'  In the first video, it was an art critic & historian discussing Jackson Pollock's methods to his art & the legacy he left behind. The art critic, Clement Greenburg, had the opportunity to be in one of his studios. He talks about different transistions throughout the galleries which he didn't really find appealing. In the second video, it discusses how art was criticized. The techniques that were used critiqued how they illustrated their work, balance, realism, along with perspective. 

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Criticism project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not?
The videos related to the creation of my project. They showed different critiquing techniques to very different artists as well as time periods in which the art was so different from each other. Our projects were a lot different but it helps after watching the videos to give me some ideas on what to do/write when critiquing.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of art criticism?
I thought the films helped my understanding. I always knew what criticism was but I know I always don't feel 100% comfortable criticizing someone's work when I'm not entirely sure on why their work is the way it is. 

Art Project #4 Journal Entry

When picking a theme, I wanted to originally do something with abstract art of trees but then on our discussion forum, someone posted a suggestion about trees of life so I just went with it.  There were so many incredible pictures to choose from, it was hard to pick the ones that I wanted in my slideshow.  The theme of my slideshow is "Trees of Life," which is the title as well.  I focused a lot on the emphasis, colors, lines, and balance of the artwork that I found.  A lot of them were similar in the sense that there was an emphasis in the art with lighter colors, darker ones surrounding the edges.  It was an interesting project that I had fun with and enjoyed putting together.

Module 13 & 14

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The four videos were “The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art,” “Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach,” “Bones of Contention: Native American Archeology,” and “An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan.”  In the first video, “The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art,” it talked about the lowbrow artwork.  There are different parts to this art and was greatly influenced during a certain time period in history.  The second video, “Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach,” talked about the changes in the 1970s.  There were museums that were set up during this time period that changed a lot, as well.  There are different issues, both intellectual and aesthetic, that were examined.  The different style was developed using themes for displaying exhibitions.  The third video, “Bones of Contention: Native American Archeology,” discussed a lot about the findings of the Native American remains.  It was debated about whether or not the remains should be returned to their ancestors.  The fourth video, "An Acquiring Mind; Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan," discusses his life as a director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It talks about the art that was collected over 31 years, during his time there. 

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

The videos relate to my project because they discuss any problems that they might have ran into.  Some of them may be similar but a lot were mainly just very interesting to hear about.  It’s important to understand some of the struggles they may go through, as well.  The videos also show connections throughout history and that kind of relates to my project because there might be pieces in it that have some sort of history and connection.  They way one of the video talks about grouping things in a thematic way was interesting and that is kind of how my project is as a whole. 

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I really enjoyed these films.  They helped a lot with thinking about how I was going to present the art work that I am using in my project.  I understand more about linking it to history, placing it in a way that is understandable to the viewer, and the problems are a big part of it all but with different ways of working through them. 

Module 12

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose to watch “Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50’s and 60’s,” and “Andy Warhol: Images of an Image.”  I chose to watch the first one because just the word “pop” associated with “art” sparked an interest from me.  I wanted to see more about pop art and the artists that go along with it.  I chose to watch the Andy Warhol video because I know of his work but not too much about him.  We had an art show at my work and some of the children imitated his work so watching the video was interesting to me because we had just done it at work.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

In the video “Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50’s and 60’s,” I learned about the understanding and meaning of the different styles.  It shows how globalization affected art.  People were becoming more individualized with their art and the vibrant colors.  The colors bring attention to the art immediately because they catch people’s eyes, rather than being drawn to dull colors.  The video “Andy Warhol: Images of an Image” was very interesting to me because I had already known a few things about him as an artist.  The video goes through and discusses his views on how media affects his artwork.  It was interesting to hear about how he feels like celebrities are just like anyone else rather than putting them up high like everyone else seems to do.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos relate to the text by going into more detail about what we had already read.  The topics are discussed quickly but the videos go into more depth and I find it interesting to see it rather than just read about it.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I always enjoy watching the videos.  They help me understand more of what I have already read in the text.  It gives me a better understanding plus they’re entertaining at the same time. 

Mask Exploration

The first mask that I chose was the “Hawk Mask.”  It is made out of and carved from wood.  The mask represents protective spirits that take animal form.  The site goes into detail about the geometric patterns that are on the wings that refer to their moral principles.  “The zigzag lines flanking the face signify the "path of the ancestors."”  This shows how the mask is very important to this group as a whole because it represents so much of their past, their knowledge, and protection. 

The second mask I chose was from Bolivia.  It is a Bolivian China Supay mask.  It is 14 inches long, fiber-glass, plaster, paper mache, paint, sequins and glitter.  It’s a human face that has large eyes, features on the face, and uses many different colors.  The emphasis on the mask is to the large features on the face.  That is the first thing you see and are brought to.  I chose this one simply for the use of colors.  I loved the variety.

The last mask that I chose was an animal spirit mask.  It is created by the Piaroa-Huarime people in the Orinoko River region in Venezuela.  It is 12 inches long, basketry covered with beeswax and mud, bark cloth hood.   “This mask probably represents the marmoset, a small simian which is believed to have a special affinity toward men.”  When this mask is used while dancing, the stripes make it look animated. 

I used play-dough to create my mask.  I just rolled it out and cut out a circle.  I used small glasses to cut out the eyes.  For the mouth, I originally wanted to do teeth but then I just did a straight line and I thought it wouldn’t look right.  My mask kind of turned into a “zombie” looking mask which isn’t what I expected but that’s okay.  I used shape in my mask and maybe there is emphasis on the eyes.

Module 11

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose to watch “Dada and Surrealism,” and “The Impact of Cubism.”  I chose these videos because they sparked my interest and who doesn't want to watch a video that will interest them? 

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

In “Dada and Surrealism,” it discusses the Dada movement.  The video showed how it changed into Surrealism.  This affected a change in the artwork of this time.  In “The Impact of Cubism,” it was interesting to me how Cubism influenced Europe.  It showed how there were different ways were offered to represent form and space. 

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos both gave me a better understanding of what I had read in the text.  It showed things in a visual sense for me and it also provided me with further knowledge and information.  I learned things that I hadn't known before.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I always enjoy watching the films.  I like being able to choose which ones I can watch and which ones may spark my interest.  It furthers my understanding of what I had read before.

Module 10

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

The videos that I chose to watch were related in a way, being called “African Art” and “African Art: Legacy of Oppression.”  I chose these videos because I knew that it would give me a better understanding of the text from what caught my interest within the book.  Also, it sounded interesting to me from reading the descriptions below the videos.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

In “African Art,” it went into great detail on the different aspects of the artwork of the culture.  It shows symbolism, different religious beliefs, the functionality of the art, and the aesthetics.  In “African Art: Legacy of Oppression,” the video mentioned that there were more than 230 different cultures.  Their art was considered to be magical.  Using masks to scare people somehow taught young men to respect their elders and how to treat the handicap people with respect, as well.  They stopped making the masks to use as a tool for intimidation because they came to realize that their magic didn’t work.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos talk about the same information that is in the text just in a different way, plus it is visual.  They showed different artwork than what was within the reading. 

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I enjoyed watching both of the videos.  I found them very interesting and helpful to my understanding of what I read within the textbook.  They provided additional knowledge and understanding of African Art, the different cultures, and history. 

Hand Drawings

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

I found it easy to use my hand as the subject matter.  You can look at it as many times as you need to and it is right there with the details right in front of you. 

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

I used a pencil.  I really don’t like using charcoal because I’m not used to it and I feel like my drawings look dirty after I use it.  I would much rather shade with a pencil.

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

I found this assignment to be easy yet difficult at the same time.  It was easy to draw your hand but then using my left hand was difficult to do.  I basically took my hands and just flipped them over on the paper and traced them then went in and added the details.  I’m not the best artist in town so it’s not as detailed as I would've liked it to be but I have all the lines and creases in my hand.  This was the easy part.

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

I think they look similar enough even though I had to use my left hand for part of it.  I would say that they are successful.

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

I would not consider this.  I’m not even good at holding a pencil with my left hand, let alone drawing with it.

Module 9

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose to watch The Drawings of Michaelangelo and Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master.  I chose these videos because reading the descriptions, they seemed like they’d be interesting to me.  I just wanted to learn more about both.  You hear a lot about Michaelangelo but I felt like a video would be interesting to watch about him and his drawings as well.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

In “The Drawings of Michaelangelo,” it was interesting to see how he would get his ideas from sketching.  His drawings, in a way, are like sculptures with their detail.  Showing mass in his drawings, you got a good glimpse at how he used different techniques while drawing and what a great artist he was.  In “Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master,” the video showed what a great artist Albrecht Durer was and showed us art in Northern Renaissance.  Learning the history of Durer really showed something about his life.  His father was a goldsmith while is godfather was a publisher and printer.  The influence from these two men is what really got him started.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos explain the lives of the artists during the times that we have read about including the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period.  Reading about the influences then actually watching them was good to see because the videos showed how the artists really grew.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Seeing where the artists came from and how they grew during these time periods really gave me a greater sense of what we had read in the text.  The videos give additional information that we can actually see instead of just reading about.  Choosing the videos that we watch is helpful, too.  It shows what we are interested in and what we want to know more about.

Module 8

1. Explain why you selected each of the three videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose the videos because I felt as though I’d enjoy watching them.  I always want to be able to enjoy the videos when I watch them because I feel like I understand them better when I take an interest in them.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

 “More Human than Human” – This video showed how art made the world and how images dominate our lives.  It said that images tell us how to think and how to feel.  The human body affects what we think of others and what we think of ourselves.  Pictures of the human body dominate our lives; they’re all around us.  All of the images have one thing in common – that they don’t resemble real human beings.  The images are very unrealistic.  Ancient Egypt was one of the first civilizations on Earth and they had an organized system of government.  They were the first people to use images of the body extensively in their art.  There was art buried in the ocean and by removing sand, divers revealed what was hidden under the beautiful details of the artwork.  In ancient Greece, the more impressive you can make your body look, the more you were perceived to be a god.  They believed that if you looked good, you were good.

“A World Inscribed: The Illuminated Manuscript” – People felt as though manuscript was the work of an angel, not of a man.  Very few people knew how to read and write that were outside of the church.  Monasteries were the places where the books were produced.  They were dedicating their life to God so their labor was to spread the word of God.  The spread of knowledge was slow because writing was not advanced.  People believe that their writings were used against people on the days of judgment.  Scribing was very tedious.  There were letters and poems within the writings and tales were told.  There was also a lot of money spent on textbooks.

“The Measure of All Things: Greek Art & the Human Figure” - In this video, it showed the transformations that were made in the 5th century.  The structures and statues were very real and the figures of the humans that were made were idolized.  The Greeks were very focused on the Olympics and their imagery and architecture that went alone with it.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos and text both provide the information but each go into depth in different parts than the other.  It is important to read the text and watch the videos because you get different information from both but it is still a review. 

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Watching the films always helps me understand my readings in the text better.  It is helpful to have a visual.  It adds more to the readings in the text because you actually see what is happening and see more of the history.

Module 7

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I watched the “Prairie Style” video.  In the 1890s to the early 1900’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes in suburban area.  Frank Lloyd Wright felt like they needed to reflect the area that they were in.  He felt like the layers of the house seemed to grow out of the land.  He built these houses to reflect the climate as well and wanted it to look very natural.  Everyone at the time was influenced by Wright within their houses.  There are many similarities.  The rooms weren’t isolated but rather just seemed to flow into one another.  Today, there are still many landscapes that are influenced by him.  In the “Architecture: The Science of Design” video, it showed that there is a lot of science that goes into architecture that you wouldn’t even imagine.  I never really put into thought about how architects have to put weather conditions and different environment issues into their building when they’re creating it.  In big cities, there are mostly skyscrapers and taller buildings.  Most are made of steel to support the buildings’ walls, ceilings and floors.  There is also an underground part of building a skyscraper to be solid enough to hold the weight of the building.  The building is then placed on concrete.  Skyscrapers with right angles don’t do well with wind.  Architects have to take the amount of snow into mind that might end up on the roof and if the building can hold it up.  They also need to pour concrete underwater with building bridges through a steel pipe.  Buildings need to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes, snow, wind, etc.  This is all that needs to be taken into account when an architect is creating their building. 

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

In the text, you read about both of these things and it’s not only a review but the videos provide further information.  It is helpful to see diagrams and visuals to see how things really work with building and architecture.   It shows how today is influenced by some of the architecture in the past.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I enjoyed watching these films.  They really helped my understanding of architecture because it’s not something I’m entirely interested in so  there was a lot of facts that I didn’t know and now I do.  Along with reading the text, the films provided useful information that was interesting as well.

4. Why did you choose the films that you watched?

I read the information underneath each video clip and these sounded interesting to me and also something that I didn’t really know too much about.  Because of this, I wanted to watch the films to know a little bit more about each topic.

Peer Blog Review #1: andmm01.blogspot.com/

Peer Blog Review #2: mdillonaed200.blogspot.com/

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?

For the projects I looked at, both students did an awesome job with naming the correct element or principle with the correct image.  They both put a lot of thought and effort into this project and I thought both sets of images were very creative.  There were a couple images that had more than one element or principle.  I feel like a lot of images have variety in them without even trying just because of the way things are in the world.

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

There was only one image out of both sets that was one of the same as mine which is the wall drawing.  The reasoning for selecting this image was the same as mine.  We both discussed the incredibility of the image and how much time and effort it took which was amazing.  It was interesting to see what they both wrote about the art that meant something to them and what they wanted to know more about because it was different than mine but I understood their reasoning.

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?

I really liked the House of Collective Repair by Dennis Maher which was pointed out in one of the blogs I reviewed.  It shows changes in Buffalo and that sparked an interest in me because I have lived here all of my life and something that represents Buffalo is always going to feel like home to me.  I would like to look this up on the Albright Knox website and see what else it has to say about the art and the artist themselves.

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 this to be valuable to my learning in this class because it helped me see that I have things in common with my classmates.  This is an online class so you don’t really get to interact with each other and given this opportunity was a good way to do that. 

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

I read the comments and it really meant something to me because the one posted about how much she liked the picture I took for balance in project #1 and then wrote about it in her peer review blog post which I thought was nice!  Their comments were helpful.  I enjoyed this assignment :)

Module 6

"Through the Eyes of the Sculptor" was a really interesting video.  You got to really focus in and see what artists think about their work and the time and effort that really goes into it.  It was interesting to see the process of creating the marble statue because I just thought you would sculpt it out of clay but the effort and detail that go into it never even crossed my mind. 

In the video, "Glass & Ceramics," there were a few things I knew but it was mainly all new information.   It talked about how glass is made from sand but the properties of glass are entirely different from sand.  I learned that glass is a liquid that stiffens when cooled and is burned in a fire in a furnace.  Different temperatures give different characters to the product.  It talked a lot about the process from beginning to end of stained glass windows which was really interesting to me.  I remember in high school learning about the kiln and burning ceramics to make them harden where you can paint them so it was a review in a sense for me when they talked about ceramics.  The video also went into detail about different types of windows and the purpose for insulation with the pressure of sound waves.  If you put two windows of different thickness together it cuts the sound in half and helps with insulation.  It talked about how to make the glass safer and thicker which is like the windows used in schools and sports buildings because it prevents shattering.  I never knew all of this detail went into glass and ceramics so it was really interesting to see it up close. 

In the "Installation Art" video, it was all new information to me, other than what I had already read in our text.  I had never really heard about it before so it was interesting to learn about.  Installation artwork is artwork that takes over and defines the space it is in.  It is all around you and there is a physical and attitude definition to it.  It is 3D artwork that uses the space around it and within it rather than just using a flat pallet.  There was an artist that talked in the video about using an entire window as his artwork.  They talked about site-specific installation art which cannot work unless it is in a specific location.  The Spiral Jetty in Salt Lake, Utah, for example was made to be there and it couldn't exist anywhere else.  It is a process that at one point doesn't even look like art but it takes time.

Each video related to the readings but I enjoyed watching the videos rather than reading.  It really helped to actually see the process of some of the things discussed in the text like the creation of glass and sculpting. 

I really enjoyed the films.  I thought that they added a lot to my understanding of what the topics in the text discussed.  I'm more of a visual learner so it helped me to see the process of each individual art.

Albright Knox

A.) Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?

I’ve only been to the Albright Knox twice in my life, including this time, so it was interesting to recall the art works that I’ve seen before.  The art that I feel made the biggest impact on me was the wall drawing by Sol LeWitt.  It was just phenomenal to me to see what kind of work went into this.  I read about it online on the Albright Knox website to read more about it and it said “Built up from thousands of graphite scribbles that cover more than 2,200 square feet of wall surface, the drawing was scribbled into existence over nine weeks. Working according to LeWitt’s instructions—Line, continuous gradation, and feel of steel—a crew of sixteen people scribbled for seven hours a day for fifty-four days between August and October 2010. The scribblers—artists from the LeWitt estate and the Western New York area—worked for a total of 5,026 hours and used 1,717 pencil leads.”  That is incredible to me.  It must have taken so much patience to complete this.

Fred Tomaselli’s painting Echo, Wow and Flutter also stood out to me.  This was created by pinning a chain on a canvas, tracing it and using different materials.  He collects things like leaves, pharmaceuticals, natural elements and photographs.  It left an impression on me because I found it interesting that he used things from nature and worked them into his art.  I feel like this is really unique.

B.) Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?

I felt a connection with Jasper Johns’ Numbers in Color.  I feel like I felt a connection with this because when I walk through my work every day, there is a classroom’s rendition of this work that the children created with number stamps and paint.  It’s so big and noticeable and I love the fact that the children created it. 

I also felt a connection with Victor Vasarley’s Vega-Nor.  In grammar school, I remember doing art work like this and the name seems familiar to me, maybe why I felt a connection.  It just seemed to be a memory, in a way.

C.) Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?

One of the artworks that I would like to know more about is Stephan Balkenhol’s Standing Man.  This is made strictly out of wood and paint.  It amazes me how creative and talented people can be.  I would like to read more into this artist and see if he mainly works with wood.

Andy Warhol is a familiar name to me and I know some of his artwork but I remember last time going to the gallery, I wanted to know more about his 100 Cans.  I just feel like it’s such a silly painting but it has to have some meaning.  Reading about it on the website, I learned that when he was asked why about his painting, he responded with "Because I used to drink it. I used to have the same lunch every day, for 20 years, I guess, the same thing over and over again. Someone said my life has dominated me; I liked that idea."  I felt like this was clever of him and it makes me want to read more about him as an artist.

Victor Vasarley

Vega-Nor

Oil on canvas

78 ¾ X 78 ¾ inches

1969

Stephan Balkenhol

Standing Man

Wood & paint

100 X 29 X 12 inches

2000

Andy Warhol

100 Cans

Oil on canvas

72 X 52 inches

1962

Fred Tomaselli

Echo, Wow and Flutter

Leaves, pills, photo collage, acrylic, and resin on wood panel

84 X 120 inches

2000

Sol LeWitt

Wall Drawing

Scribbles, staircase

Three walls – dimensions variable

2006 - 2010

Jasper John

Numbers in Color

Encaustic and newspaper on canvas

74 ½ X 52 X 3 5/8 inches

1958-1959

Project #2

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

When creating my logo I thought about what is important to me but more specific, who is important to me.  I put my initials, KM, down on the paper & it worked out perfectly because my sister who passed away – her initials are KM, too.  This worked out for me because she is one of the most important people to me.  I wanted to do something with my logo involving teaching but I thought it was more about me & my life.  I basically put my initials down in block lettering & wrote the people important in my life inside the letters. 

2. Describe the process: creative thinking skills and ideas you used in the logo creation.

Honestly, I just thought about what I should do and had many ideas.  I wanted to involve teaching and work in some way because that is a big part of my life but then it just worked towards who was important, rather than what.  To me, anything can seem important to you but if you’re with the right people, it makes it that much better.

3. What was the most important discovery you made in the creation of your logo?

It might not be a discovery but the people that are most important to me in my logo, fit perfectly within my initials :) I don’t really know if there were any discoveries made but I enjoyed this project.

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos, power point, and reading material for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

I guess I never really knew that there was so much to learn about logos until this assignment.  The power point is filled with 29 slides of information.  I didn't know that there were different types of logos, different elements and principles of art that went into it, or about any of the different laws.

                                        

Module 4

1. Discuss what you thought about creating the Value Scale and Color Wheel.

I enjoyed creating the color wheel.  I remember learning about them and the primary colors when I was younger.  It was easy to make the circle and create the lines to separate the colors.  I enjoyed mixing them because even though I knew the color they'd create, the science part of it always fascinates me. 

2. Which media did you enjoy working with the best and why?

I liked using the acrylic paint a lot more than the charcoal.  It was easy to manipulate and I could add more when I needed to.  I actually hated using the charcoal.  It got all over my hands and I feel like it just made my work look sloppy and I wasn't pleased with it at the end.  

3. What was the most important discovery in the creation of these studies?

SEE ANSWER TO NUMBER 4

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

I feel like this question goes along with number 3.  I was really surprised to hear that red, yellow, and blue were not the true primary colors when this whole time, I thought they were.  After watching the video, though, it made sense to me.  The colors mixing together made brown but when you put magenta, yellow and cyan together, they create black which is what they should mix together to be.  This, to me, is an important discovery because I'm going to school to become a teacher so I can teach the children that are in my classes all about the color wheel and teach them the correct colors and what they become when they mix.

Project #1

http://s1311.beta.photobucket.com/user/kmagle/library/Project%201%20-%20AED%20200

I really enjoyed doing this project.  It was a fun way to learn about the different elements and principles of art.  I mainly took pictures around my house and just during my days of being out and about.  I really had to think about what I was going to do for the picture.  Like for the picture for 'space,' I read about how the space between objects was called negative space so I took dishes out of my cupboard and set them up equal distances from each other.  Some were difficult to think of something to take a picture of but looking at the sample really helped.

Module 3

1. Describe color and its effects on emotions. Use the appropriate vocabulary of color in your posting.

      Color has great effects on emotions.  It can express/effect your mood or give you a certain feeling.  I know that there have been studies about how people behave in rooms painted different colors.  One might be pink and certain people will be very calm in that room while they would behave differently in a room that is painted bright green.  The website shows that colors can have the same meaning.  Red, for instance, means love, stop, danger, passion – all just from one color.  It was interesting to play around and see which color was the product of the three primary colors being reflected and absorbed.

2. What is a theoretical aspect of color that most intrigues/fascinates you? Why?

     Describing colors in terms of temperatures always interested me.  I remember in fourth grade learning about warm and cool colors on the color wheel.  Usually expressed by reds, oranges, greens, and blues, the section about this on the website allowed you to fill in colors on a picture and make them warmer and cooler, depending on what you wanted.  The greens could be faded to purple and the reds to orange.  The site talks about how the warm colors appear up front, while the cooler colors fade off.  It says “artist often use these properties of color temperature to enhance the spatial characteristics of their work.”  I never would’ve thought to correlate the warmness or coolness of a picture to their spatial characteristics.

3. In the Color video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and its effects on emotions?

     In the color video, I felt as though a few things impacted my in regards to color and its effects on emotions but the artist that was painting in Venice really was interesting to me.  She said that colors made her feel alive.  I’ve seen pictures before that interest me and I know that it is because of the coloring.  I’m drawn to more bright, vibrant colors.  If the painting is full of dull, “boring” (to me) colors, I’m most likely not going to be interested in looking at it for too long.  I also really like black and white photos.  I love how my eyes are drawn to a certain part of the picture before they fade off into the rest of the painting.  I would have to agree with the artist when she says the colors made her feel alive.  I feel like I am the same way.  I like things to be bright and to “pop out;” to stand out.

4. In the Feelings video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and its effects on emotions?

     I always wondered about the Mona Lisa painting and what its importance and significance was.  From this video, it showed that looking at her smile is a big part of the painting but it also it mysterious in a way.  I feel like this painting shows that she is a normal woman, nothing too crazy about her.  The colors are warm in this painting and it shows that she is an important individual and somewhat genuine, I feel.  If it were cooler colors, maybe it would give off a different initial vibe about her.  I don’t necessarily feel any certain way when looking at this painting but it did interest me into learning more about it and her.

Module 2

In the Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts video, the key concepts I learned are about the different ways that beauty can be looked at.  Plato felt as though beauty was through ideas, mainly.  Aristotle wrote an entire rebuttal on Plato’s views of the arts.  I feel as though Plato’s theory is most important.  Plato mainly discusses beauty and ideas.  I think it is interesting that he believes that ideas are beyond our senses and that the idea of beauty is “a beauty by which all things are beautiful.”  It really got me thinking because what we think is beautiful, someone else may think the opposite so it seems as though Plato is right when he says beauty is an idea.  We all have our own individual idea of beauty.  Plato felt as though aesthetics took away from things that were real and confused the real from the fake.   I think that he feels that what we need to be exposed to is real art to really feel an appreciation for it.  The video went into detail about how aesthetics can be interpreted by people.  While the Middle Ages didn’t have aesthetics, they had their main focus on their devotion to God.  Building on each other’s ideas, philosophers over time have come to their own meanings about beauty and idea.  Francis Hutcheson said “The ideas brought about in our soul by beauty and harmony delight us necessarily and immediately just like other sensible ideas.”  This stood out to me because what we feel from our soul is just as important to us as any other idea brought to our attention.  They both delight us, just maybe in different ways.  The second video, CARTA: Evolutionary Origins of Art and Aesthetics: Neurobiology, Neurology and Art and Aesthetics, was very interesting to me.  In my post on ANGEL, I had discussed how art was a form of expressing ourselves and this video talks about that.  Changeaux discussed how the brain can relate to art and how different parts of our brains help us with this.  Ramachadran discusses how science and art coincide with each other.  I suppose you can think of any different subject going along with art in some way.  It was interesting to hear about how the brain works with art and how it is pleasing to us.  The article by Elizabeth Landau, What the Brain Draws From: Art and Neuroscience, relates to the second video I feel more than the first.  Just from the titles, one can assume this.  It was interesting to read about how the brain can perceive something that is two-dimensional as three-dimensional, just depending on the shows and colors that are used.  Artists are able to portray things differently for us and it may bring the pictures to life.  It’s interesting to see how this happens.  The films and the article added a lot more, along with the text.  The videos went into history, as did the text, and talked about different philosophers and their beliefs.  Learning the more “science-y” part of art was what was most appealing to me because you never really think of art as a science and it goes into so many details to help you see that it really can be.

Module 1

1. How was the process of creating the GMail account and setting up the Blog?

          It was easy enough with the help of the powerpoints.

2. What do you expect to learn in this course?

          I expect to learn how to really look at and understand art.  Also, how 

          to apply what I have learned to my work.  I haven't taken an art class   

          since high school so it will be really interesting to me to have a bit  

          of a review but to mainly learn about so many new things as well. 

3. How do you feel about taking an online course?

          I feel good about taking an online course.  I've done well in them 

          before and really enjoy them.