These artists create huge pieces of three-dimensional work in warehouse-type facilities, carbon prints, pixellated prints that look like puzzles, photographs focused on trees, and images that revolve around nature, such as snowflakes, leaves, branches, etc. I love the carbon prints… I think they are unique in composition as far as the pixellation is concerned and the subjects are things that people don’t usually pay attention to. I’m not in love with their work, however, I find it bland at times. I feel like there is little variety in color, and color is something that attracts me to an artist.

David Carson

Carson is a graphic designer. He incorporates bright colors and words in his compositions, which end up appearing like magazine covers. I have a lot of respect for graphic designers because I have never worked  with graphics on the computer before, and I think it’s awesome how people can create art through technology.

B&W photo: contrast by means of light source.

Value scale, re: magazine clippings.

Her “Untitled” film stills are all self-portraits of her in different environments. I think these photographs are sweet; they capture a different moment every time, and leave the viewer to use their imaginations to create an idea for how/when/why those moments were captured the way they were. I love how simple and classic the photographs are.

above: full-stretch accordian book with the 8 concepts of design: reflective symmetry, translational symmetry, rotational symmetry, value, closure, emphasis by isolation, emphasis by contrast, figure-ground reversal.

Reflective symmetry: (blurry-sorry) images reflect based off a central axis. The image I’ve created works/”answers the question”. I’ve been told many times that his image looks like a pair of fish.

Translational symmetry: symmetrical image/patten looks like it “slides” across the surface. Related to wallpaper- repeating pattern. This image works, but the craft should’ve been better… the circles are unevenly spaced/aligned.

Rotational symmetry: the image is symmetrical in a 360-degree manner. Meaning, the image should circulate your vision so that you see a balance of shapes in all around a central point.

Value: from light to dark. Using the circle template, I tried to make the “falling” shapes resemble leaves. This one is one of my favorite of the 8 concepts.

Closure: within the T or V-shaped figures, you can see formations of white circles. This was the hardest concept for me to create a design for; I think it turned out pretty well.

Emphasis by isolation: I think this is the easiest concept of the 8. A single part of a design stands out, with the same general figuration of the group from which it’s separated.

Emphasis by contrast: in this concept, your eye is supposed to be drawn to a specific part of the design, to show how different in shape/color it is from the rest of the design.

Figure-ground reversal: a design that is supposed to make the viewer wonder if the black is the positive space or if the white is the positive space. This concept messes with viewers’ minds the most, I think. I like this design the most out of the 8 I created, just because I like how edgy it is, and how the sharp points jut out at each other.

10 things I need to improve from this projectt:

1) DO NOT PROCRASTINATE

2) Erase pencil lines better

3) Make lines smoother in the designs

4) Take better care of the Bristol board

5) Make shapes more accurate…spend the necessary amount of time on them, even if it’s 409580 hours.

6) Take time to make sure everything in the final product matches the expectations of the rubric.

7) Ask questions/talk through problems with Jeff instead of sitting around worrying about it.

8.) Use circle template to improve the “pie” pieces in the emphasis by isolation design.

9) Draw straighter boarders- accuracy!

10) Add more variety in shapes. As long as the “question” is answered, add a little creativity.

10 Things I did well on this project:

1) Use of Micron pens is neat.

2) Examples of the concepts are clear.

3) Designs are attractive/interesting.

4) I know my designs reflect my style rather than just answering the question.

5) Folds in the board are accurate.

6) Reflective symmetry & Figure-ground reversal designs are sweet.

7) Although my craft isn’t great, I have improved.

8.) I read chapter 5.

9) I learned that I need to be more responsible and manage my time better- things that I will help very much in the long-run.

10) After getting a small dot of ink on my translational design, I learned the importance of precision.

Looking at The Art Guys’ works took up way more time that I thought it would. It’s a good thing though; I absolutely love their work. I think it’s awesome…. the variety of media they use allows them to creatively express their ideas, so that each of their pieces is original (sculpture, lighting/audio, graphite, ink, watercolor, match residue, also commonly shown: suitcases). One of my favorite mediums they use is the match residue. It’s messy and smudges and has a rich, burnt (literally) color that would be perfect for creating value in a piece- a really sweet idea. I also liked the pencil skyscrapers. Sculpting something like that would take serious patience and drive. It would absorb so much time and mental energy; I give The Art Guys serious props for these types of work. I have never seen artists quite like these dudes- I think they have incredible talent.

Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy’s art is very interesting to me in that there is always some sort of hole or missing piece to his works. Typically in the center and of a circular form, the body of the piece surrounds a black or empty circle in the center- I don’t know if this is to emphasize some type of closure or if it helps direct the eye in a circular path to view what’s there beyond the circle in the center. I wish I could ask Goldsworthy why he decided to emphasis this part of his works. The circle in the center of his pieces must mean something, since they’re a recurring theme in his art. Pretty fascinating. I absolutely love that his his work is derived from materials in nature. It makes his art look very peaceful and brings beauty to it.

Basquiat’s art reminds me of a combination of Picasso and Andy Warhol. He has very gestural, disproportional figures that are associated with bright colors and “cut-out” looking shapes. His art has a lot of hands in it, which is cool…art with hands is something I really admire, and I oftentimes include them in my own art. I read that Basquiat died when he was only 28, because of drugs. His art, particularly in Untitled (skull), you can see that inside the head there’s a bunch of crazy figures and lines, which I immediately related to a response of drug use. I love his art regardless; the boldness that is found in Basquiat’s art is one of the things that draws me to other pieces of art.

5 Important things about this chapter:

1) Perspective —> mathematic system for projecting the apparent dimensions of a 3-D object onto a flat surface.

one-point: simple and straight-forward; pulls the viewer into the image using a single, dramatic focal point.

two-point: often used for diagrams and architectural drawings

three-point: creates an exaggerated sense of space and a unique viewpoint; the viewer feels that they are actively being pulled upward or downward by the illusion of space it creates.

2) Other ways to create an illusion of space: overlap, size variation, definition/atmospheric perspective, location, color

3) amplified perspective- often created as an usual viewing position/bird’s eye view, accelerated convergence, or through distortion.

4) kinesthetics-the science of movement; seeing as well as feeling the gesture. This moment must be captured at the right moment in order to absorb its full meaning.

5) Ken Stout, profile painter listed in chapter 4, gave his advice to art students: “Take risks. Without daring — indeed, without great daring — there is not beauty. We must go beyond ourselves if we are ever to fulfill our real potential” (107).

Exam Question: When viewing a work of art, stepping back to view it from farther away expand the _________.

*Answer: cone of vision

Chapter 5: Cultivating Creativity

5 Important things about this chapter:

1) The seven characteristics of creative thinking are: receptivity, curiosity, wide range of interests, attentiveness, connection seeking, conviction (not ignoring/dismissing the past but also challenging the status quo), and complexity.

2) The Positive Loop of Goal Setting entails four steps: Goal Setting, Goal achievement, Satisfaction and Pride, and Increased Self-Confidence. This loop repeats its cycle as long as it is used successfully.

3) Time Management: the many tips on time management on pages 114-116 were a life-saver for me. I usually end up procrastinating, and I sometimes feel that I work best under pressure, however, since college has a tremendous workload, I’m working on managing my time in a more organized fashion.

4) Creativity actually comes from combining old ideas. This goes back to conviction, one of the seven characteristics of creativity listed in #2 above. It means embracing and appreciating the past in order to create new ideas.

5) In order for a goal to be successfully achieved, it must be clear, definable, and realistic. Goals and time-management also go hand-in-hand.

Exam question: True or False?: An artist who has background in geology, literature, music, history, and archery can make more connections than a narrow-minded specialist.

*Answer: True. Making connections as an artist is really important so artists can be more in-touch with the world. Artists are supposed to be the most well-rounded people in the world! Without making those connections they really won’t have anything to prove.

As an artist who specializes in my favorite mediums of art, Barry McGee served as one of the coolest artists I’ve had the pleasure of exploring. He loves painting, printmaking, graffiti, drips, patterns, and street characters. I love this type of urban design. I think it can be attractive to anyone and it really captures something different from the art we have become familiar with seeing.

“The more I learned about the art world, the more my interest in what was going on outside of it increased, I didn’t have any desire to bring graffiti inside the school’s walls or anything.” –Barry McGee

Ann Hamilton:

When researching Ann Hamilton, I found her to be very interesting. The reason for this is her wonderful variety of media she uses (photography, fabric, organic material, and filmed footage. It is clear that her specialty is photography, and that she loves animals, as everyone can see that they’re in many of her pictures. Her photographs look very earthy; they’re simple, yet complex in that they can convey so much about nature. She also designs wedding dresses which I assume contributes to her passion for working with fabrics.

]]> http://merecickykellyudaytonart.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/barry-mcgee-ann-hamilton/feed/ 0 kellymerecicky barrymcgee barrymcgee annham ann-hamilton-human-nature http://merecickykellyudaytonart.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/robert-rauschenberg-kara-walker/ http://merecickykellyudaytonart.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/robert-rauschenberg-kara-walker/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:27:43 +0000 kellymerecicky http://merecickykellyudaytonart.wordpress.com/?p=43 ]]> Robert Rauschenberg:

After never hearing of/seeing the artwork of Robert Rauschenberg until today, I was very pleased to do so. It interested me that he studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, because I was born in Kansas City and my mother worked as a freelance illustrator for Hallmark in Kansas City for many years. The second I saw the images of Rauschenberg’s work, I fell in love with it. I love the variety of bright colors and shapes he uses in creating the composition of his pieces. I love how his art takes me to a different place and how my eye always has something to look at.

Kara Walker:

Walker’s work to me is amazing. The whole idea of silhouettes is simple, but she made it even greater than that. Without color or facial expressions on the people in her cut-paper masterpieces, the viewer is able to use their imagination in determining what is happening in the work. Every figure tells a different story. The figures are very active and lively, and often youthful, which makes viewing her work that much more entertaining.

Chapter One:

5 Intriguing things to me:

- When drawing a hand, focus on what the hand is doing, rather than what it is. (pg. 4)

-Sanding down the texture of a canvas before applying the paint helps the viewer see into the painting instead of focusing on the surface. Heave brushstrokes should be kept to a minimum. (pg. 12)

-A really cool way of using value/gradation in a drawing is shown on pg. 19. The denser the value, the more intensely the object is depicted in the composition. Value increases the illusion of space.

-Trompe l’oeil means “to fool the eyes” in French. Observing the examples of artwork that used this technique inspires me to make my art more powerful and meaningful, both for the viewer and for myself.

-Value and lighting influence emotional responses of the viewer. It increases/intensifies drama while also adding dimensionality.

Exam question: How is organizational line important to a composition? (Answer: Organizational line is used to quickly develop ideas and provide the framework for the composition)

(above: organizational line; from http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/2718601325_43f15cf791.jpg?v=0)

Chapter Three

5 Intriguing things to me:

-Gestalt psychology involves analyzing the strategies of creating complex and meaningful/compelling compositions. (Psychology is an interest of mine, as I have considered entering the field of art therapy)

-The principle of movement can have such a powerful impact on the viewer. I noticed this in “Raft of Medusa” on page 71.

-Beyond just patterns like spirals, radial symmetry can be used in actual pictures and realistic compositions.

-Frida Kahlo’s painting, “Las Dos Friedas” was used as an example of balance on page 81. I enjoy her paintings because I know about her background, and that it involved very painful moments in which she very expressively demonstrates in her artwork.

-When something breaks the norm, when it stands out, and appears to be original, it has anomaly. I love that this technique is used to immediately attract the viewer’s eye, and after analyzing the paintings in class, it is easier for me to identify anomaly in a piece of art.

Exam question: What is the difference between proportion and scale? (Answer: Proportion refers to the relationships between sizes within an image. Scale refers to how we compare the size of something to our physical reality…something in real life)

(above: Raft of Medusa)

(above: Las Dos Fridas)