Albright Knox Art Gallery

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

1.  Dan Flavin's Blue, pink and yellow fluorescent square light. This work of art had no title, was about 8 ft tall/wide. The media was not your typical marker or paint, it was four fluorescent lights linked together creating a large square. It is said to have been created in 1971. This one had an impact on me because it was so different, so simple, yet so bold. This caught your eye more than any other work of art there. Very vibrant and fun! My favorite. 

2. Robert Swain's 1975 untitled acrylic paint on canvas, also about 8ft tall/wide, was very beautiful to the eye. This painting was also very simple, but nice to look at. It made a good impression on me because it shows how beautiful all the colors are. It gives off a happy vibe. Displays all the colors of the rainbow in tiny squares, from light to dark. Definitely a more fun image there, I saw a lot of depressing, boring works of art. That is why this one and the first really stood out to me because I personally enjoy these types of artwork, happy, fun, colorful. I dislike miserable, depressing art. 

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

1. Giacomo Balla's Dinamismo di un cane al guinzaglio, oil on canvas, 1912 was a piece that I felt a connection with. First of all, he was an Italian artist. I also am Italian my family is from there so it is kind of cool to see the Italian art from back in the day when my family lived there.  His painting was a skittering dachshund and the staccato steps of his owner in 1912 in Sienna, Italy. The background is lively with vibrant pink and green. This represents the white dust of the tuscan countryside shimmering under the bright summer sun. My parents just got back from Italy not too long ago so this painting connects with me. Id love to go to Italy too some day. I also love dogs more than anything so that connection is there also! 

2. Winter East Liverpool, 1927, an oil on canvas painting by Charles E. Burchfield also connected with me. I genuinely liked this painting for what it was. It shows a road running through the middle of a bunch of houses/businesses covered in snow. The view is beautiful, as is the snow on the ground and rooftops. There is a man coming out of a shop that says enos moon lunch with a cigarette in his hand. The background is snowy mountains and a calm winter sky. I feel very connected with this because I love winter. I love snow, and the calmness of it all. This looks like somewhere id want to be. 1927 also seems like a cool time. Life seemed like a better place back in the, I always felt like I was born in the wrong time. I feel a very strong connection with this painting, I love it!

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

1. Id like to know more about Cy Twombly's artwork from 1970. His was an oil based house paint and wax crayon on canvas. Personally I did not like this piece. It looked like a chalkboard with scribbles. It was square, grey background, with literally scribbles of white. I don't get it. It is ugly and shows no talent. So in this case, yeah I'm curious to why this is worth being in an art gallery. 

2. Second artwork I didn't like was actually the most expensive there. A worker told me this particular painting cost 90 million. It was Jackson Pollock's Convergence from 1952. This was an oil on canvas and was actually very large. It was a bunch of splattered paint. I saw black, blue, yellow and orange. This painting was hideous! I am appalled that it is worth 90 million dollars. a 4 year old could make this. Id love to learn more as to why it is worth so much, and what people see in it. That isn't art to me. To me, art is skill, and it is beautiful, not a bunch of scribbles and lines and shapes thats ridiculous. 

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Logo Design

1.    Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

When creating my logo, I thought to myself, what truly makes me who I am, and what is it that I am most passionate about that could be best at representing me. My answer to that is my love for animals, most importantly dogs. A certain type of dog, and that is the Pitbull. I have always loved and cared for animals and have had dogs my entire life. My goal in life is to one day open a sanctuary rescue for dogs. It keeps me up at night thinking about how many innocent dogs are put to rest for no reason, especially pit bulls Only 1 in every 600 of them make it out of the shelter. They are the most misunderstood breed of dog. I have one myself and he is absolutely everything to me. I rescued him and I hope one day I can rescue thousands more!

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

I knew I wanted my initials in it to represent me, and also a heart for my love and care for animals, as well as something to represent a dog. I drew a pit with his tongue out, a heart in his tongue, and inside that heart are my initials RC. On top of his head I drew a halo, because they are all angels. His head is the largest part, which I wanted the attention on it. I want people to see the halo and see them as kind, sweet and loyal. I left it all black and white except the heart in red and the pink tongue. It draws the attention to my initials and the heart around it. This makes me bold, portraying me as an animal lover.

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

The most important discovery in making my logo was how happy I am with the outcome. I think it really defines me and portrays what is most important to me in my life. I couldn’t have done it any better. 

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

I think you realize how much thought and work goes into creating new graphic designs, labels, logos, symbols, etc. It really is a very thoughtful, long process. Colors, sizes, shapes, letters, etc. all goes into the design process. You really want to make sure you choose the best representation of your product, something attention grabbing, bold, exciting. The videos show you different companies looking for the best logo for their company, the right bottle size for their product, the best-looking labels. I used all of this information to help me design mine. They are very informative and detailed on the process of graphic designs. 

SKETCHES

FINAL LOGO

Art Material Exploration: Module 4

1. I liked creating the wheel. It was fun, I love painting it actually was easier than I had thought as far as mixing the colors, however I couldn't get the red or green as good as I wanted them. The value scale was more boring to make, just pressing lighter and harder on the pencil to get different shades. I will say I could not find Cyan color anywhere so I got the closest color to it with help from a worker at Michaels.

2. I prefer paint. I love paining it is way more fun and creative, you can always cover mistakes, use different strokes and mix to get any color you want.

3. The most important discovery in my opinion is the fact that magenta and cyan are primary colors, not red and blue! I had no idea, but once I saw it in the video and created the wheel myself, it makes sense. Also, to use a pencil on its side for better shading as seen in the value scale video.

4. I think both videos were very informative. I like how in the color wheel video they show each color in its place, then you add a little yellow next to the cyan, then next to the magenta, then so on so forth. This sets you up for success because it is organized and you see where and what colors to mix. Seeing it visually made it much easier for me. Also wouldn't have thought to turn my pencil and use it flat the way he showed in the scale video. Both videos were great visual examples!

art project

http://s346.photobucket.com/user/RachelCallea/library/

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Reflection Journal:

Elements

Line: The photo I chose for line was of a building with horizontal and vertical lines and windows on top of a horizontal street. The lines show sizing of buildings. Where the lines meet the grass you can depict where the ground is and how tall the trees are against the building. Also the lines in the street show how far away the building is just by looking at it you can tell distance.

value: For value (light) I took a photo of 7 trees from a short distance. The trees are in different spots, with a building in the back. As the front tree is dramatically lighter than the rest with a lighter grass area, you can depict where the light is reflecting from the sun. 

shapes: For shape, I simply chose a bike rack. This is a crazy looking shape that grabs peoples attention because it is so different looking. 

forms: Form I chose a vase my mom recently bought. It is a three dimensional shape with length, width and depth and it is very vibrant and different in my opinion. 

space: For space I took a picture of a car in between two lines showing space. We notice this is a parking space and by the space in between the car and the lines we can depict how large the vehicle is, and in this case this vehicle is large and takes up a lot of space. 

color: I chose my favorite painting for color. This painting is in my bathroom and the colors are just so beautiful and vibrant, the colors are what truly make this painting great!

Texture: Texture I used a tire mark in a pile of sand. You can see the texture and almost feel it by just looking at it. The darker colors in the sand and the couple of leaves make this texture picture very bold. You can tell by looking at it what made that texture and that is obviously a tire. Also, the texture appears smooth.

Principles:

Balance: In my balance photo I feel as though everything comes together harmoniously and the trees on both sides balance out the image with my dog and boyfriend pictured in the middle and the path going perfectly through the middle. The colors, forms, and shapes come together great I feel. 

Contrast: My contrast photo is my favorite! I took this photo recently when I went to fort Lauderdale, Florida. They say contrast is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer's attention and to guide the viewer's eye through the artwork. In my photo, The dark black palm trees on both sides of the photo are bold and dark, focusing your eyes to the background, where the sky is beautiful and the sun is setting showing vibrant colors, almost looking like a rainbow. It is also pretty symmetrical as the sun sets in between the palm trees almost evenly on both sides. 

Movement: I used a fan for this one. I took a photo underneath it in my kitchen. It is a simple photo but you can see the movement of the fan as the color and darkness fades after each blade swings. 

Emphasis: I chose to take a picture of my dog on a dark couch from a bit of a far distance. It directs your view to a particular part of the image because the background is bland, the couch is black, and my dog is a tan, beautiful, cute baby to look at. Your eyes go immediately to him, nothing else. 

Pattern: For pattern I chose my favorite. Houndstooth! It is a simple black and white pattern that is classic and timeless. The photo is one of my scarves. 

Proportion: I went to DC recently and took a photo of two female lions hunting a buffalo. This was an exhibit in the natural history museum. This shows the proportion not only of size but of quantity. You can see the Buffalo is much larger than the female lions, but there are two against one, both size and quantity depicting proportion. 

Unity: Last but not least my most meaningful photo. I chose to capture a photo of my parents holding hands, making sure my mom's wedding ring was showing. They have been married for 32 years. This shows true unity. There is a balance of love and commitment, a symmetrical shape of their hands interlocking. 

Module 3

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

Colors set moods and vibes. Color is not actually a real thing, it is the way things absorb light and reflect out a “color”. Colors mean different things to everybody and set different tones and emotions. For instance, I enjoy dark colors during fall and winter, it sets a dark, creepy feeling especially during Halloween. However, some people might not enjoy dark colors, it might ruin their mood. Color expresses emotion through art. Light usually is a happy mood, dark can symbolize a more serious, maybe sad photo. Vibrancy can make a very bold, crazy picture. So on and so forth.

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

What intrigues me and fascinates me the most is how colors really can change everything about a piece of art. I could draw a beach in color, or I can draw one in black and white. Each photo would display completely different meanings/stories behind it just based on its color. There are so many colors and if you don’t get the colors right on a certain photo, it may not be as realistic as you want it. Drawing a flower that has many different shades, and shapes, if those colors aren’t used correctly, it is not going to look accurate to that of which you are drawing.

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

In 1841 when the metal cube was invented. This changed the future of painting. It was a simple invention. It allowed artists to carry oil paintings outdoors and this forever changed the game, and allowed artists to really express emotion and accuracy and feeling because it allowed them to paint outside, in nature, where all the real colors are found and emotion lives. This led to impressionism and modern art. Everything in nature has color, and if you looked hard enough you would only see color. “Forget the objects in front of you, look at streaks of color, paint the colors just as you seem them, as colors.” - Monet. This was the biggest impact for me on its effects on emotion because Monet stated that after this invention, being able to paint outside and see nature, he had created a painting and recorded the colors in nature with such scientific accuracy that had never been achieved before. This is a big deal and shows how huge of an effect color has on emotions because getting those colors so exact and so precise completely made his artwork amazing and you could feel the true emotion through nature in these works of art.

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

In the feelings video, the biggest impact was the way artists portray serious messages and feelings through their works of art. Some artists might paint a field of flowers with pinks and light greens and yellows, this might send a positive message. As for someone else might draw blood, or death using black and grey and dark blues, expressing sadness, depression, send a not so happy message. Some artists might be telling a story, painting for beauty, painting to show off their talent, send a message or simply just for fun. Emotion has everything to do with art, and the colors chosen to define the art piece are extremely important.

Module 2

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

In the Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts video, the systematic study of Art originated in 5^thcentury Athens and Greek philosophers then came along with their beliefs and ideas of “art”. I learned that beauty is important. Everything is beautiful, and the true beauty comes from the eye of the beholder. The chief forms of beauty are order of symmetry, and definiteness which the mathematical sciences demonstrate in a special degree. Art is said to be the expression of emotion. Aristotle a famous Greek philosopher was famous for his three concepts of tragedy, which is filled with emotions. This then creates a form of art. Like Plato said, poetry is art, also filled with emotion. The next video of the two speakers was very interesting. According to Changeux and Ramachandran, science is a form of art. We see it through history. We see it through skeletons, bones, tools, artifacts, wall drawings from hundreds of thousands of years ago. It also is demented, twisted, exaggerated and distorted through sculptures, pictures, paintings, etc. From the article the biggest concept I learned was how we recognize art and how the human brain reacts to it.

2.    Which philosopher's theroy on aesthetics do you feel is most important? Be sure to mention the philosphers name, era (time in history), and contribution to the aesthetic theory in your response.

I think Aristotle’s theory on aesthetics was the most important. I think he was very influential with his 3 unities; unity of action, time, and place. He is famous for his analysis of tragedy which is a specific art form. Aristotle’s work can be traced back to 4^thcentury B.C. He is the philosopher who believed that beauty is symmetry.

3.    What do you think about Changeux and Ramachandran scientific view of aesthetics and art? What was the most interesting fact you discovered from each speakers lecture?

From Changeux’s lecture, I really liked how he compared us humans to art. He spoke about artifacts which is really cool, those are historical works of art. From old bones, to hieroglyphics and tools they used. You can see the symmetry in the skulls and bones of humans. You can also see symbolism in these skeletons. Artistic composition was found in wall drawings from hundreds of thousands of years ago. He believes works of art are artifacts and human productions. From Ramachandran’s lecture, my favorite part was when he explained the statue of the woman who symbolized femininity and sexuality saying that the point of art isn’t to create the realistic picture of the woman, but to exaggerate alter and distort the image in some way to create pleasing effects to the human brain. I like this because that is very true. Although beauty is symmetry and we think of that as beautiful, it is the crazy, wild, different stuff that sticks out to us and makes us look and enjoy it. I think both speakers had really good things to say that were very interesting. I really liked the first speaker, and I would have never really seen bones or skulls as art, but now I do. Very interesting speakers, great video!

4.    How do the videos and article relate to the readings in the text?

They all relate in the way that it tells us where art came from, why it came about, why we like it, what do we see as beauty, what do we find as “art”? They show the cave drawings, and how humans could understand them and communicate. All three pieces talk about what aesthetics is and what it has to do with beauty and art. We notice that art is seen differently through everyone. Whether it is cave drawings, statues, architecture, science, etc. Art and beauty can be two different things, and this is determined in the eye of the beholder.

5.    What is your opinion of the films and article? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics in your reading in the text?

I enjoyed the films. I think they added depth because they really dug deep into different forms of art and the meanings behind it and how it is seen and communicated to us human beings. The second video was better and had a lot more interesting topics I think the first was a little boring and harder to understand and the article was super cool learning about faces and lines, our brain, and how we recognize art. The article said, the human brain is wired in such a way, that we can make sense of lines, colors and patterns on a flat canvas. The brain responds especially strongly to certain artistic conventions that mimic what we see in nature.