For March 16- A-R-T

For April 1- Different Color/Same Color

This neutral green color is made to look different by being placed on the opposite ends of a green/red spectrum.

For March 25- Same Value/Different Value

This is a light gray made to look different by being placed on the ends of a black/white spectrum.

For Fri, April 22- Implied Motion

These simple line drawings are by Japanese artist and printmaker Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). His drawings do not incorporate typical aspects used to imply motion in a piece of art, yet they "give a strong impression of movement by depicting the human body in highly unstable postures. As new study just published in the journal NeuroReport shows, the figures in the sketches are perceived to be moving because their gravity-defying postures activate regions of the visual cortex that are sensitive to motion."

For Fri. April 15- Focal Point and Emphasis

The lily flowers are the focus of this photo, using contrast of color and shape to provide emphasis:

This "underground lava pattern" design is an example of emphasizing the whole over the part. There are several lighter blotches but because of their number, they don't command all attention.

Wed., April 13- Group Project Sketch

Here is my idea for our group project/public work; we will have bamboo arches welcoming passersby into a whimsical garden with rows of objects and shapes made with natural items that we have abundant on campus. We could certainly deviate from this shapes, but it would be neat to have several different people work on each row so that objects would be unique, giving people a reason to stop by and look through our garden. Inspiration comes from my love for my mama's garden at home and for the tiny rose garden between Knight Hall and the Admin building!

For Fri, April 8- Moody Lines

These lines are jagged, sharp, and irregular. They make me feel tense, uneasy, and angry. I don't know why anyone would choose this as an upholstery pattern for a couch, which is why we cover it with a slipcover.

These lines are smooth, flowing, and traditional. They make me feel comforted, strong, and sure.

For Wed., April 6- Lines...who needs em?

The first is an example of implied lines, both horizontal and vertical (these are also grids!). Woodblock-printed wrapping paper, Indonesia.

 The second is an example of actual lines, of varying width and spacing. IKEA pillow, artist unknown.

Wed., March 30- Faith Ringold

This image is from Faith Ringold's collection of paintings telling the story of when all the people of the world were one color, and how the angel of color went about making them all this color or that color, but that it was too dull and eventually made all different colors of people. This painting is when the angel of color paints everyone gray. Her skin is meant to fade into the background, emphasizing the dullness of uniform skin tones, while her face and dress vibrate with color--showing what her skin or the people of the world could look like, were they to differ. 

For Wed., March 23- Colorful Music

Olafur Arnalds is a multinstrumentalist and producer from Iceland. His music videos are all abstractions of color and lines. They are beautiful and simplistic, helping to illustrate and yet keep the focus on his instrumental music. This is Ljosio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYIfiQlfaas&feature=related

For Fri., March 18- Money as Art

These are by far my favorite money art pieces from that article: http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/14/art-from-money/. They are whimsical, creative, and humorous; it's funny to see George Washington with a silly two-pieced party hat on. Moneygami makes something lighthearted and silly out of an object all people take far too seriously: money. 

Fri., March 4- Synesthesia

This is by a girl who has synhesthesia, and this is her representation of Rise Against's "Whereabouts Unknown. She describes that the black and orange represent the singer throwing his voice and the red is his guitar. I want to post the link rather than the actual picture, because all rights are reserved and I want to honor that: http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlelioness09/4033166736/lightbox/

Wed., March 2- Currency

The French Pacific Territories have the world's most beautiful bills--the color is captivating and warm, the items and women inviting and such essential representations of the islands. I don't think America's, nor most other country's, currency sums up the nature of its nation's history and natural glory as well as the French Polynesian Islands.

For Fri., Feb. 25- Grids Galore!

Here is an example of fine artwork incorporating a loose grid structure; it's titled "Red and Black World II" by Kate Norton from 2007.

Here is an example of artwork with a tight grid structure; it's titled "Tight Grid Circles" by Trevor Boyle in 2007:

For Wed., Feb. 23- Chuck Close

This is a painting by Chuck Close titled "Bob," painted in 1970, synthetic polymer paint on canvas. The thing I was most taken by with Chuck Close was his large paintings from photographs. They are the most lifelike paintings I've ever seen. They seem to glow--he doesn't push contrast too much but uses such a beautiful array of grays. The Facial expressions are pretty funny, too. 

For 2/18- Commercial Art Repetition

This is a vintage Nabisco add I hung in my kitchen. It uses repetition of form (the snacks) and also a grid pattern to maintain a neatness and pleasing overall composition. While the snacks are all similar, several of the pieces vary with specific toppings, using differentiation of form to emphasize the point that these snacks can be eaten in a variety of ways.  

For 2/16- Gestalt Quilt!

This is the quilt on my bed. It uses similarity or repetition of shapes as well as proximity to create a unified pattern. Most of the shapes are triangles or a square with two triangles placed on either end (whatever that shape is called). Quilts, by nature, usually are unified by similar shapes and proximity of those shaped quilt pieces. 

For Wed., 2/11- Andy Goldsworthy

This is one of Andy Goldsworthy's more permanent outside works--a stone fence wrapping and snaking around trees and flowing down the hill and into the river, like a long, lazy snake. The design fascinates me because it seems as if it is a natural phenomenon, as if the rocks wanted to form around and hug the forest and river bank. The colors of the rocks fit with the tree colors. The snow on top of the fence is striking, and the snow is really the only reason the fence sticks out from its surroundings at all. 

For Wed., Feb. 9- Gestalt Principles

Two gestalt principles are applied in the image above. One is proximity-the individual figures can be perceived as making up a tree because they are close enough to one another to do so. All spread out, they would not form an overall unified image. Also, because the individual images' similarities to one another, we are more able to focus on the overall tree image rather than on the individual images. If the individual images were different things while still placed in proximity to one another in a tree form, we may not be able to recognize the tree form as readily. 

For Fri., Feb. 4- Louise Nevelson boxes

This is Nevelson's “Sky Cathedral Presence.” In Nevelson's work, objects and boxes come together in blackness to lose their specificity and create a new total object and feeling, while recognizable shapes and depths give you places to explore and wonder about after taking in the total structure, which is solemn, semi-symmetrical, and mysterious.  

For Wed., Feb. 2-Lucas Samaras boxes

 This is Samaras' Box no. 54, Colored wool and synthetic polymer paint on wood. 

This is Samaras' Box no. 68, synthetic polymer paint on wood. I chose to show two photos, because I had to view several to get a feel for Samaras' work. To him, the box is not about what is inside, as it is for Cornell. Rather, the art is the box itself--and it does not have to be a whole box. In both these examples, the "boxes" may have started out as whole cubes, but Samaras cut and reconstructed to make something more interesting, architectural, and unexpected. 

For Friday, Jan. 28- Cornell Boxes

This Cornell box is titled, "Habitat Group for a Shooting Gallery." I find the use of primary colors paired with natural wood and paper elements very appealing. It also seems to make a comment on environmental concerns, about placing an entire species together and systematically annihilating them. That could be off base, but either way, I'd love to hang this in my room.

Jan. 26- Form and Content

This political ad uses both form and content to push people who view it to vote for Obama. In form, its graphic design and use of color is similar to Obama's "Change" campaign images. In content, through use of Sarah Palin's demented facial expressions and the words, "frightening prospect" at the bottom, the posters send a negative, politically-surged message to onlookers to vote for Obama unless they want someone as crazy as Palin to take office.  

Definition of Design

The Design Council in the UK is a really neat organization. They pulled together several of their favorite definitions of design, and there are two I think lay a broad picture and then a more modern, applicable definition of design. The first, simple definition: ‘Design is all around you, everything man-made has been designed, whether consciously or not’. And now the more complex, modern, more intentional definition of design by the council's former Chairman, Sir George Cox:
Design is what links creativity and innovation. It shapes ideas to become practical and attractive propositions for users or customers. Design may be described as creativity deployed to a specific end.’

Here is the photo for my first definition, chosen because it uses rustic, simple elements to form a practical item.

Designed by Laura Spector Rustic Design. 

Here is a photo for my second definition, chosen because it brings together an extremely creative idea also incorporating natural design with extreme technology to make a new, marketable, usable product. It's called the Seabreacher, and you can both dive and jump in it. 

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/country-house/laura-spector-rustic-design-014108

1/19- Three Types of Design!

First, there is interior design! 
Interior Design involves "the imaginative and efficient use of colour, pattern, texture, light and space" in homes, commercial spaces, and public buildings. One photo is of a residential home and one of a club, both are done by a group called Blacksheep. 

Second, Transport Design!

 By Ford's Mark Newson

An English design for a bullet train by Priestman Goode. 

Third, Furniture Design!

"Knot" chair by John Makepeace

http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/about-design/Types-of-design/Interior-design/What-is-it/
http://cubeme.com/blog/2009/06/10/yellow-tree-house-new-zealand-by-pacific-environment-architects/