Scientific Enough For Ya?

      My first thumbnail for my Fibonacci Sequence panel. Quite honestly, this came to me as I was falling asleep one night and I just had to sketch it out before I forgot. I'm pretty happy with it but it doesn't quite display the Microcosm feature that it needs. I tried to show the transition in values with the amount of shading. I stylized water and tried to incorporate the spiral for Fibonacci's Sequence within the wave on the left as well as the vines that wrap around the tree. The finished product is going to be 8x21", so pretty narrow. Its definitely no Fire & Water panel (I miss that :'(  ), but we'll  give painting a try.

Completed Concept Boards

Concept board displaying the inspirations and work of artist Beatriz Milhaze. She draws most of her inspirations from Carnival in Brazil so I thought it was important to include that. This is my absolute favorite :)

Up close samples of textures from nature including wings of birds and flower petals. I need to make one slight modification to this and then its finished.

The simplest of them all but sometimes it doesn't take very much. My Architectural textile quadrant (way to throw it back there lol!), with color added is in the background which creates a little depth and unifies the composition.

Making Waves

"When I paint, the sea roars. The others splash about in the bath." 

-Salvador Dali

I think that this allows you to get to know the true Dali. It is a bit humorous because it shows you what Dali thought of the other artists of his time. While he was exploring the realms of Surrealism, others weren't as ambitious. We should take a lesson from Dali and find a way to think outside the confines of reality to create something different no matter what everyone else is doing. 

Carrying a Full Plate Now!

As of Thursday's Design class, I've really been feeling the pressure of everything that's due. I got another digital surrealism assignment that has to be "mostly done" for Tuesday. I have somewhat of an idea of what I want to do. Even after this though, there's going to be another painting project that the class will be starting. As long as I stay organized I'm prrrretty sure I'll be ok (just give me some dark chocolate and I got dis ;) )

Here's the bit of progress I've made:

Here's the first painting of my combination lock. Looking back at it I like it but I still think it could be better by far. After I get the other 2 out the way, I'll go back and add more detail to show that it's a reflective surface.

The wall in class with everyone's concept boards and abstract paintings. It's refreshing to FINALLY see some color omg lol! I see some really good ones up there :)

My Maria! I've been longing to see her, when she's around she takes mah bluuuues awayyy lol ;)

Now excuse me while I work on my 2 essays :P....

Kinda D r r r r r raa a a a gging Along

Something about this weather, man. Getting out of bed is seems to be taking more of an excruciating effort as the days get shorter along with my attention span at times lol!

This is how I'm getting through the day today. Chocolate milk, chocolate energy and good ole' Blue :)

  

Don't worry though, I did get something done today...

Finished the rest of my Concept Boards for Design I class. I really like how the one on Symmetry turned out. The third board is on the artist Beatriz Milhaze (it's in my bookbag...and no I'm not getting it out right now...I'm too zzzzzzzzzz...)

 

Studio Work: The Last 2 Weeks

The point of this project is to show Actual and implied textures. I don't particularly like this portion of it too much. Drawing with the Elmer's glue was pretty cool, I'll admit. Otherwise, I like to work flat.

This turned out pretty cool though. Its a shame that I'll I have to cover it with tissue paper because it won't take nicely to the paint :/

Here's our new project (yet again). We're going to be working with Grayscale which I'm kinda happy about. Eventually we're going to have 3 different painted pieces of an abstracted object like you see on the wall there. But like everything.....there's a whole process lol

After sketching out my object (I picked my combination lock from my locker), in an 8x8" square then I had to pick a certain section that I liked. I was looking for negative space so I focused on the latch. Drew a grid over top...

NAYO! Her blog here X)

...then darkened the lines up from underneath. After reducing it, it has to be blown up to the full 8x8" again (argh)...

Afterwards I....(UNDER CONSTRUCTION: will get the other pics up really soon :) )

Nice Bod ;)

I know that before I was really loathing my drawing class. It took about 2 months and just one class to change my mind. Since we've started figure drawing, everything is so much easier for me. I'm learning so much in Jeff's class and I find myself drawing figures for fun. Just yesterday, we had our first nude model. I'm not sure about the rest of the class, but I didn't find it strange or uncomfortable at all. She was really able to hold a nice pose which made it easier to translate everything onto paper. After doing our 4 quarter turn positions, our model did more pose where Jeff then let us use any medium of our choosing. Not quite finished that one yet but I will put it up as soon as I am. But for now, here's some of the smaller scale figures I had been working on for homework.

These are the different views of the statue on The Parkway in front of the cathedral. Not much detail yet but Jeff said it was nice :)

Don't ask me what they're doing. Entirely random lol!

Homework 4

Vocabulary

Chapter 9: Texture

Texture: the suggested quality of a surface

Tactile Texture: the usage of actual materials to portray a certain texture

Impasto: the layering on of paint to create a built up three dimensional surface.

Value: a scale the measures different weights of light and dark color

Collage: the arrangement of overlapped pieces of mixed media; often paper

Visual Texture: the use of various colors that intermingle and imply a certain texture even

   though a surface is flat

Trompe l’oeil “fool to the eye”: the main idea of using visual texture

Pattern: a motif that repeats itself over and over again

Chapter 12: Value

Value: the artistic term to describe lights and darks

Achromatic: used to describe grays when they are strictly a mixture of black and white

Value-Contrast: the relationship between spaces that are light and dark

Chromatic: gray that can be produced by two colors that counter act each other to a gray neutral

Value Pattern: the selective placement and variation of certain lights and darks regardless of the colors used

Chiaroscuro: the usage of light s and darks to suggest the depth/volume of an object or space

Aerial Perspective: the usage of light s and darks to depict less distinct objects in the distance

Atmospheric Perspective: see Aerial Perspective

Shading: a visual effect with value to imply a texture

Cross-Hatching: black lines of various thicknesses to going in opposing directions on a white surface to give the implication of grays

Applying Concepts

Chapter 9

1.

2. Using a grid to create a pattern aids an artist in making a design more unified. A grid ensures the proper measurements to make various motifs equal distances apart.

3. A pattern is a precise repetition of a design. While a texture does have repetition, the arrangement is much more randomized than the carefully thought out placement of a pattern.

4. A texture can be used to create visual interest because it would give an object a different quality as opposed to if it was just kept a plain two dimensional surface; a “feast for the eyes”

5. An actual texture is a literal material that has form that protrudes from a 2 dimensional surface. An implied texture is simply a flat surface that by way of value, that suggests a three dimensional texture.

6. A collage is the arrangement of various pieces of media that is most often believed to be random.

7. Trompe l’oeil is the concept of using texture to add visual interest and dimension to an otherwise two dimensional surface

Chapter 12

1. Value is the manipulation of various lights and darks to create depth. A value scale is a gradual progression or grays to measure how dark or light a value is.

2.Achromatic Gray is a hue that is purely made of blacks and whites

3. Value contrast is the interaction of light and dark areas in a single composition

4. Balance can be created with value in a composition based upon a particular placement the various values are arranged. However, unity can also be achieved through a gradual transition

5. Emphasis can be created with value by making a single section of a composition darker/lighter than the rest of it. This will draw the viewer’s eye in to make a focal point

6. Chiaroscuro was use during the Renaissance Period to portray certain depths. For example, on objects with a darker value could be perceived as being closer up with more detail, or as being lower (such as a shadow)

7. Aerial and Atmospheric perspective is the idea that objects that are further away are seen as a lighter value with little to no detail (such as a landscape)

The Ins and Outs of Art

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."

                                                -Aristotle

     I've been thinking about this for some time now. The beautiful thing about art is that no matter what a piece is supposed to be or represent, every individual is going to see something different. This reminded me of the Crit I just had in Design class. When looking at someone else's work, everybody got something different out of it whether it be Haunted Mansion rides or Lemony Snicket books from way back when lol! It only reinforces the idea that we don't only see what we want to see but perhaps more important, we see what we need to see.

For Those of You Looking for a Little Humor :)

Don't you feel cool because you get it? ;)

New Unit...eeeeh

     This is Heather introducing our new project. In this unit we'll be painting in gray scale. We're starting with collages. I'm not sure how I feel about the project yet. After being practically programmed to do one thing for so long, having to switch into a different thing is strange for me. Needless to say, I'm not quite feeling the collage thing.

This is my attempt at creating a bi-radial composition. I'm not totally in love with it and I feel like something is missing here but I'm not sure what it is yet.

As you can tell, I'm pretty much out of it right now. Doing work isn't exactly exciting me at the moment. Maybe its just today but it better move out of the way quick hahaha. Music is helping a bit I guess but Chris Martin can only help oh so much :/

I Dream in Color

     So in class my professor Heather, is having us create 3 different concept boards. I decided to start with researching an artist. When I got to Beatriz Milhaze, I knew that I wanted to look her up for sure. Her work has been dismissed by art critics because her work is purely aesthetic and they say that she contributes nothing to the art world. Because she's somewhat of a controversial figure, that only made me all the more interested. She's been known to take her inspiration from the colors and festive nature of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil. I love her work because it has a dreamy like quality to it.

Source: http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/beatriz-milhazes/

Paraquita, 2004

Acrylic on Canvas 

98 1/2 x 66 3/4 inches

Popeye, 2008

Acrylic on Canvas

78 3/8 X 54 3/4 inches

Mulatinho, 2008

Acrylic on Canvas

97 5/8 X 97 5/8 inches

Milhaze is also known for all of her site specific work. It kind of takes me back to whenever I went inside of Children's Hospital. The artwork inside is always so full of color and it can't help but make you happy :)

Gamboa, 2008

Iron and Mixed Media

27.6 in tall x 45.7 in diameter

Peace & Love, 2005

Gloucester Road Station Project

Platform for Art Underground

London, UK

Taschen Store, New York City, NY, 2007

Window installation as part of survey exhibit
"Beatriz Milhaze's Paintings and Collages"
Estação Pinacoteca, Sao Paolo, Brazil
September 6 - November 30, 2008

Outside View

Up Close View

Visionary Woman Award Lecture 2012

     Every year, Moore holds an even to honor Visionary Women and the Visionary Woman scholars. Visionary Woman Scholars are students who show potential and are expected to blaze a trail within the Art World as leaders. When I was applying to Moore, Erin Murphy one of the admission staff, encouraged me to apply for this scholarship. I talked to my Yearbook teacher about it and she agreed. It wasn't long after that Erin gave me a call and I found out that I had gotten it. I didn't think it was a big deal until after this interview. Interior Designer Victoria Hagan and Graphic Designer Ellen Lupton both sit down to have an open interview with WHYY radio. I couldn't post all of the 12 minutes I recorded but here's what I could put in here. Sorry that the quality isn't the best :/

I thought the lecture was really really interesting. It only proved that it IS possible to excel in the Art and Design world. I wasn't until after the interview that I decided that I was going to attend the dinner later that night. I realized just how important it was. 

I Like My Apples Big...O__o

     Just the getting to New York was a great experience. Here I thought I was going to get a little sleep but sitting next to Kimberly, I should have known better (love you Kim :) ). That was great. Had some sisterly bonding time with Kim and Maria and that was nice :) When we first rolled into Manhattan, it didn't seem like much special until you saw all the buildings that really do scrape the sky. Watching the people interact with each other seemed so...everything felt like a movie. There was something mesmerizing about the whole thing. Besides that, immediately I could see that everyone in New York was very fashion forward and had a sort of confidence that was different than the people in Philly. I like the atmosphere that New York has and there's something about it that makes you just want to get out and become more adventurous. Something in the air I guess ;)
     When we first got to the museum, I went inside and then had to go back outside again because you can't take food inside. Its kind of funny because when the guard asked what the long wrapped up thing was in my bag, he looked at me funny when I told him it was a hoagie. Immediately I remembered that New Yorkers say the word "sub" lol! While I was outside sitting on the stairs eating my lunch, a male quartet was just coming up about to perform. They were really good and made my day just that much better. I almost regret not getting a CD.

     Inside, I had to cross all of Egypt to get to the bathroom, which was interesting. Something caught me off guard. The Egyptian exhibit is dimly lit with all of the warm colored artifacts. I turned the a corner and instantly that was tons of light and something beautiful. It was strange because I had felt as though I had been there before. That's when it hit me that this was the exact place where Will Smith filmed a scene for the movie I Am Legend.

Will Smith sat right on that ledge there!

What was just as interesting as the artwork was the architecture of the building. Every corner held a thrill that I wasn't prepared for and I loved it.

Uuuuuuuhhh, can we say Perspective...? lol

Let there be...Light!

Can I just say that the lighting in here was amazing. Perfect for taking pictures. The Greeks really knew  how to create the ideal hahaha

This is on the 2nd floor coming right off the elevator. This has to be my favorite :) 

     Before we went to the Met Museum, I had one thing in mind that I really wanted to see and that was a piece by Tomas Saraceno on the roof. So towards the end of walking around and seeing almost everything, a friend of mine that I met up with at the museum, him and I ventured up to take a look. Wish granted!

The people standing around it look so tiny. Its a shame that you needed a ticket to climb the stairs they have inside.

Now grant it that it was a teeny bit humid but the view up there was still amazing...

Met Museum Assignment

     

(I'm working on getting the names and titles for these. In the meantime if anyone knows right off the bat, drop me a comment)

Besides the obvious difference of one piece being in color and the other in black and white, they both also differ in terms of context. The painting on the right has a rather apparent story line and its meaning can be seen as easy to decode. The picture on the right however, does not give the viewer a forward story but is allowed to be interpreted in many ways. In this composition's ambiguity alone, it is beautiful. Both of these pieces of art share a sense of unity. The oil painting is unified by way of contrast and the careful placement of the objects. For example, from the draping off the canopy in the background to the two vases at either end of the canvas, they create sort of an artificial frame. On the opposing side, the branches of the walking man extend to the upper right hand corner of the composition; opposite of where his feet begin. 

Guilty As Charged...Slacker :/

So I know I've been doing  a pretty bad- ok really bad job of keeping things updated on my blog. I've been putting all of my energy into one thing and that was my work for the Crit. I will really really try to do a better job. I promise.You're not up to date yet with my trip to the Big Apple and how the critique went but that's next on the agenda :) Read awn!

Here's aaalllll my work from over the course of the semester. Everything is finally finished and ready for the crit. I'm especially proud of my mirrored textile quadrants (seen on the far right) and my hand drawn ink lines (three non  objectives direct upper right of my fire and water panel).

My completed fire and water panel in all of its glory. This only took me forever. The middle section, with all the bubbles, took about 6 hours alone. It was well worth it though. I made a mistake along the bottom of the panel where i was unhappy with my technique but it eventually got corrected and i think it turned out well.

This took quite a bit of brainstorming. I love how a brand new shape is created though negative space and all the surrounding objects.

This is an abstraction of water overtaking  the ice. You could view it that way but I more so considered it to be storm clouds. No matter how you see it, there's definitely a lot of movement happening here.

All-Nighter Tonight! :D

 Ok, so my enthusiasm is fake but I have to do something to keep myself up. I'm doing a bunch of stuff at once but I hardly even notice it. I just need all of this out the way or else my conscience is going to keep bothering me :/

Right now, I'm debating on which one of these I should use for the Crit. This is my Architectural Quadrant already mirrored in Photoshop. The black on white is the original composition and the white on black is the inverted version. I'm leaning towards the black on white. Any thoughts? Please comment!

(If nothing else, below each post is a place where you can record your reactions. Simply check one of the boxes :) )

Stopped by Blick earlier today and picked up a couple things: Tracing paper for my Fire & Water project and a brand new pack of fine markers. I highly recommend PrismaColor over Micron. Their color is truer and won't stop working on ya when its really important.

I've pretty much finished touching up my nonobjective layouts in PhotoShop (maybe it was a bad idea to have the lights off this late but don't worry I figure that out later hahaha)

This monster is what's keeping me up late. So I have a love/hate relationship with this picture. It was taken by me, a week ago, from the roof of The Philadelphia Free Library on the Ben Franklin Parkway and I think that it's absolutely beautiful. Problem: I have to draw this on 18x24" sheet of paper. Oh yeah and it's due tomorrow at 12:30. Perspective is really not on my side right now.

Wish List: Cloud City at the Met Museum

     Tomas Saraceno combines art, arcitecture and science into his roof installation at the Met Museum in New York. They are showing it up until November 4, 2012. Its transparent glass lets in the light and view of the open sky. Not only that but select pieces of glass contain...you just have to see it! I think this is really nice and it has its environmental benefits too :)

If you're interested, here's the link that goes directly to the Met's site

Someone FINALLY Gets It!

I was just on YouTube and and I was watching a video when I heard this quote:

"Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for colors, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential."

- Wassily Kandinsky

I know I can speak for all of us when I say art school is not easy. Throughout grade school, Art was always the "easy A" class. Since I made my decision to come to Moore, I can't count the number of people I've heard say "Oh Art school...it must be easy". Right away there was discouragement even from the people I thought were the closest to me. Just because Art school means drawing library bookshelves, self portraits, using fickle Micron markers, lugging your own weight around in sketch pads among many other things, does not mean for a second that it's the "easy way out". My only wish is that the art community, like those "book smart" careers out there, got the respect that it deserves. Because in all honesty art is, (but definitely not at all limited to) a lifelong career....just sayin.

If you're like me and want to find out more about this guy, here's the Wiki page on Wassily Kandinsky just to get ya started ;)

Amy Shackleton

Over and Above, Amy Shackleton 2011, 30" x 45"

Source: http://amyshackleton.com/gallery/

Amy Shackleton is a Toronto native who has a unique way of painting. The 26 year old uses a rotating canvas and squeeze bottle paints, to create landscapes with both natural and urban settings. Her exhibitions have been seen in Massachusetts, New York and even far away as London. Some of her work as become permanent installations in galleries in Calgary, Toronto and London. This piece, Over and Above, 2011 is done with acrylic and enamel. What I love about this piece is how the serene environment is executed with a an extremely eye popping technique. Shackleton's ability to pull off such precision with perspective using such an unpredictable method is amazing. A common theme throughout her paintings is the presence of water and trees. When she says that she is "at the mercy of gravity", it really gets you to think. I accidentally came across this particular painting in a Google search. I didn't find what I was originally looking for but I'm glad I found this. She has easily become one of my favorite painters.

Here's a few other of my favorites but click on the link above to get a better look at all of them

Heat of Fusion, December 2010

Urban Forest, October 2010

Green Underway, July 2011

Heat Wave, March 2011