blog entry assignment # 2

In the last project I completed for 2-D foundations, I used a camping theme. This project had to do with circle, line, and rectangle placement by composition. By using various objects as an accent, dominant or subordinate image, I was able to actively place images in my composition to help tell a narrative.

My first attempt at the idea of making a narrative with various related forms, was to me a little difficult. Originally I had the idea of using outdoors as my theme. But as I was searching for images, my idea evolved into the idea of camping. I started out by looking at trees then moving onto campfires, tents and so on. When I placed these images onto the paper the juxtaposition revealed a theme of people having fun while camping.

Even though these pictures in my composition were juxtaposed together, they did present a sense of overall balance. This balance was probaly best created by the use of different sizes and shapes. The images of people having fun while camping I wanted to present as being the most important or the most dominant. I thought the best way to invoke the idea of a fun camping environment was to have the smiles on peoples faces be the most important. My supporting images, to help tie in the idea of camping are less important, therefore they were made subordinate and accentual. I tried to stick with rounder images to play off of the squarer images of campers having fun. All these images have different values of importance from one another, so within them I have the dominant, subordinate, and accentual sizes. For instance the image of a tent is by far more important in developing the idea of camping then a pair of hiking boots. So I had the hiking boots be accentual, and the tent be dominant. Yet this dominance is subordinate to the dominance of that of the pictures of campers smiling. The smaller images are very important though to the composition, they help to pull the viewer in and understand the overall idea of what I was trying to express. Every image was important to creating the narrative of camping for this third project.

Blog Entry Assignment #1

This semester I have chosen to enroll in 2-D foundations, in the hopes of acquiring new skills I can incorporate into my future artwork. I have always been very interested in learning about art. This is partially due to the fact that growing up, I lived in a home that was very open and accepting to my interest in art. My mother is an art teacher for a local school, so for as long as I can remember she has been exposing me to different mediums, as well as providing me with information about various artists throughout history.
Art seems to come naturally to me. I find it everywhere I go, there is no real boundaries to art. Every single person gets to decide for themselves what art is. Everyone finds the definition of art to be somewhat different, and for me if I find something intriguing and it attracts my attention then I consider it to be a form of art in one way or another. Something as simple as a road sign is artistic to me. Someone had to create the design and know what and how to pull people's attention to a center focus. Signs affect everyone that comes into contact with them, they are noticed because of shape, color, size, font, etc.. So often just by observing everyday life I am inspired to create my own take on situations or objects. I am also greatly influenced by well known artists, particularly modern art. Visual components are not the only thing that inspires me to design, doodle, or just plain think about art. Music is a very powerful tool when it comes to creating a mood or atmosphere. A single song can help to put me in a mood that ultimately affects the outcome of whatever I am doing. For instance a fast upbeat mood will produce a different outcome in art than lets say, a slower deep felt song sung by someone. Right now the music I have playing is by the Smiths.
Being exposed to art on a regular basis I have found to benefit me in my own pursuit in art. The Toledo Museum of art has a wide range of styles, mediums, and ideas the help to keep me open minded when exploring ideas for my own interest in art. The last gallery showing I have seen was from their, "Beautiful Men, Strong Women". This showing was an eye opener for me, it showed the life of Marilyn Monroe through photographs, and lead me into the Japanese culture mainly through silk screens. The way it made me think about different issues helped to influence my opinion of a recent movie I witnessed....Memoirs of a Geisha. So to me this movie was in fact an art film. But I find theater performances to be the most associated with the term "art film".
I am very excited to be able to design this semester and be involved with various mediums . Last semester I took ceramics, so being able to design images ahead of time instead of soley guessing on outcomes, will benefit my work as a whole.