Saturday, August 11, 2012

FILM 21: Banksy


Do you view Banksy's artwork as vandalism? Why or why not? Where is the line drawn between the two?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuxNTPmNqwc&feature=plcp

FILM 20: Haring


Do you find Haring's work more or less moving with it being SO simplistic?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbLFEdicS-U&feature=plcp

FILM 19: Basquiat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGgLMh6bP7c&feature=plcp





Do you find Basquiat's work to be disturbing at times? I admit that I did. Why do think that?

FILM 18: COLLINGS/NOTHING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbEuLwgTnPg&feature=plcp

What is it about minimalism that you think made it an entire movement? What elements does it strip away from general art rules?

FILM 17: LICHTENSTEIN/ BRAGG





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Tx48HfcCo&feature=plcp

Do you think that this comic book type of art has a real meaning or purpose behind it? Its simple, yet powerful. In what ways do you see that at work?

FILM 16: Warhol/PBS






Although the pictures Warhol completed of Elizabeth Taylor were not some of his most famous, she is my favorite actress of all time so I wanted to focus on this painting. Do you think that his paintings ever became redundant, even with them being different subjects? Why or why not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu2dgZUus7Q&feature=plcp

Sunday, July 22, 2012

FILM 12: Picasso/Braque/Glimcher


What is it about Picasso's artwork that catches your eye as a viewer? Even if you dont care for Picasso, you ALWAYS look twice.

FILM 13: Dali/Low

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHwlr9qoLb8&feature=plcp

Is there anything about Dali's paintings that you find particularly interesting? What about especially disturbing? Explain...


FILM 11: Pollock/Evans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AshzrYpazWI&feature=plcp

Do you consider this type of painting a 'work of art'? Do you think it is beautiful? Why?


Sunday, July 15, 2012

FILM 11: Renoir&Degas/Marlow

 I apologize for misreading the Lesson for Week 4. I mislabeled the video numbers in my video blog posts.

Each of the paintings I have chosen is different. The first is static with a clear central object, yet the dancers all have their own importance in the second. Which do you find more aesthetically pleasing? Why?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oENVoQj17vA&feature=plcp

Film 10: VanGogh/Schama

I apologize for the incorrect film numbers in the video blog post. I misread the Lesson for Week 4.

I have heard from many of my friends that Impressionist paintings, such as the one above, look messy and lose an element of beauty because of the roughness. Do you agree or disagree with them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6GOziIPefg&feature=plcp

FILM 12: Impressionism/Collings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8igk05enMWw&feature=plcp
Is there any significance to the painter being in the center of the painting? Is this narcissistic at all?

I apologize, I believe I misread this week's Lesson. I announced the wrong video numbers in my video blog posting.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

FILM 9: Civilization/Collings


What type of event or artwork do YOU think will be something that marks our age on this Earth? Is it a positive thing to leave for later generations? Will we be looked down upon?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsGugV1UE8I&feature=plcp

FILM 8: Goya/Hughes


Do you think that Goya's ability to satirize royalty within his paintings was a gift/talent? Or do you think he was being genuine when he painted people falsely?

FILM 7: David/Schama


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09NnJqc6AbI&feature=plcp

What do you think about David's chosen themes in his paintings? Could they be considered Avant-garde for their day? Why or why not?

Sunday, July 1, 2012

FILM 6: Rembrandt/Greenaway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdET3pApmAI&feature=plcp

There seemed to be a lot of mystery packed into the video.....do you think that the visual elements within the film helped portray them? Also, do you think that is telling of the painting the video chose to focus on?

FILM 5: Caravaggio/Schama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi3i5XaL4S4&feature=plcp

Do you believe that the life Caravaggio lead discredits his paintings in any way? Is the level of his talent curtailed by his life choices?

FILM 4: Hockney/Knowledge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b0JxpkKJMY&feature=plcp


Do you believe that the effectiveness of Hockney's video relied heavily upon the incorporation of actual sites, such as Italy? Or do you think he was good enough of a storyteller on his own?

Saturday, June 23, 2012

FILM 3: Michelangelo/Marlow

• Who is Timothy Marlow? Why should we believe his story?
Timothy Marlow is a British writer, broadcaster, and most importantly a historian. He has done numerous broadcasts about the Great Artists and other series concerning art history. This gives him more credibility when talking about Michelangelo in this video, plus his charisma.

• Which painting do you like most by Michelangelo's why? How was it made?
What do you see first, second, third? Why? What is this painting about?
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Creation. This painting is emblematic of its time and is stunning in its portrayal of God as a muscular Greek hero. This was a fresco, paint coupled with plaster so that the walls and ceilings themselves ARE the painting. I initially notice the nude male figure that God is reaching out to. He is the light figure against a darker background, bringing him to the foreground. Next I notice the depiction of God in his cloud/chariot reaching to the Earth to bring life. Finally, and most significantly, I notice the touching of the fingers between God and the nude male. This touching of the divine and mortal has the greatest impact of any other of his paintings. It breathes life into religion.  


• Why did this storyteller chose to use significant locations to tell parts of his
story? Which locations were the most effective and why?
Using powerful locations allows for a better understanding and stronger connection between the viewer and storyteller. In addition, there is a connection formed between Michelangelo and the viewer. Rome was by far the most effective location. It was/is the center of Catholicism, already creating a powerful image. When you combine the reputation and prestige of ROME with the beauty of Michelangelo's paintings in the Sistine Chapel; the result is an overwhelming feeling of awe.

• Ask a New Question for others to discuss next week
Although a wonderfully talented painter, Michelangelo was predominantly a sculptor. In your opinion, should Michelangelo's paintings be placed on the same level as such masters as DaVinci?

FILM 2: DaVinci/Bruce

• Who is Fiona Bruce? Why should we believe her stories?
Fiona Bruce is a woman that presented numerous important television programs for BBC corporation in the UK. She also has a reputation for a more honest type of journalism that attempts to get to the truth. This gives her a more believable image, in addition to her obvious passion for DaVinci's work.

• Which painting do you like most by Leonardo's why? How was it made? What do
you see first, second, third? Why? What is this painting about?
Although I do not really care for the Mona Lisa aesthetically, there is something about the paintings that intrigues me. I would never buy a print or praise its beauty, but the mystery of the woman's face is what captures me. She is not beautiful, there is no color that draws your attention, yet her face grabs you and never willingly allows you to look away.  This was done by paintings layers upon layers that each incorporated a different element. Some layers would be for shadow and other for more pigment. However the pigment was very scattered, never concentrated in a specific area (hence the lack of vibrant color). The face is what I notice first, without a doubt with its lightness in the center of shadow and mysterious gaze. Next is the subtle halo that is around the woman's head. Something about it makes you feel a sense of ecclesiastic presence. Next is the background/landscape. It is completely dull and blurred, yet through this and its darkness, the woman becomes the focus without anything to drag the eye away from the face of the Mona Lisa. This painting was meant to be the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, Lisa Gherardini.



• Why did this storyteller chose to use expert interviews to tell parts of her
story? Which Interviews were the most effective and why?
Using experts gives the story a more grounded and intellectual feel. It also provides a sense of credibility to a story that some may scoff at. I liked the interview with Syson. He provided an interesting insight into why DaVinci had SO many unfinished paintings with his "flakey-ness." It is a different view that has not been documented quite as often.

• Ask a New Question for others to discuss next week
Do you agree with the main theme of the video (That DaVinci was/is the best painter that has lived)? Is his work even comparable to that of the Impressionists with each style being vastly different from the other?

FILM 1: Paint/History

• What is Paint? What are it's component parts? What are it's functions?
Paint is a pigmented liquid that dries to form a hard, solid, protective film (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIRl5lTlSCY). {Pulled directly from the Film}
The component parts are the resin, the pigment and the solvent.
Resin: Acts as the binder or glue that holds everything together, like glue. Pigment: This is the colorant for the paint and are always solids. Solvent: This allows for the smoothness of the paint to spread out.


• What do you think lead to the most significant evolution in paint?
I think that Linseed oil is what lead to the continued evolution of paint. It allows for paint to go on very smooth which creates a glossy surface of the painting. This smoothness and the ability to make more colors than ever before allowed people to begin painting whatever they desired. This also replaced tempura, leading to the more modern version we still use today: Oil Paint.

• What is a painting? Is it important that a painting lasts for 500 years? 30,000
Years? Why?
A painting is anything that paint has been applied to. It can be one of the great classical pieces by Renoir, or even the walls of a person's house. Paintings should last throughout the ages. Each painting tells a story and is a marker of its time. With all of the different transitions that paint has gone through, the paint itself has become a piece of history, from tempura to oil and all the way to latex and acrylic paint. Without paintings that last, the history of paint and paintings could be lost. Paintings are the same as literature form a specific point in history, they serve as a way to glimpse into the past and see where the world and its wonders evolved from.

• Ask a New Question for others to discuss next week
Do you think that there will ever be an end to the evolution of paint and its uses? Why or why not?

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Introduction-Aaron Ozment

My name is Aaron Ozment and I am a Senior at Saint Xavier. I have been here for all four years of University and after this class I will have completed the required credits and will officially be done. I will graduate at the December ceremony this year, receiving my Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. I was originally going to become an English teacher for High School but decided against it with all of the recent 'issues' concerning retirement and pension.
I took this class because I have a passion for art but have forgotten it. I used to draw and paint all of the time, then I got wrapped up in school and never left myself time. I would like to get back into the swing of drawing again!! I look forward to this class and getting back into what I enjoy doing.