Extra credit blog-questions on the course

COURSE CONTENT


1. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the best? Why?

I think I enjoyed the elements and principles assignment the best in the beginning of the semester. I love experiencing with photography, and the weather was perfect to have an excuse to go explore, relax, and have a stress-free assignment.

2. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the least? Why?

I think I enjoyed the self portrait the least. I am just not good at drawing people, and it adds frustration into my work instead of enjoying it and expressing anything. That is just a personal preference.

3. How did you like using ANGEL?

I have always liked ANGEL, and I have never had a problem with it.

4. If you had the opportunity to change this course:

What would you keep? I would keep the projects, for sure.

What would you remove? I would take away some of the discussion posts, as much as I enjoyed this class, it had more busy work than any other online class I’ve ever taken. I did well, and completed everything on time, I just felt go, go, go, go, all the time.

What would you add? I would add another assignment or two involving photography. Nature is an infinite form of expression, there is so much out there, and I would really much rather go outside more than once looking for particular things.

5. Would you recommend this course to your peers?
Yes I would, but I would also warn them that there is a ton of work involved.

6. Please list any other comments you would like to share.
I just really enjoyed this class, the professor was a fair grader, and I felt like I was actually accomplishing things unlike other classes, where you are just a number, and no one cares about you, or your work, its always just the grade at the end. I feel like I actually learned a lot because it is so hands on. J

Please be honest with your answers. I use student feedback and input to improve this course. Your input is very important to me and is greatly appreciated.

Module 16 - Reflection blog

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met?

My expectations were for my knowledge about artists, and what they use, and what they were thinking to be broadened. Yes, I have learned a lot about these subjects in this class.

2. Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your initial posting?

I would define art now, as a complete form of expression. As I did mention in my first post, it cannot be graded or critiqued so easily because it comes form the imagination, and every piece everywhere is different. It can come in several different forms, such as sculpture, painting, sketching, drawing, installation, etc.

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

My favorite artists were Wyland and Andy Goldsworthy. They are still my favorite visual artists. I got to spend more time in this class looking at many different works by different artists, and I still stand my ground on those two. My preferences with art are very specific, with ocean life, and nature. They still fit the bill perfect.

 4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I have taken several online classes before, but this was my first art online class. I liked it very much, because now with technological advances, we can do things like scan, or photograph work and have it posted online. It made it interesting and fun, to still be able to do “artsy” things instead of just reading, and testing.

Module 15 Self portrait/gallery visit

Create a reflection journal on your Blog and answer the following questions:


I went to three different places on the given website to collect these pieces.

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?


Georgette Chen- Self portrait Year: 1946. Medium: Oil on canvas. Size: 23 x 18 

I chose this piece because she looked so unhappy and apathetic. Self portraits have a tendency to be so serious, but she is beautiful, and I would hope she was a happy person.

Sarah Lucas- 1998 "Smoking" Photograph.

I have seen her work before, and I love how different they are and they have a “don’t care what anyone thinks” type of attitude.

Raymond Mcintyre- Self portrait, 1915, oil on wood panel.  
I chose this piece because it reminds me of a friend of mine who dresses nicely to go nowhere, and you can see a little unhappiness behind his eyes.

2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait?


I selected pencil because sometimes simple is better, I didn’t feel paint or anything would do my picture any justice. I feel people in art look better in black and white.

3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them?


It was a tough choice to draw what I think I look like, what I want to look like, or how I want others to look at me. It ended up being a combination of all three ideas. It was also difficult to make the eyes symmetrical!

4. How does this piece represent you?


It represents me because of the smirk…I have a tendency to be a little feisty or negative at times, and I think this is an amusingly realistic way to see me.

5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?


I applied balance, rhythm, proportion, line and value.

 6. Did you enjoy working on this project?


I have never been good at drawing or painting people…..ever. So, did I enjoy it? Not really…I had to incorporate a little cartooning which is the only thing I can really do when it comes to drawing actual people.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?

Considering how any previous attempt at drawing a person has looked like a 4 year old’s art, I think it turned out pretty well. Of course it’s not perfect, but I showed my family, and they laughed because of the smirk, and they knew it was me right away. So all in all, the message was delivered and successful

Art criticism article blog review

Blog Reflection Submission Requirements:
Answer the Following Questions:

1. Which projects did you review?

I reviewed “Nature in Art” by Aaron Reese.
2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?

I selected this exhibit because it had a very similar title and topic to the one I did, and while doing the assignment, I wanted to compare art pieces mentally, and possibly broaden my knowledge about nature in art. I also chose it because it was completed to the standards of how I did mine, and I wanted to see if there was any improvements that could be made.
3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?

The only challenge I faced, was trying to find something wrong with the exhibit. I am always up for a challenge, and one of the reasons why I chose this exhibit is because it looked very well done.
4. How do you feel about critiquing your peers work?

I think it is a great learning method for a class.  It definitely gives you another perspective of one that should be similar to yours because they are in a similar age group, and obviously taking the same class.
5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?

I would actually, I always like knowing what I did wrong and how I can improve it, or what I did correct so I can continue to do that.
6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?

I would rate my article a 9 maybe because I feel I answered the questions that were given, but the content didn’t please me as much as I’d like because I really had trouble finding something wrong with the exhibit. I believe I did the assignment correctly, I just really challenged myself with what assignment I chose.
7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

I guess so, it being the end of the semester, its kind of a chaotic lifestyle I’m sure all the students are experiencing, but it was relatively simple, making the stress levels not effected too much other than just knowing I had one more thing to do. J

Module 15 video blog

Step 2: Questions for your Blog Posting

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

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark: Greenberg shares a number of insights on the relationship between art and history, the nature of value judgments in criticism, and what he calls America’s post-WWII “culture boom.”
The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture: I did not know much of anything about non-western art and culture, but this video looks at the ways in which Western prejudice, ethnography, and art consumption have counteracted authentic things in common with other cultures.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Criticism project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

They do if the viewer’s opinions and views match that of the interviewee. Everyone judges everything in their own way, so regardless of whether us students agree with what was portrayed in these videos or not, people will still get a different impression of something than the next person.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of art criticism?

They were really quiet first of all, the volume on my computer was up all the way, and I got frustrated going back and re-listening if any background noise was to occur. They were pretty dull to be honest, since the first was strictly a dialogue video, and no visuals to go along with it. What I grasped from it, his opinions and standpoints are interesting and thoughtful, but I felt like I had to concentrate on picking something that interested me. The second video I watched had a little better volume, and had visual examples shown during the narration.

Project 4-Curation reflection blog-Landscapes and nature in art

Reflection blog-curation project process

After watching the videos, looking at the discussion forum topic, I picked my theme, then looked at the sample powerpoints provided from past classes.
Nature, landscapes, and seascapes have always interested me more than any other theme in art. I have purchased many prints and sculptures of my favorite artists, all of which involve this theme. The search began with looking at different art gallery websites from around the country, taking virtual tours, etc. A few of the pieces I chose for my presentation do not have some of the crucial information such as size or date. I thought that if the image itself is powerful enough and the information provided was given and valid, that is what is most important. I spent several days on this powerpoint, making sure I was actually passionate about every piece I chose, and all for different reasons including different elements and principles being shown.
Overall, this was a good assignment I thought, because it allowed the students to choose a theme they felt stronger about than other topics, as well as choosing individual pieces of art, and being able to do research on them.

Mod 13&14 video review blog

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

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

The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art: I did not know that what art historians call Pop Surrealism; practitioners call it Lowbrow.
Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach: I did not know that Tate curators developed a new method utilizing theme-based museum sections.
Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology: I learned that the remains of more than 10,000 Native Americans unearthed at archaeological sites across the U.S. are in the possession of museums such as the Smithsonian.
An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan, I learned how much work is involved in preserving art pieces and how many fine techniques are involved. “World class art demands world class care”.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

An art curator is, in smaller organizations, may have sole responsibility for the acquisition and care of objects. The curator will make decisions regarding what objects to collect, oversee their care and documentation, conduct research based on the collection, provide proper packaging of art for transport, and share that research with the public and scholarly community through exhibitions and publications. The videos and this definition do relate to the upcoming exhibition project because it went into very deep detail about particular works of art, how they are made, handled, and taken care of over years and years.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I did not do much yet to start my project, watching these videos was over 3 hours of my time so far, I have only watched 2 other videos regarding the project, so as far as “understanding of the art concepts I practiced while creating my curation project”, I can’t really say much. My opinion on the videos was good. It was a nice change of pace to the normal videos. It was very interesting to me to see how different pieces are preserved and how much work goes into keeping them original, so nothing effects their look or value.

Module 12 video review blog

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose, “Andy Warhol: Images of an Image”, because my best friend has always been obsessed with Warhol’s work. I knew of a few pieces he had done, but I didn’t know anything about him as a person or how he got to the point he has. I was very curious about his history and motives.
I also chose, “Uncertainty: Modernity and Art”, because during the art gallery visit assignments, I always wondered about “modern art” and what the difference is to regular art.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Andy Warhol: his fascination with—and his indifference to—celebrities as objects no less commodified than a simple can of soup. Also, his use of the silk screen which gave him the ability to make several prints of art to meet his clients demand, where he could continue putting out art, and gaining more revenue.
Uncertainty: I did not know how the Nazis tried to eradicate modern art’s uncertainties with some crushing certainties of their own; and shows how modern art’s relationship with modern life changed.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos are a great way to understand the book information better. I am more of a visual learner, and seeing it and hearing it is much easier to take in information rather than just reading. I noticed the modernity of art was mentioned in both, and Andy Warhol is obviously a very well know artist everywhere.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

The videos always help me understand information better, and I catch things in the videos that may not have been mentioned, or I passed by in the book readings.

Module 11 Video Blog review

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:
1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.
I chose 'Expressionism" because I know art is a main method of self expression, though I don't know much about it.
I chose "

Dance at the Moulin de la Galette" because I love french as a language, and it just grabbed my attention more than any of the others.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
An outgrowth of Fauvism, Expressionism emphasized color's emotional properties while demonstrating far less concern than the Fauves had with the formal and structural composition of color. The artist wanted to show living human beings who can experience love...not landscapes or people reading. His thought process was the only thing that I learned or was interested in from this video.
The 2nd video contrasts the artist’s idealism with the realities of poverty and left-wing radicalism that pervaded the locale. Also, that the painting is one of the most controversial in the whole world, and is called the most beautiful painting of the 19th century.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
Videos given for this class almost always emphasize the readings from the test. As usual, it is just an easier visual learning method, than just reading.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?
Yes, they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts. The Expressionism video was pretty hard to watch, you could tell it was old, and the man's voice was a little too monotone for me.  The Dance at the Moulin de la Galette video was more interesting than the first one, it was more up beat and easier to watch and retain information from it.

Art Gallery visit # 2

The Burchfield Penney Art Center: Art Gallery visit # 2 (11/10/12)

Step 1: The Exhibition
 Questions about the exhibit:

1. What is the title of the exhibit?
There were a few exhibits being shown here, such as "Spain: Rock, Roll, Rumbles, Rebels & Revolution", and "McCallum Tarry: Intersections".

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

The main theme seemed to be Martin Luther King Jr., and a lot of racially charged art in the advertised exhibits.

Step 2: The Gallery
 Questions about the physical space:
1. What type of lighting is used?
The lighting was mainly recessed, and significantly dim considering it was a gallery. Obviously there were spot lights where needed to help emphasize art.
2. What colors are used on the walls?
The gallery is primarily all white, some areas of the art center was grey and dark grey.
3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?
There were light colored hard wood floors, black base boards, which brought out the primarily white walls. Very typical white paint on drywall art gallery scene.
4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?
Since I had never visited this gallery before, it was sort of like a white maze to me at first, like most other galleries, different rooms lead to different rooms and hallways. Everything was very spaced out, which appeared to me as a way to cleanse the pallet of your mind before moving onto the next piece.




Step 3: The Artwork
 Questions about the artwork:

1. How are the artworks organized?

The art was perfectly spaced out, and there was enough space between them where you could definitely concentrate on one piece without having you eyes want to wander to what was next.

2. How are the artworks similar?

They had close to matching frames, and similar matte was used.

3. How are the artworks different?

Every piece of art is different! Thats the beauty of it, other that the themed exhibits, once you move from one piece of art to the next, it was 100% different than the one before it.

4. How are the artworks framed?

There was large mattes used for the most part (unless a huge oil on canvas piece), and the frames used were primarily golds, blacks, silvers, and woods.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

There were the generic white index cards with a black matte behind it to show professionalization and consistency. 

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

There was usually about 2-3 feet between artworks horizontally, then were obviously mounted closer together if there were more than one piece to go together to make one final artwork.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise
Select three of the artworks from the show and use the Art Criticism worksheet to desribe, analyze, bracket and interpret the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described. 

1) The artist is Thomas Kegler, the title is "Kaaterskill Falls Dawn" from 2011. The media is oil on linen. The size is not listed but was about 3ftX2ft. The piece caught my eye immediately, it is a beautiful painting of a waterfall at sunrise. The elements used are, color, texture, rhythm, and form(s).  Since there is a proverb listed after the title, I'm assuming the artist was trying to show a scene depicted in the bible.

2) The artist is Charles E. Burchfield, from (1893-1967). The first is called "Ulrich's Envelope from June 8th, 1964, while the other two are 'Untitled'. The media was graphite on commercially printed paper/envelopes. The size is obviously average size business envelopes. The elements used are, form, emphasis, and rhythm. This piece reminded me of what my mother does while she is on the phone...doodles on envelopes laying on the table. Some pieces of art really amaze me that they are considered something special, because in a lot of cases, something like this is done one a daily/weekly basis by someone who knows nothing of art. 

3) This again, is a piece by Charles E. Burchfield, from (1893-1967). It is titled "Solitude" from 1918, and is watercolor and charcoal on paper. The size was quite large, unlisted, but about 4ftX3ft.  This piece attracted me because I love staring into different landscape pieces, trying to see everything at once, and think about the motive behind it.  The elements used are, proportion, rhythm, and forms.  This piece at first reminded me of a still scene that may have been painted after the lord of the rings series. The landscape is similar to what is explained in the books and movies. Showing caves, and cliffs with who knows what is above or behind them.  Judging by the title of the piece, I would say the artist was trying to convey a simple sense of solitude, or serenity...maybe thinking that everyone needs to get away every once and a while, and appreciate nature.

Step 5: Document Your Visit
Take some pictures (no flash) if it is accepted at the Gallery you are visiting.
Bring home brochures and other materials for reference.

4. Answer this question: What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?
Looking at the gallery from the standpoint of concentrating on the space as a whole instead of just pieces of art inside of the gallery made me think at first, how huge of a building this is, and SO much open space. With how plain the walls and floors are I definitely realized that it is purposely made to emphasize the art, opposite of what this assignment is asking, so that you DON'T concentrate on other things such as the architecture, and physical appearance of the space.  This gallery I think I actually liked a little more than Albright Knox, it is smaller, and the staff was very nice and helpful. It brings a bit of a modern theme to the art gallery, (the entrance way).

Module 10 video review blog

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose Buddhism because that religion itself has always interested me. Their views on religion while incorporating devotion, yoga, and meditation also have caught my interest in the past.
I chose Chinese Art, because I wanted to see if it incorporated anything related to Buddhism because they are located in Asia.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I don’t think I realized that Buddhism started in India, and spread to other lands, where it flourished.  Also I didn’t know anything about specific architectural works, such as the Mahabodhi Temple, in Bodh Gaya.
The Chinese Art video showed me 33 works of Chinese art, seldom ever seen outside of the National Palace Museum. There is SO much detail involved in these works, and the meanings behind them are even more interesting.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos relate to the readings in the test regarding the history of these topics. The videos give a more in depth view on the cultures, by also giving you a visual version of the same information, which for me, makes you understand more by actually seeing and hearing rather than just reading.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Buddhism has always caught my eye because of the relaxation, monks, etc. The video gave a much deeper understanding of the culture incorporating art and architecture.
The Chinese Art video was a little challenging to keep track of the chronological order of things…history has never been my forte, but overall, the incredible detail involved in these pieces made me realize how different Western art is from Eastern.

Module 10 Mask project

I chose these three pictures of masks as inspiration for mine.  As you can see it is a simple combination of black, white, and feathers. Do to financial reasons I obviously can't make one so perfect as these, but I did choose to try a 3-dimensional mask. The pictured masks above all show a series of elements; texture, because the feathers obviously give you the feeling of wanting to touch them, balance, because they are pretty symmetrical for the most part, and emphasis, because feathers around the top or near the eyes are there to accentuate certain facial features. 

My mask is 3-dimensional, although the photo quality is not the best.  I found this project much more difficult than I had originally thought.  The process started with a plain, white 3-D mask I bought at a craft store. I decided to try and cover it with black felt (instead of the obvious....painting it), which involved unsuccessful gluing, followed by staples. The staples were later covered on the front with the white feathers, who were also covered by more NON-stapled black felt, to hide the sharp ends of the feathers.  To hide the staples along the bottom of the mask, I glued mini black pom-poms along the whole edge, and also under the eyes a little creating a tear duct look while also hiding staples.  The last photo shows the back side, obviously covered in staples, but you cannot see one on the front side.  This did not turn out as good as I wanted it to, the effort was there, it took at least a few hours a day since saturday morning.  I also wanted to get this project done considering we might be in trouble with power outages everywhere, and my "backup plan" might not have power either. 

Mod 9 Blog on Line-Hand drawings

1. What was it like using your hand as subject matter for a drawing?

It was a lot harder than it seemed when I first read the assignment. I'm not going to lie, I drew about 4 sketches before these ones and they barely looked like hands...

2. What media did you select - pencil or charcoal? Why?

I chose pencil because I can shade enough with pencil using my finger, and charcoal gets a little messy sometimes....especially in this case, I would have had it all over both hands.

3. How did it feel to create a drawing with your non-dominant hand?

It surprisingly turned out pretty well? The assignment never said that no corrections could be made with the non-dominent hand, so lets just say, for a sub par drawing, it took about 5X as long as the dominant.

4. Compare and contrast your final drawings. Do you think they are successful studies?

I definitely thinks this assignment shows how reliant you really are on one hand, especially for art.  It really made me wonder how I would even manage if I were to break my right arm or something for example....maybe its not a bad idea to practice things with both hands.

5. Would you consider using your non-dominant hand to create artwork in the future?

Not unless it was a requirement.  I appreciate this assignment, but it was SO much easier doing it with my right hand, and was close to frustrating with my left, because lines were coming out darker than I wanted them for example because I am completely not used to drawing with my non-dominant hand, and the levels of applying pressure to the pencil was nearly an impossible task.

Module 9 video review blog

Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master
Velázquez

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I selected the videos because of the length of time, actually. To be completely honest, I absorb more from shorter videos. I get bored quickly with long ones, and none of them really caught my eye this week, so I went for length of time, to try to get as much out of them as I could.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master
Albrecht Dürer, arguably the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance, was the primary conduit through whom Italian Renaissance forms and ideas were introduced into a Germany still dominated by the Gothic tradition. And, Martin Luther proudly presented 4 apostles painting, 2 of them with their own writings to the Nuremburg council.
Velázquez
A portrait of the extraordinary painter who chronicled the life and times of his friend King Philip the Fourth, who built the core of the Prado collection (which today houses almost all of his work), and who, with El Greco, Goya, and Picasso, comprises the quartet of the greatest painters of Spain. And Elas invenderas, was a mannerist piece, about the myth of Manerva and Iraqni. Dispute between the human and the goddess. Who could weave the finer cloth, The jealous Goddess Manerva transformed her into a spider and condemning her to an eternity of weaving.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

Both videos show a lot of specific examples of art in Europe.  Artists during the Renaissance and Boroque times inspired many artists in the future.  Much art is based off of Renaissance styles since it was the time of “rebirth”, when art and architecture were coming out much greater during these times.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Both videos, although short were very, very hard to pay attention to. Usually I don’t mind relaxing and watching a few videos for classes, but these in particular were very dry. I can’t say I learned much, it made me go back to the book a lot to try and understand things, which is okay, as long as I learned something from this week. Regardless, they were still very educational, and not all of them can be fun and interesting. 

Module 8 video review blog

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

1. Explain why you selected each of the three videos you choose from the selection listed above.
We had to watch ‘More human than human’, and I chose:
‘Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany’ because information about the black death seemed to catch my attention because it is different, and I didn’t know it actually related to art at all.
And I chose ‘The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure’ because the description says “Greek art discarded religious functions and moved toward human-centered concerns. Views of Cycladic sculpture and Kouros statues demonstrate an evolving realism, leading to stunning examples of the idealized human figure: the Kritios boy, the Temple of Zeus pediments, Praxiteles’ Hermes, and others.”

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
‘More human that human’- Why certain parts of the Venus sculpture are emphasized while others are dulled down such as the face and arms. The study on seagulls was interesting, how the baby chicks are stimulated by the red stripe on the beak, not their mother, or the beak, just the red stripe.
‘Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany’- I actually did not know that the bubonic plague was transported by fleas carried by rats.  Also, it killed so many people because the population was already in a weakened state. Between 1/3 and ½ of the population died.  All believed it was the end of the world.
‘The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure’, I learned that the combination of realism and idealism is what greatly represents classical art. Also how the obsession over the human body has something to do with the Olympic games that started in 776 B.C. where the male competitors were naked, and women were banned from the site.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The videos relate to the text in the sense that they all describe different times in history involving religion and architecture. From Greece, Rome, Egypt to modern ideas in Europe in church architecture.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

In ‘More human than human’ I really enjoy listening to the neuroscientist, Dr. Ramachandran who was shown in previous videos. His outlook on art is so different because he does not specialize in it. His opinions are so interesting because he incorporates a lot of science, and what the artists must have been thinking when they made certain pieces.
In ‘Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany’, made me think more about the tall city walls and how they did not keep the black plague out. They were designed for privacy, and it ended up forming a ghetto of death. Building homes, fountains and walls was common after the plague, the tabernacle was build to thank the virgin Mary for driving the plague away.
In The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure I liked in the beginning when they said the art of the human form cause an obsession of people working out and going to the gym, and looking at everyone else’s bodies. Sounds kind of like people today! (For different reasons of course, haha)

Mod. 7 - Video review

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

I watched 'Prairie Style' & 'Architecture: The Science of Design'

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
Some of the key concepts I learned are:
-How important layering horizontals are in architecture, especially Frank Lloyd Wright
-Importance of windows & natural light
-Short ceilings in Frank Lloyd Wright's houses make you look outside
-He designed houses so they looked as if they belonged in nature, and grew out of the site
-Though architecture is surely an art, it is also a science and this program focuses on the scientific component.
-Skyscrapers have to stand up, not only to gravity but also to wind, precipitation, and sometimes earthquakes.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The videos related to the text in a way that they are just a more specific view to topics mentioned in the book. How the Greeks used lines in structures is mentioned in detail in the book, then you get a visual of it in modern architecture in the videos.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?
I enjoyed these videos, especially learning about Frank Lloyd Wright. I love how he had different levels of roofs separated by glass skylights creating a natural flow inside the house. He completely changed the concept of what a house "should" look like.
The 'Architecture: The Science of Design' video amused me at first because it had such modern ideas being portrayed, but the people and computers looked like they were stuck in the 1980s. In the following question, I go into more details about that video.

4. From the group of four that you had a choice: Why did you choose that film?

Other than the Prairie style video, I chose the 'Architecture: The science of design" video because it incorporated modern ideas, such as the "smart apartment" where when you set an alarm to wake up...exactly 10 minutes before it is scheduled to go off, your hot shower starts, the temperature of the house regulates, and the lights turn on. Also, the motorized curtains open, the stereo starts playing, a relaxing voice wakes you up from slumber, heat vents warm up your bath towels, and much more. Modern ideas like this interest me very much because it will eventually be a common thing in the future.