U8-VisArtImp-A4-Discovery Most Significant Discovery

The most significant discovery in unit 8 was how Realism and Romanticism share the same time period. It was interesting to know that such different styles shared something in common. Realism deals with truth and reality. Romanticism deals with the fantasy. These two styles are almost polar opposites. I guess all in all it sort of keeps up with the Yin and Yang theory or maybe even the Laws of Physics. Each holds an important place in Art just like fiction and non-fiction belongs in literature.

U8-Theatre-A2-Blog-Life or Legacy of Shaw

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.

George Bernard Shaw

Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)  

 

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." is a quote by George Bernard Shaw. I agree with this statement. If you never try anything then you may not make a mistake but you also never tried to do more. Therefore, it is more honorable to put forth effort even if it does not yield success then it is to do nothing or accomplish nothing because you never tried. This quote speaks of recognizing realism of the situation, but he also used his sense of humor to convey similar messages as well.

U8-VisArtReal-A2-Blog-Photography as Art

Mathew Brady like any good photographer must be both artist and technician. Every photographer must understand their equipment and what it can and cannot do. In addition, every good photographer is almost always scanning their real life canvas for good photo opportunities. However, if they do not have the right equipment, the conditions are not right for a photograph, or equipment failure then they will not get a good photograph under those conditions. Mathew Brady was able to capture amazing photos of many different things in the new age of photography's beginning.

U8-Overview-A2-Portfolio Whitman's Realism

          My favorite Urban Spot

My house in the city of Georgetown

Beside a school and but near a park

Close to everything anyone might need

Neighbors who are side by side

Surrounded by buildings which make my town

I know I am home when I reach my door.

U7-Theatre-A2-Blog Romanticism Today

A current television show that fits the Romantic Era really well is Adventure Time. It has two really good adventurers who help anyone in trouble and face great obstacles and people many whom are supernatural beings in order to protect others. The show is a cartoon in an amazing land with many good and bad creatures that the heroes have to face to keep their world safe for others. It focuses less on logical and relies on emotion and imagination in telling the story. It is a melodrama since the heroes are completely good, the villains are easy to spot, and good always defeats evil unlike a drama where these things are not so easily defined.

U7-VisArt-A2-Blog Classic or Romantic?

In my inventory, I was more Classicist than Romanticist. I am more calculated and scientific with a level head. However, I enjoy exploring my imagination and fantasy. It inspires my creative side. The survey showed that in questions 1-10, I agreed with 9 out of 10 which meant I am very Classicist but in questions 11-20, I agreed with 7 out of 10 which meant that I am also a bit of a Romanticist. Truly, I believe that I do not like to limit myself to just the rational but also experience the unknown through my thoughts and imagination.

U7-Assignment 3 - Blog Weightlessness/Lightness

In the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, the ballet is performed with such strength and control that is often gives an illusion of weightlessness. The performers have to be very strong, powerful, and graceful in order to perform the ballet with such control and what almost seems effortless. The dancers' movements are designed to be beautiful and graceful. Other dances do not require the same training and discipline as ballet. There is less opportunity in ballet to be freeform but many other styles enable the dancer to change or add their own flare. Even ballroom dancing allows for creativity to some degree; however, the choreography of the Nutcracker must be clean, graceful, skilled, and strong in order to achieve the weightlessness required to perform it consistently and correctly.

U6-Theatre-A6- Discovery Journal

In this section, I learned how satires work to make fun of a thing or situation by using sarcasm, irony, and ridicule. I learned how France used to have very strict laws governing what can be in plays such as tragedies had to be about Noble people and comedies had to be about common people. In fact, neoclassical plays had to be setup in 5 scenes, had to take place in one place throughout the play, and they had to have a plot that always moved forward. These plays could not have any direct or indirect interaction with the audience. Every play must have a strong uplifting moral, also. In addition, all plays must be realistic and never fantasy.

U6-Theatre-A2-Blog: The Age of Satire

On the Looney Tune Show, an episode called "Fish and visitors" is a good example of satire. In this episode, the neighbor Yosemite Sam has to stay over at their house because a storm took his power out so Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck offer Yosemite Sam a place to stay while his home is fixed. During his stay, he eats their food, looks through their stuff, and he will not allow them any personal time because he just barges in their room without knocking, etc. He used all the hot water for his bath as well. Bugs bunny and Daffy Duck are slowly getting angry at him and really wish he would find somewhere else to stay; however, Bugs Bunny feels it would be wrong to ask him to leave in his hour of need. Yosemite Sam just keeps changing everything in their home and never giving them any respect until finally Bugs Bunny's patience ran out and he told Sam he had to go somewhere else, but once Bugs told him then he admitted that his house had been fixed for a while but he just really enjoyed living with Bugs and Daffy. Throughout, people will sometimes use you if you allow them. People borrow money and never pay it back, etc. I feel this satire reflects real life in the fact that if allowed some people will walk all over you. I feel that Bugs should have been honest and laid out some strong rules and if Sam did not like it then he would leave. Tolerance can mean acceptance to those who would take advantage of you.

U6-VisArt-A5-Portfolio: Design a Neoclassical Home

My neoclassical home was one that I designed for strength and simplicity. The exterior of my home was brick which is very durable, strong and easy to maintain. It had a flat dome on top which seems to maximize the square footage and since it is less steep then it would be easier to repair. I picked the Virginia balustrades because I have a slight fear of heights and they look the strongest since they had some solid panels in the railing. I picked the simple pediment which should be easiest to maintain but it still looks good especially with the Doric columns' simple design. They both go together really well. I also chose rectangular windows because they will be easy to hang blinds, etc. They will require some maintenance because they have shutters and decorative moldings that might require painting every few years. All in all, it turned out to be a beautiful home.

U5-Theatre-A3-Blog: Modern-Day Counterparts

In baroque theatre, the stage is decorated to look very extravagant and very detailed with props like furniture, or other things that went along with the story to take the viewer on an elaborate journey. It tries to assimilate the story being told. It used music, lighting, and sound effects as well to capture the viewer's attention and explore their imagination. The theatre is decorated with gold and other rich looking colors. It tried to transport the audience into a fantasy world. A great example of this is the movie Oz, The Great and Powerful. Oz arrives in the beautiful Emerald city with witches, flying monkeys, etc. The viewer is transported to this mythical, extravagant fantasy world where good struggles to conquer evil. The story used great lighting and little people to help the viewer realize that they were not in Kansas anymore but instead in a place that they could never quite envision.

U4-Theatre-A3 Portfolio: Response to play (Letter)

Dearest noble friend,

I just finished experiencing the tragic play of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. My aunt Lady Catherine invited informed me of its greatness after she had previously attended. It was nice to see Lord Albert again. His seat was close to mine. The groundlings, despite standing on the ground to watch the play, must have truly felt they had risen to attend such a great masterpiece. However, I do not quite relate to giving up one's position in society for love of an enemy. The play was romantic in a sense but also careless in the fact that they were willing to abandon their position for love. I hate to give it away but they both die for their love in the end. Tragic but why were they so feeble-minded. I guess that is what happens when you give your sons and daughters too much freedom which can cloud their judgment. I certainly would not let my children see this play even though it was quite good once you ignore Romeo and Juliet's foolish behavior. After all, my children will remain noble as they understand that power is only given to those who have earned it as we have. Anyway, look forward to your visit in the spring.

Best regards,

Lord David

Part 2D - Blog: The Great Wave

 

The Great Wave, by Katsushika Hokusai, is a woodblock print created around 1830 and it currently hangs in the Library of Congress. It uses many of the Japanese elements of art in the painting. It uses reverence for nature in that it has small boats with people on them attempting to survive the waves of the ocean which can occur naturally and can be an uncontrollable force of nature. It focuses in to one giant wave and two boats which helps the viewer to understand the situation so it has both simplicity and sensitivity to space along with bold lines that give the wave much depth. It also uses striking juxtapositions like where it has the two boats and several small waves and areas of flattened space such as the sky that has no definition just color.

3/c-Blog: The Importance of Cycles

Today, we mark our birthdays, holidays such as Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, etc. These events help us to signify our growing as a society and remind us of the past events that made us recognize these people's effect on present society such as George Washington our first president after freedom from Britain, Lincoln where slavery was abolished, and equality that martin Luther King so much wanted to see apply for all Americans. All such events are important to our modern cycles of life similar to how the Hindu and Buddhist cultures placed a strong value on them, also.

Displaying Symmetry In Art

You can see the reflective symmetry in the painting. The two figures are symmetrical.

20th Century Invention

The 20^th century invention that changed my life is the computer it has allowed me to do online school. I picked this one because it has not only changed my life but also has altered the world around it. Nearly everything revolves around the internet today. It has brought the entire world closer.

Caravaggio and his Works

The Caravaggio work I would want to buy the most is Saint Jerome. This painting is from the Baroque era. Chiaroscuro is shown in this painting. The contrast between light and darkness is evident as the man in the front of the painting is contrasted to the dark background. You can see the Verisimilitude of the painting as the man in the painting looks very real. You can also see the Virtuoso of the painter who drew it.

If I had a chance to live at The Palace of Versailles

  If I had a chance to live at The Palace of Versailles I would not. Although the palace seems nice it is really not. It is luxurious but also excessive. I personally do not like the excessive bling. Living in the palace you would constantly be under the thumb of the Sun King. He would keep tabs on you and you would have to constantly look good. I would not want to live in the palace.

First Five Steps of Ballet

In this picture the five steps of ballet are shown.

Baroque Values - Decorative Chair

The chair I am making is a decorative chair that is made of ebony. It has golden floral patterns and ivory scrolls. The seat cushion is made of silk and has lush textured fabric. The chair has the family crest made out of pure silver.

Finding the Horizon in Athens

I looked at Rapheal's Athens.The horizon line is above the two center figures heads. The vanishing point is between their heads. The horizontal lines go from the edges of the painting to the vanishing point. I determined this through using a ruler and looking at the perspective of the picture. The perspective is achieved through the placement of the people making it look three dimensional.

 

Three Instruments That Would Make A Good Band

The three instruments I thought would make a good band would be a lute, a tambourine, and a recorder. The lute is a string instrument whose modern day relative is a guitar. It sounds like a guitar but more high pitched. The tambourine is a percussion instrument we still use today. It sounds sort of like a rattle. The recorder is a flute like wind instrument that sounds like a deeper flute. I picked these instruments because they complement each other in harmony. My band would be called After Medieval Times.   

Signifigant Discovery of Renaissance

The most significant discovery I have made is that the dancing in the Renaissance was that it was divided into two types. There were two types of dances in the Renaissance. There were court dances and country dances. Court dances were either fast paced or slow paced. They were attended by the nobles and required the dancer to be a master. There were also country dances which were enjoyed by the common folk. They could be enjoyed by anyone regardless of skill. I had not known this before and it was interesting to see.

Clothing and Dancing

Clothing and dancing go hand in hand when you wear a tuxedo for instance your movements are more restricted than if you wear a t shirt and sweat pants. Sometimes the clothes can be used for the dance specifically for example a dance can utilize the clothes in an artistic way such as in some ballet or other dances. In this case it is generally the dress of a female dancer. One example would be a colorful dress that makes a pattern when doing a specific move like a twirl.

What Makes A Renaissance Man

A Renaissance man of today should have many qualities. Some qualities are that he should be well versed and understand what is happening around him in his culture. A Renaissance man should always actively try to improve his or her culture. Leonardo Da Vinci and other Renaissance masters did this as well.

Greek Freeze Frame

If I had to freeze frame one sports moment it would be something that is not from a physical sport but rather a video game competition. One time I had entered a competition for a game of Mario Tennis which is like tennis but virtual and with different rules. I had gotten to the end and I only had one team to beat left before I could win. The game was extremely close but when I hit the ball one last time it bounced past the other team. I had won and it was a great moment for me. If I could freeze frame any moment it would be that one.