M9 Videos Review

            I chose to watch The Drawings of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance because both Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci played an important role during the Renaissance, and I was interested in learning more about their ideas, sculptures and drawings.

            From the video, The Drawings of Michelangelo I learned that the examination of his world reveals emphasis on the solar plexus of human figures. He contemplated his death, and created his crucifixion drawings, exploring his conflicts feelings of hope and dread.

            From the video, Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance

I learned how technical problems and philosophical considerations are intertwined in Leonardo’s mind and work. I also learn how Leonardo spends many hours, sometimes days, thinking about his painting without picking up a brush. To him, proportion and balance must flow from the artist’s knowledge of his subject. He states, “Beauty and harmony are of the divine nature.”

            The videos related to the readings in the text because it talked about their drawings and how they played a major role during the Renaissance period. For example, in The Drawings of Michelangelo and the readings, both talked about he was called by the Medici pope to design the Medici family church of San Lorenzo, though it became a funerary chapel and family tomb. However, many of his sculptures remain and are compared to the actual pieces. In Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance and the readings, both states how he indulges in the “exploration of the true,” also they talked about his many other talents such as inventions, musician, military engineer, court painter and a entertainer. Both films were interesting and added depth to my understanding of who they were and how they contributed to the Renaissance. 

M9: Exploring Line

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Using my hand as a subject matter for a drawing was fun. Drawing my hand I was able to think about my childhood memories in primary school. It was excited to realize how art can as well replay flashbacks. In creating the assignment I used pencil because I felt that it will be easier to trace my hands than charcoal. Drawing with my non-dominant hand was weird because I  was shaking while tracing my hand, however it was a great feeling because I did not know I had the ability to use my land hand in drawing. Even though I was shaking while drawing with my non-dominant hand, I still believe that the artwork was successful. Comparing to my dominant hand I can agree that it was more successful than the non-dominant hand. I would use my non dominant hand to create artwork in the future, because I believe for me it represents a message: its important to explore something different you might be impressed and learn something new.

m8 videos.

I chose the video, The Birth of the Middle Ages because I wanted to learn more about the Medieval Europe. I learned that the middle ages is not a block of time, but an increase of personal view of something and events that were identified and understood centuries later. I learned how when the world ended in the year 1000, During the Renaissance in Europe, cities became strong and industrious and art and architecture succeeded. This video related to the readings because they talked about how some people thought of the middle ages as a dark period and an embarrassing time. It talked about how Europe was formed, and how Christina culture flowered within it. The film was interesting to watch and it added depth to the readings and art concepts.

In the video, More Human Than Human, I learned how the Egyptian images of the human form are mostly proportional and emphasize all body parts equally, but they are not realistic representations. As well, how grid lines shows how the Egyptians maintained their consistency un representing the human form. The video relate to the readings in the text because they both spoke about how different artists used humans to create their artwork, for example the usage od the god Apollo and the green leaf by the Greeks and Romans. This film was interesting because I was able to learn ho the human form has been an obsession for many artists. They share a common feature, which was that none of the images actually resembles a real human being. The film added depth to the reading of the Renaissance, which bought vast changes to the world of art. 

Architecture

In the Last Call for Planet Earth: Sustainable Development and Architecture video, I learned that in today’s architecture it is believed that it is easy to build building that use about twenty to thirty percent less energy. I also learned that architectural designs manage through integrated systems, under floor heating, cooling, ventilation and use of passive solar energy. This video relate to the readings because it also talked about Green architecture, which is to create a healthier and less wasteful human habitat by using the sun for light and warmth, and trees and water for air quality. The films was interesting to watch, it add depth to my understanding of architecture by talking about architects around the globe, all of whom employ green concepts and eco-friendly materials in their work. This video was interesting to watch, because I was able to learn how art can have an effect and as well contribute to our environment.

In the Architecture: Science of Design I learned that skyscrapers have to stand up, not only to gravity but also to wind, precipitation, and sometimes earthquakes.  The video talks how computers are linked to houses, in which systems are programmed to accommodate the individual’s needs. For example, some features include lighting or heating the house and even preparing morning coffee. I was fascinated by this idea, because it was interesting to learn how a form of art can be so powerful and beneficial to the human needs. I choose this film because I wanted to learn more about the designs of architecture, and this video added depth to my understanding of the topic.

Peer Reviews

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Looking at both projects, I agreed that both students used the appropriate elements and principles of art listed with the images. Some elements and principles can overlap, for example in Antoinette’s project her photo that represents unity, I believe can also represents proportional. However, I still believed that both did a great job.

Looking at both students’ project #2 works, the pictures that they used were different than mines. However, Anna had a photo, The Hispanic Project which I was able to relate too. One of the photos that I have chosen for my project shared a common theme, which was struggle with identity.

I was able to relate to both Anna and the photo, because I too, have experienced the changing of my appearances in order to fit in this new society. My parents are from a small country in West Africa, and they are not accustomed to the way of living in the Western world. So, they always want me to stay with my traditional and cultural values. It’s difficult being raised and born in a country that allows you to dress freely but having parents that comes from a different world and have their own rules.

The process of reading my peers reflection is valuable, because I was not only able to connect with them, but also learn because everyone has their own interpretations of things.

The comments I received on my blog was helpful. It’s a great learning experience when you hear others’ perspectives.  Sometimes we overlook things, and others ideas can help us identify the work more. For example, one of my peers suggested that I should have used a different element in one of my pictures, which I never taught about until she told me. So yes, others’ comments on any project are beneficial.

Glass and Cermaics & Through the Eyes of the Scuptor Videos.

        In the Glass and Ceramics video, I learned that ceramics material is stronger than steel and they capable of withstanding high temperatures. What was most interesting about the video was the learning the process of making glass. To make leaded glass, the glazier makes a small-scale model first and then in the final process, the cut glass pieces are than fastened together with channeled lead strips. In the Through the Eyes of the Sculptor video, it was interesting to be able to learn the processes of building a sculpture. What was interesting was how Fillion created a piece from a figurative clay model to a life size marble sculpture. As well learning about the traditions of “artigiano” was interesting; generations of artists craving each other’s work, which I believe brings diversity, unity and more meaning.

        Both videos related to the reading because the one of the video described how glass and ceramics are formed, the material used to make them and their characteristics. The other video was related to the reading because it illustrated the different construction of architecture.

         Both films added depth to the topics of sculptures, installation and craft. The text was not as descriptive as the video, for example, the text was most based on how Western thought about how art has changed and been challenged in the centuries before fine art was born. The video was mainly based on the process of creating the art.