Grade 11/12 Art - Day 36 Georges Seurat

Painting Analysis: "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grand Jatte" by Georges Seurat

The 'Ile de la Grande Jatte' translates as 'Big Bowl Island' and the immense work by Georges Seurat perfectly depicts it's character. The island itself is a mile long and located on the Seine in the Neuilly-sur-Seine department of Paris and represented a high class get away for the Parisian community. 

In its remote location Seurat was able to capture an interesting glimpse of wealthy Parisian life in the 19th century. The painting sparked numerous interpretations and was criticized for being too mathematical. Upon its exhibition however, it was mostly heralded as a grand work of meticulous proportions.

Seurat's style of painting broadly diverged from his school and upon leaving it he decided to travel to the Island of La Grande Jatte. It was here that he was to find the inspiration for his landmark work of art and cement his reputation as an artist forever.

The planning and cast of Grande Jatte was notoriously as complex as the work itself and Seurat went through many sketched drafts before he arrived on the final plan for the painted piece. The cast comprised three dogs, eight boats and 48 people as they congregated for a Sunday afternoon in the sunny park.

Seurat's work included a wide range of characters including; boaters, soldiers, the young and old and people of varying classes of dress. The planning stage of Seurat's masterpiece involved 28 drawings, 28 panels and three larger canvases. Some sections of his work required extra care and attention to detail and had specific pre-planning studies, such as the seated women in the foreground.

Seurat started his project in May of 1884 and intended it to be exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants of 1885 but the exhibition was cancelled. The change in plans meant that Seurat went back to add details to the work and these mainly consisted of his most recent thoughts on color and its use in paintings. Seurat also changed the shapes of some of his figures in order to create more sinuous rhythms.

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte Story was eventually exhibited in the eighth Impressionist exhibition of May 1886.

Where exactly Seurat painted Grande Jatte is a subject of much discussion since its completion. The picturesque content of the piece has also been brought into the question because it is painted at a spot on the island which doesn't incorporate any of the increasingly apparent industry that had begun appearing on the island.

Despite the island of La Grande Jatte looking a great deal different to how it once did, Seurat's effort is perhaps the most similar to how it looks today. The banks of the river Seine are considerably steeper than in Seurat's day but one spot is convincingly similar to his Grande Jatte.

Source: artble.com

Grade 10 Art - Day 36 "Intro to Deviant Art"

In today's class, we will have a guest student, Jack De Ferarri, demonstrate how he has used deviantart.com as his platform for displaying his art on the net.  You will see how he has built a virtual portfolio over the last few years.  This ties into the discussion we had previously about finding ways to display your art and reach your audience!

Here is a link to his work:

http://jackdeferrari.deviantart.com/

If you would like to further research into deviant art artists, I might recommend GDCI grad Brendon Bauman's page:

http://bobobiscuits.deviantart.com/

Here is a sample of his work!

Grade 9 Art - Day 36 "iPad Ghostly Images!!"

In today's work with the iPad, we will be embracing the Halloween spirit and creating ghostly images!!

First, we need to download the app found here:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/ghost-lens+-clone-photo-video/id860011430?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Then we will be taking photos and experimenting with the app.  This is all about learning to frame our compositions and creating ghostly repetitive rhythm in the negative space!!  That's a lot of art terms all at once....but you know what I am talking about!

Here are some examples from the app page. I cannot wait to see how yours turn out.

 

Grade 9 Art - Day 35: "ISU Introduction"

Yesterday, I added a link to this assignment for those who were getting ahead, but I thought I should make it a full post so that everyone has a chance to familiarize themselves with the project.  You may begin the preliminary work today.  Remember, your presentation of this project must be an 8 part presentation, covering all 8 steps of the Creative Process (see the while board).  Also, this project is easier if you can imagine that you are a graphic designer, and your favorite band has come to your to get the design for their next album cover.  We will discuss your early results tomorrow.

Grade 9 ISU Assignment

For the final unit, your independent study unit, you will be creating an album cover.  As always, the following criteria will help determine your final mark in this unit:

KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING
- demonstrate knowledge of the role of the art form in original or displaced contexts

DEVELOPING SKILLS
- demonstrate the acquisition and development of the skills and techniques of the art form studied

RESPONDING
- create an artistic response inspired by the world around them

Standards Addressed:

CREATING ART:

1.1 Use the creative process to plan, organize and problem solve.
1.1.a Reflect upon and revise various plans to organize ideas and materials and apply deliberate approaches in creating art.
1.3 Apply visual awareness to the creative process.
a. Use personal interpretation of observations to create art.
1.3.b Use a variety of media, innovative                   combinations, and subjects.
1.4 Develop skills and craftsmanship with materials, tools and techniques.
1.4.a Create works of art that reflect refinement of technique and confidence in execution.

PERCEPTION AND EVALUATION:

3.1 Describe art works using the language of art.
3.1.a Use the vocabulary of art to describe, explain, and classify the information in works of art.

CONNECTIONS:
4.1 Make connections to other curricular areas.
4.3 Make personal connections with visual art.

Important Note!

You will be required to present your design process as a presentation using either google docs or Prezi, demonstrating all 8 steps of the creative process!

Ultimate Album Cover!

Vinyl is back and it sounds better than any compressed MP3 you’ve every iShared.  As a freelance graphic designer, you have been tasked with creating the next album cover for your favourite band.  You may create this cover digitally or using traditional media.  Begin by answering the following questions:

1) What is the theme of your piece?  Is it a specific song, the album’s name, or a specific feeling?

2) Will this album match album art that has previously been released by your band?  Or is this a new direction in terms of design?

3) How will you achieve the many elements and principles of art and design that we have studied this semester?  Will it be balanced?  Will it use space effectively?

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
• Art communicates powerful ideas and fosters an understanding of history, culture and each other.
• Art develops creative thinking and problem solving skills.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• How/where do artists get their ideas?
• What choices do artists make?
• How does art communicate?
• Where is art in our world?
• Do artists need skills to create art?

SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
• Learn how to use a photo software’s image selection tools in order to manipulate images. The alternative to this process, is to employ traditional materials.
• Learn how to add and edit to your work.
• Learn how to edit the size, colour and shape of images in photo software or using traditional materials.
• Locate and identify examples of how color and texture are used in album cover design.
• Analyze or invent lyrics or themes to convey the message of the album.
 •Learn how to create sketches for design projects.
• Create a album cover that incorporates a specific color palette, visual texture and a successful combination of words and images.

PROCEDURE:
Step 1: Inspiration
Begin by finding the lyrics to your favorite song, or imagining what your favourite band’s next album may look like. It should have personal meaning, yet also be appropriate for school.

Step 2: Color Research
Search the internet to find examples of how graphic designers have incorporated color into album design. Find at least one example of each of the bulleted items listed below. Print out your copies and glue them into your sketchbook. Be sure to label your images with the subcategory of color, as well as cite the url where your images are originally from.

Here are the art elements that you should find examples of:
Color
•  Primary
•  Secondary or Complimentary
•  Monochromatic Design Instruct
•  Bold use of color (bright color, many colors, etc.)
•  Pastels
•  Primarily black and white

Step 3: Texture Research
For homework, photograph five different examples of textures from around school or your neighborhood. These should be printed out and glued into your sketchbook. Here are some examples of different types of texture:
• Rough/Distressed
• Gritty
•Cracked
•Speckled
•Smooth

Save your electronic files onto your computer. You might wind up using them for your project.

Step 4: Colour Palettes

Next, search the internet for examples of colour palettes that you are thinking about incorporating into your design project. Here is a site to get you started with your search. If you want to condensed version of all these sites, visit some of my favorite links below.
http://www.colourlovers.com/
http://kuler.adobe.com/#
http://colorschemedesigner.com/

Find at least three different color ideas, print them out and glue them into your sketchbook.

Step 5: Sketching
Now it’s time to be creative! Complete 3 detailed colored thumbnail sketches of your album layout ideas in your sketchbooks. Each sketch should have a front and back cover, show the types of images you are planning on using, suggest a type treatment and indicate a colour palette. Your designs should be image dominant.

FINAL PROJECT
Once all your sketching is complete, choose your most successful sketch and try to recreate it in photo software or traditional materials. Your album must have the following project requirements:

OUTSIDE JACKET
Visuals
1) At least three images that have been combined together on the front cover of your album
2) Visual texture
3) A distinct color palette
4) Front cover on the right hand side of your file, back cover on the left.
Type
1) An interesting, yet readable type treatment that relates to the mood of your piece

Front Cover
1) Name of artist or group
2) Name of album
Back Cover
1) Bar code
2) Record label logo
3) Song titles
4) The small print

Record Sleeve:
•At least three images that have been combined
•Must have a visual texture
•Must have a distinct color palette
•Images match the look and feel of the outside of the sleeve. Think fraternal twins, not identical.
•Interesting and readable type that relates to the tone of your piece, as well as your album jacket.

We will co-create the rubric/Level 4 Checklist for this assignment!

* A special thank you to http://www.artismessy.org/Design/CD_Cover.html for inspiration on this ISU.

Grade 10 Art - Day 35 "Treating Your Finished Canvas"

Since acrylics essentially seal themselves, there is really no call to "seal" your painting.  However, some artists like to vanish or clear coat their work for the following reasons:

• some colours dry duller than others
• they want to protect their work from dust, UV, finger oil, cats, etc. 

If you are keen to seal your painting, here are the steps I would follow:

1. Apply a glazing medium to bring up the colour.  
2. Apply two coats varnish. Depending on the effect you are looking for, you can use spray on or brush on varnish.

I recently spoke with a local artist who always coats his finished paintings for effect.  If you use a satin finish, the result will be less glossy and closer to your original application.  However, a shiny application has its own sort of beauty.  For his paintings, he recommended this can:

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 35: "Conspiracy Theories in Art"

After all of the serious analyses of paintings, I thought it might be fun to look at some of the conspiracy theories associated with some famous paintings!

Enjoy!

http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/entertainment/the-10-most-famous-paintings-with-hidden-codes/

Grade 9 Art - Day 34 "Hubble Painting Continued"

Today we will be continuing with our Hubble Telescope paintings.  I wanted to show you a video on what is considered the most important image ever taken.  I think you will enjoy.

If you are completed the Hubble assignment, now is a good time to familiarize yourself with the ISU for this grade....available at this link:

http://gdciart.blogspot.ca/2015/05/grade-9-isu.html

Grade 10 Art - Day 34 "Underpainting with Acrylics"

In our continued tutorials on painting, I found this article at http://thevirtualinstructor.com/ to help us understand the importance of underpainting and layering with acrylics.  There is a valuable tutorial at the end of this lecture that you may watch at your convenience!

The Importance of an Underpainting

Layering is an important part of creating representational color drawings and paintings. It’s the layering of colors that produces the depth and richness that translates into accuracy. Without layering, a painting can look flat and colors can look contrived.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you tried to mix a color, but the result still looks artificial when it is applied to the canvas? It’s likely that the problem you encountered had little to do with your mixing. Instead, the artificial color or lack of depth in the color could be attributed to a lack of layers in your painting.
Creating Layers in a Painting

So, how do we create layers in a painting? Knowing that layering is important is one thing, but knowing how to layer colors in a painting is something entirely different. It would be absurd to simply build up layers of the same color, just to say say that we layered colors, right? Doing this won’t lead to depth in color. Instead, it will just lead to a surface with thick paint.

The secret of layering colors to produce color depth in a painting lies in the underpainting. An underpainting is simply a step in the process of creating a representational painting. Many artists see it as an optional step. However, if your goal is to produce realistic colors and a believable light source, I wouldn’t recommend skipping it.

An underpainting can take on many forms. Most commonly though, the goal of the underpainting should be to establish the values in the image. The values are the darks and lights in an image. It’s how we see and perceive light. Without accurate values, you have no defined light. No defined light in your work, and you have an unsuccessful painting.

If we establish the values that we see in our reference during the underpainting step, when it comes time to add local color, or the actual color of the objects, we can focus all of our attention on the colors that we are seeing. We can apply the local color as transparent and semi-transparent washes, allowing the value that we’ve established underneath to show through. By adding washes of color on top of the underpainting, our color develops depth and becomes more realistic.

Underpaintings can also be used to create an expressive undertone in a work. Using cool colors or warm colors in the underpainting can effect the overall mood of the completed image.

Each painting medium differs in how underpainting should be approached. For acrylics, an underpainting is especially useful. Since acrylic paints dry quickly, an underpainting can be developed and layered upon in a short amount of time. Semi-transparent washes can added on top of the underpainting without waiting long periods of time for the underpainting to dry completely.

http://thevirtualinstructor.com/members/acrylic-still-life-part-1-live-lesson-52213/

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 34: Paintings as Evidence

After yesterday's view of London Street Scene with Posters, 1835, I thought it might be prudent to further investigate how art work, paintings in this case, are evidence of history.

We will be viewing the following article as a class:

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2008/apr/29/artasevidence

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 33 " London Street Scene with Posters"

In today's painting study, we view the work of a lesser known artist. What makes this painting special is that it is a living record of a place and time in London's history. This corner is "in the dishevelment of transition which is a continual condition of the capital - the dome of St. Paul's, however lending an assurance of permanence beyond" (David Piper, Artist's London). 

Though photography existed at this time, this painting is a far more vivid recollection of this place and time. Here are a listing of the partial or complete posters hung on this wall:

• THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII EVERY EVENING - white text on black
• Vauxhall / M????Y / W????????AY / ??????????? - overlaid by other posters
• HAVE YOU SEEN THE ILLUSTRIOUS FLEAS? - black on red
• SPLENDID NEW COACH / COMET! / In 24 Hours / LIVERPOOL / EVERY MORNING AT 9 / Bull & Mouth / MAN.../EVE.../REG...
• - Bull & Mouth was a London Coaching inn
• FRENCH PLAYS / VKRTPRE... / BENEFIT / MAY 10
• THAMES / TUNNEL
• - possibly the Thames Tunnel, which at the time was walled off
• MR MATHEWS / AT HOME / (unclear) / ADELPHI THEATRE
• - "Mr. Mathews At Home with His Comic Annual" by Charles Mathews first performed at the Adelphi in 1833
• JERUSALEM / IS NOW / OPEN - overposted with unclear HARLEY
• HARLEY / THIS EVENING / THE SLAVE / ... / GRAND CONCERT
• ST. JAMES THEATRE / JOHN PARRY / ... / THE SHAM PRINCE / .... / ??? VERY EARLY
• John Orlando Parry's father John Parry (known as Bardd Alaw) composed The Sham Prince
• - black text possible reads "HAVE YOU SEEN ..."
• ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE / TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS - NATIVE TALE
• / NOURJAHAD! / MOUNTAIN SYLPH / HERMANN! / EVERY EVENING
• SPREAD EAGLE
• PARIS - white on red, rest is overposted
• OTELLO - being pasted up over:
• - black text on blue paper possibly reads "...DEN / ... OF / L'ESTOCQ / .... EVENING"
• - black text on beige paper possibly reads "... SOLD A FEMALE DONKEY ..."
• ... / SHADOW on the WALL / ...
• VESTRIS / ... / ... / THIS EVENING! / THE POWERFUL AND MAGNIFICENT STEAM COMP / FAVORITE / OSTEND
• - possibly Lucia Elizabeth Vestris
• ????LANE. / ...SPECTACLE / ... ?RTHUR / ... EVENING - blue background, possibly KING ARTHUR
• - black text on white possibly reads "FRENCH PLAYS / Olympic Theatre"
• ADELPHI THEATRE / EXTRAORDINARY HIT / THE LAST DAYS OF / POMPEII! / - overposted
• - written by John Baldwin Buckstone and performed in 1834
• ADELPHI / ROBERT MACAIRE / TOM & JERRY / THE CHRISTENING!! / !!!!!! / EVERY EVENING
• - Robert Macaire is possibly the play composed by George Rodwell and performed in 18341834
• - Tom and Jerry composed by G. W. Maddison in 1821, George Herbert 1822, performed by William Thomas Moncrieff in 1821, 1822, 1823, 1834, 1841, 1843
• - The Christening written by John Baldwin Buckstone and performed in 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1839
• ????? THEATRE / BRAHAM / M?HARLEY / OBERON / ... / TOM ???MB / .east ... / ... / .ATERMAN / .RA DIAVOLO
• - possibly John Braham's St. James's Theatre, which supposedly opened 1835-12-14
• TWO LECTURES - overposted by:
• BULL- / MOUTH!!! / BAR - first two lines white on black, BAR in red on white, probably the Coaching inn Bull and Mouth

Grade 10 Art - Day 33 "Drawing on Canvas or MDF Board"

Up top this point, we have stretched and primed our canvas with gesso, or applied gesso to your pre-sanded hard board.  Now, we can apply a image to the canvas or hard board before painting.

Here are some recommendations:

• Do rough drawing with charcoal.  As we learned before, charcoal is unstable and will not bind as readily as pencil.  It also can be experimented with in mixing with acrylic for specific effect.  At any point, you can dust away the charcoal with a tissue or chamois, leaving a ghost image to work with. 

• Feel free to experiment off of the canvas in your sketchbook.  Vary the scale and values so that you have a visual reference when you return to your canvas.
• When you have an outline down, paint freely. If you try to adhere directly to the outline, it will look more "manufactured" than if you just paint freely, using the ghost charcoal image as a guideline.

• You may choose to paint your outline with a fast-drying colour that is harmonious with the subject.
• After your outline is laid-down, use the same colour to arrange light and shade.  Make sure the paint is fairly thin at this stage. 
• Paint the shaded areas first in their appropriate colours, then follow with the light areas in their appropriate colours.  
• Add the final details to complete your work.  

Image source: http://www.art-is-fun.com/

Grade 9 Art - Day 33 "Hubble Painting with iPad help!"

First, go to hubblesite.org on your iPad and we will learn about the Hubble Telescope together.

"The Hubble Space Telescope's launch in 1990 sped humanity to one of its greatest advances in that journey. Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth. Its position above the atmosphere, which distorts and blocks the light that reaches our planet, gives it a view of the universe that typically far surpasses that of ground-based telescopes."

Your goal in this assignment will be find a particular picture that the Hubble Telescope took.  Zoom in to a particular part of the picture you find that you find brilliant or interesting.  Now....recreate this picture on the foam core board that I provided you with.

Here are some sample pictures, compliments of NASA:

Grade 10 Art - Day 32 Canvas or MDF Board Prep

I posted a video on youtube for yesterday's stretching the canvas activity. Now, there are a few tricks and tips I can pass on to you to help you in preparing your canvas.

• When you receive your canvas, you will want to prime the canvas.  We use a product called gesso to do this.  
• You will rub the gesso into your canvas using your fingers.  This process can be repeated once or twice more until the desired smoothness or texture is achieved.  You may also do this process with a brush.  A 2" standard brush works wel,l and I recommend applying your second coat in the opposite direction of the first.
• After the gesso has dried, you may gently sand the canvas with a low-grit sandpaper if necessary.
• If you find that your canvas has stretched a little, or misshapen during this process, you may spray the reverse with water and allow to dry.  This tends to tighten it up a little for you.

If you are doing your painting project on MDF board, here are a few tips to help you prepare:

• use 100 grit sand paper to gently smooth off the surface, bevel the edges, and round the corners
• wipe the board clean with a dry cloth 
• apply three coats of gesso with a brush
• allow to dry until tomorrow's class

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 32 "Birth of Venus"

Painting Analysis: Botticelli's "Birth of Venus"

Analysis and Interpretation

A masterpiece of the Renaissance in Florence, and the first non-religious nude since classical antiquity, The Birth of Venus (Nascita di Venere) belongs to the group of mythological pictures painted by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) in the 1480s, following his return from Rome after completing three fresco paintings in the Sistine Chapel for Pope Sixtus IV. The other mythological works include Pallas and the Centaur (c.1482, Uffizi Gallery, Florence), Venus and Mars (1483, National Gallery, London), and La Primavera (1484-6, Uffizi). Like these works, The Birth of Venus (1484-86) remains one of the profound treasures of the Florentine Renaissance. The work, painted with tempera on canvas, depicts the female nude figure of the goddess Venus standing on dry land having emerged from the sea. It was commissioned by Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449-92) of the Medici Family, whose quattrocento humanist circle was particularly interested in classical mythology, and marks the culmination of the revival of ancient myths, within the context of a humanisti Renaissance art. A perfect example of the type of picture targeted by the Dominican monk Savonarola, in his virulent 4-year campaign against profanity and frivolity (1494-8), the painting miraculously survived the monk's "bonfire of the vanities" in 1497. This, despite its obviously pagan narrative and the fact it contained one of the first full length female nudes since the classical era. This good fortune enables us to enjoy one of the greatest Renaissance paintings by one of the most stylish of early Renaissance artists.

Venus

According to the classical poet Hesiod, Venus was conceived when Chronus castrated his father, the God Uranus, whose severed organs fertilized the sea. But Botticelli received additional inspiration from the Florentine poet, humanist and classical scholar Angelo Poliziano (1454-94), protege of Lorenzo Medici, who wrote about this scene in his epic poem "Stanze per la Giostra". He described Venus as being driven towards the shore on a shell by Zephyrus, god of the wind, while the Horae of the seasons stood on the shore in white, flowing garments.

No doubt Botticelli borrowed from these and other accounts. At any rate, TheBirth of Venus depicts the moment when, having emerged from the sea in a shell, Venus lands at Paphos in Cyprus. She is blown towards the shore by Zephyrus - god of the winds - and the breeze Aura, while a Hora of Spring stands on dry land poised to wrap a cloak, decorated with spring flowers, around Venus to cover her nudity. A wistful gaze under heavy eyelids lends the goddess an air of cool distance. The fine modelling and white flesh colour gives her the appearance of a statue, an impression fortified by her stance which derives from the sculpture of ancient Greece - in effect, a more fluid version of the Medici Venus (Venus Pudica) (1st century CE, Uffizi Gallery, Florence) - a medium which was highly regarded in Florence at the time. Despite the slightly unusual dimensions of her body - the elongated neck and her overlong left arm - Botticelli's Venus is an incredibly beautiful woman with smooth, delicate skin and golden curls. She is born to the world as the goddess of beauty, and the viewer is witness to this act of creation. As she lifts a foot to step off her gilded shell, the winds shower her with roses - each with a golden heart (according to mythology the rose flowered for the first time when Venus was born) - while the orange blossom on the tree in the middle ground is also fringed with gold.

Neoplatonic Interpretation

According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, Venus had two aspects: she was an earthly goddess who inspired humans to physical love, but on the other hand she was a celestial goddess who inspired humans to intellectual love. Plato also argued that contemplation of physical beauty enabled the human mind to comprehend spiritual beauty. This means that when 15th-century Neo-Platonic viewers looked at The Birth of Venus they would have felt themselves being inspired to contemplate spiritual (that is, divine) love. If this sounds somewhat airy-fairy, note that The Birth of Venus and other similar works by Botticelli and others are now being seen as wedding paintings that recommend suitable behaviours for bride and groom.

Other Interpretations

The Birth of Venus has attracted a number of other explanations from a variety of scholars, historians and related experts. The painting was inspired by a Homeric hymn published in Florence in 1488 by the Greek writer Demetrios Chalcondyles; it was associated with Venus Anadyomene (Venus Rising from the Sea), a lost masterpiece of the artist, Apelles, mentioned by the classical historian Pliny the Elder.

Medici Connection

Another explanation is that the painting was executed to flatter Lorenzo de' Medici, the powerful head of the Medici clan. The image of Venus in this picture (and also in La Primavera) is supposedly modelled on the stunning Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, the alleged mistress of both Giuliano de' Medici and his elder brother Lorenzo. After all, was it mere coincidence that Simonetta was born in the Italian coastal town of Portovenere (in English: the port of Venus)? Associating Lorenzo's mistress with Venus, triggered a number of other references, culminating in the equation of Lorenzo with Alexander the Great - a not unflattering comparison.

Christian Interpretation

The nudity of Venus echoes that of Eve in the Garden of Eden. This has led some commentators to speculate that Venus is a personification of the Christian Church. One should note, for instance, that the title of the Virgin Mary is "stella maris": star of the sea. Perhaps the sea gives birth to Venus just as the Madonna gives birth to Jesus Christ.

Painterly Methods: Gothic Meets Renaissance

Botticelli trained first as a goldsmith before being apprenticed to Fra Filippo Lippi (1406-69), the finest painter in Florence at the time, and noted in particular for his linear style of painting, his decorative motifs and pale lighting - a style, in short, which owed a great deal to the elegance and ornamentation of International Gothic art. Like his master, Botticelli was never fully reconciled to naturalism, either as a means or an end. Thus unlike contemporaries such as Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-94) or northerners like Andrea Mantegna (1431-06), he rarely gave weight and volume to his figures, and maintained a narrow perspectival space. Thus the figure of Venus (like her counterpart in La Primavera), has an elongated neck and torso, while her classical contrapposto stance is gravitationally impossible. In short, realism is not high on Botticelli's agenda. He prefers to depict Renaissance humanism using the decorative aesthetics of the Byzantine tradition. (Compare the more naturalist contemporary painting Virgin of the Rocks 1484-6, by Leonardo.) Thus he highlights her hair with gold leaf, as well as the shell and orange trees, and contrasts the milk-like purity of her skin with the richly decorated draperies of the proffered wrap. The combination of cutting-edge humanism and Byzantine/Gothic decoration makes The Birth of Venus one of the greatest paintings of the Italian Renaissance.

Source: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/birth-of-venus.htm

Grade 9 Art - Day 32: GIF CAM Results

Yesterday we were able to build our watercolour paintings, some with silhouettes.  Today we animated our paintings with GIF CAM!!

Here is a montage of the results!

Grade 9 Art - Day 31: Animate Your Paintings Using GIF CAM

As we transition into the painting unit, I want to work on integrating emerging technologies into our work with traditional media.  We will begin today with simple watercolour paintings, which we will take photos of and animate using GIF CAM, a free app at the iTunes store. Here's the direct link to the app:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/gif-cam-for-messenger/id967144358?mt=8

This is a new process for all of us, so we will have to collaborate to ensure success!

Start with a Theme or Topic.  You may choose to make this timely (like Halloween) or choose a subject something that is important to you at this time.  When you have decide on your theme and drawn it out on your page, we will begin our simple watercolour painting.  Try to incorporate silhouettes in this task...as I want you to learn the difference between opaque and transparent use of watercolour. Opaque: not see-through. Transparent: see-through.

When your painting is complete, we will take a picture of it import it into GIF CAM and add some fun animations to them.  

Here is an example, just in time for Halloween!

Stay tuned for results!!

I would like to thank ipadartroom.com for the inspiration for this lesson.  

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 31 "Mona Lisa"

"Valued in excess of $1 billion, the Mona Lisa, perhaps the greatest treasure of Renaissance art,  is one of many masterpieces of High Renaissance painting housed in the Louvre. The painting  is known to Italians as La Gioconda, the French call her La Joconde. The work is arguably  the finest ever example of portrait art, and one of the greatest Renaissance paintings of the 15th  and 16th centuries. Despite being the most famous painting in the world, the Mona Lisa is - like all of Leonardo's  works - neither signed nor dated. Its title comes from the biography of Leonardo written by  the 16th century Mannerist painter and biographer Giorgio Vasari (1511-74), and published  around 1550, which reported his agreement to paint the portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of  Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine dignitary and wealthy silk merchant. Vasari also  mentioned that Leonardo employed musicians and troubadours to keep her amused, which  might explain her enigmatic smile. As usual, Leonardo procrastinated endlessly over the painting  - notably the position of the subject's hands - and continued working on it for another 20 years.  Sadly, La Gioconda has become so famous and so valuable that it is almost impossible to catch  more than a quick glimpse of her, as she sits inscrutably in the Louvre behind the non-reflective  glass of her temperature-controlled security box. More Analysis of Mona Lisa The portrait shows the subject sitting upright and sideways in a chair, with her face and chest  turned slightly towards the viewer: a posture derived from the 'pyramid' image used to depict  a sitting Madonna. Her left arm sits comfortably on the armrest of the chair and is clasped  by the hand of her right arm which crosses her front. The slightly protective position of her  arms, as well as the armrest, creates a sense of distance between sitter and spectator. The background landscape behind the sitter was created using aerial perspective, with its  smoky blues and no clearly defined vanishing point. It gives the composition significant depth,  although its details reveal a clear imbalance between the (higher) rocky horizon to the right,  compared to the (lower) flatlands stretching away on the left. This imbalance adds to the slightly  surreal atmosphere of the picture. Another slightly surreal feature of the Mona Lisa is her lack of eyebrows and eyelashes. This  was not a deliberate act of the artist, as scans indicate that originally she was given both.  It is possible that the colour pigment used for these facial features has since faded or been  inadvertently removed during cleaning. The Mona Lisa exemplifies Leonardo's contribution to the art of oil painting, namely his mastery  of sfumato. This painterly technique involves the smooth, almost imperceptible, transition from  one colour to another, by means of ultra-subtle tonal gradations. Evident throughout the  painting, Leonardo's use of sfumato is particularly visible in the soft contouring of Lisa Gherardini's  face, around the eyes and mouth. It was a technique of oil painting that he had already demonstrated  with great success in The Virgin of the Rocks (1483-5). The general impression created by the Mona Lisa portrait is one of great serenity, enriched by a  definite air of mystery. The serenity comes from the muted colour scheme, the soothing sfumato  tonality, and the harmony created by the sitter's pyramid-shaped pose and understated drapery.  The mystery stems from a number of factors: first, her enigmatic half-smile; second, her gaze, which  is directed to the right of the viewer; her hands which have a slightly unreal, lifeless quality - almost  as if they belonged to a different body. Source: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/mona-lisa.htm

Grade 10 Art - Day 31: Canvas Stretching 101

I thought it would be fun to create a video showing you how I stretch a canvas.  Everyone has there own approach, but this is how I do it to keep things fast and economical in class!

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 30 "The Old Guitarist"

In today's analysis, we look at Picasso's "The Old Guitarist".  

Pablo Picasso dominated the development of the visual arts during the first half of the 20th century. Along with Georges Braque, Picasso is best known as one of the creators of Cubism, though he utilized many styles during his career. In the paintings of his Blue Period (1901–1904), such as The Old Guitarist, Picasso worked with a monochromatic palette, flattened forms, and tragic, sorrowful themes.

The tragic themes and expressive style of Picasso's Blue Period began after a close friend committed suicide in Paris. During this time, the artist was sympathetic to the plight of the downtrodden and painted many canvases depicting the miseries of the poor, the ill, and those cast out of society. He knew what it was like to be impoverished, having been nearly penniless during all of 1902.

This bent and sightless man holds close to him a large, round guitar. Its brown body represents the painting’s only shift in color. Both physically and symbolically, the instrument fills the space around the solitary figure, who seems oblivious to his blindness and poverty as he plays. At the time the painting was made, literature of the Symbolist movement included blind characters who possessed powers of inner vision. The thin, skeleton-like figure of the blind musician also has roots in art from Picasso’s native country, Spain. The old man’s elongated limbs and cramped, angular posture recall the figures of the great 16th-century artist El Greco.Source: Art Institute of Chicago

Just for fun, I attempted a pencil and ink interpretation of this piece:

Grade 9 Art - Day 30, Quiz

Today we will be having a quiz based on material from the first 29 days of class, focusing primarily on the Elements and Principles of Design.  Good luck!

Grade 10 Art - Day 30, Mixing Colours

Today I will be distributing a handout on mixing colours and the various effects involved in that process.  Please see me for a colour copy of the handout.

Here are some keys points from the handout, for your reference, from How to Draw and Paint by Henry Gasser:

A. The three primary colors, yellow, red, and blue, mixed together neutralize each other to make a gray.

B. The three secondary colors, orange, violet, and green, mixed together neutralize each other to make a gray.

C. Two primary colors, in this case yellow and red, mixed together make a secondary color (orange).

D. Two primary colors, in this case blue and yellow,mixed together make a secondary color (green).

E. A primary color (yellow) mixed with a secondary color (green) makes an intermediate hue (yellow-green).

F. Two primary colors, in this case red and blue, mixed together make a secondary color (violet).

G. Two colors opposite each other on the color wheel (complementary colors) mixed together neutralize each other to make a gray. In this case yellow and violet were mixed to produce a gray.

H. When black is mixed with a color, it grays the color to produce a neutralized hue. In this case black was added to red to make a neutralized red.

I. When a neutralized color is mixed with a color, it grays the color to produce a neutralized hue. In this case a deep brown was added to blue to make a neutralized blue.

J. Here is another neutralized color mixed with a color to produce a neutralized hue. In this case a reddish brown was added to violet to make a neutralized violet.

Have a look at the following graphic, courtesy of M. Grumbacher, Inc.:

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 29

Painting Analysis - The Work of Josef Albers

"Instead of art I have taught philosophy. Though technique for me is a big word, I never have taught how to paint. All my doing was to make people to see." - Josef Albers

From theartstory.org:

Josef Albers was instrumental in bringing the tenets of European modernism, particularly those associated with the Bauhaus, to America. His legacy as a teacher of artists, as well as his extensive theoretical work proposing that color, rather than form, is the primary medium of pictorial language, profoundly influenced the development of modern art in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.

Albers's 1963 book Interaction of Color provided the most comprehensive analysis of the function and perception of color to date and profoundly influenced art education and artistic practice, especially Color Field painting and Minimalism, in the twentieth century.

His series Homage to the Square, produced from 1949 until his death, used a single geometric shape to systematically explore the vast range of visual effects that could be achieved through color and spatial relationships alone.

"Study for Homage to the Square: Beaming"

"Three concentric squares are laid on top of each other in diminishing scale.  The marine blue fills the outer square while the smallest green square sits below the centre.  The interaction of the colours is disorientating after a long viewing, giving the illusion that the squares are moving in and out of the picture plane.  In this sense the work prefigures Op Art, which experiments with visual perception.  ...Square's were part of a enourmous series that was more concerned with the medatative potential offered by the interplay of colours, than the colour theory.  Albers used colour as a metaphor for human relationships, wanting his work to be seen on an informal, intuitive level, not as rigid visual geometry."
Source: The Twentieth Century Art Book, Phaidon Press Limited

"Homage to the Square: Stepped Foliage"

Follow this link to go to our own National Gallery of Canada, to view an Albers work in our national collection!

http://www.gallery.ca/en/see/collections/artwork.php?mkey=1245

Grade 10 - Day 29

Simple Painting Instructions - Day 1: "Arranging Colours on your Palette"

I want you to think of economy when arranging the colours on your palette....economy of time.  There are many ways to arrange the paint, but it is important to be consistent so that you can go to the colour that you need without having to search for it.  Even if it takes an extra second each time, it adds up.

I might suggest that you arrange the colours from warm to cool or vice-versa, similar to the colour wheel.  This may mean in a complete circle or in an L shape around the top of your palette.  

Here is an example from learntodrawnandpaint.com:

Or another example from "How to Draw and Paint" by Henry Gasser:

Both set-ups are remarkably similar, and allow space for mixing of colours.  

Tomorrow, we will spend more time learning how to mix colours!

Grade 9 Art - Day 29

In our study of visual art terminology, our next focus word is Contrast.

From our text, ArtTalk, we learn that contrast is used to create a focal point by placing an element into your work that contrasts with the rest of the work in that area.

For an example of contrast, let's look at Daniel in the Lion's Den, c. 1615, by Peter Paul Rubens.

The contrasts at work in this piece are:

• Daniel's smooth skin compared to the rough rock
• Daniel's skin compared to the fur of the lions
• Daniel's body position is tight and "closed" whereas the lions are moving and active
• The colour of Daniel's skin is bright and almost glowing, angelic even.  The colours surrounding him are earth-toned and golden.  
• Even the red robe that Daniel sits upon is a complete contrast to other elements in the painting. 

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 28

Painting Study - Madame Matisse

It is hard to imagine that "The Green Stripe" could be painted of the same subject only 8 years prior (see below).  In "Henri Matisse", John Jacobs described this piece as reflecting a "...severely restrained decorative impulse."  He continued, "The masklike face is modelled in gray, and the features are picked out by a series of curved lines that structurally relate to the general shape of the head."  The shape of the flattened body is "closely related to the green outline of the wicker chair".

If you look closely at the background and the subject, it is easy to see that their is little differentiation between the two.  The heavy emphasis created by the pallid skin tone and black eyes, draws your eyes immediately to her face.  This was the last painting that Matisse created of his wife, and it is said that she wept when she first looked upon it.

As a class, let's discuss what you forces you feel are at work in this painting.  I offer these two paintings as a comparison:

The Green Stripe 

Shira Punu Masque

Grade 10 Art - Day 28

Applying the Elements and Principles of Design!

Today, as a means of review, I want to examine the following pieces of art.  Your goal is to identify the elements and principles of design (have a look at the word wall) and explain their effects.  We will collaborate as a group.

American Gothic by Grant Wood, 1930

The Son of Man by Rene Magritte, 1964

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, 1908

Grade 9 Art - Day 28

Harmony In our continuing study of art terminology, I want to return to Kent State's page on Visual Literacy, for the following examples of Harmony. Harmony in visual design means all parts of the visual image relate to and complement each other. Harmony pulls the pieces of a visual image together. Harmony can be achieved through repetition and rhythm. Repetition re-emphasizes visual units, connecting parts and creating an area of attention. Patterns or shapes can help achieve harmony. By repeating patterns in an interesting arrangement, the overall visual image comes together. When all the elements of design come together, and the result is visually appealing, Harmony has been achieved.

Grade 10 - Day 27

Visual Art - Reaching Your Audience!

There are so many different ways to reach your audience as an artist.  We live in a time where art has reached an apex in "spectacularization", and you, as an artist, have to really seek out ways to set yourself apart. From the guerilla-style approaches of artists like Banksy, to traditional gallery displays, there has never been more ways to get yourself "out there".  Let's do a visual tour of some ways to present your work:

Murals

Sculpture Gardens

Lobby Art

Source: New York Post


Virtual Galleries

Virtual Art Gallery Exhibition 2006 Artist John Jones | JJ Gallery

Galleries

© Musée du Louvre / A.Dequier

Bus Stops

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

As you can see, the sky is the limit!  You need to be inventive and try to determine who you are trying to reach.  How will your choices increase or decrease your impact?  What audiences might you miss by your choices?  What legal ramifications might you encounter?  Let's discuss as a class!!

Grade 11/12 - Day 27

Painting Study - "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer

This oil on canvas masterpiece was painting around 1665.  Originally titled, "Girl with a Turban", it is believed that it may be a picture of Vermeer's eldest daughter.  

Colour

"Vermeer's intense use of his signature ultramarine can be clearly seen in this work. It is not only used in the top of the turban but also in the neck and end of the fabric hanging down the sitter's back.

Vermeer uses his palette to the fullest and his skill in under painting creates an intense volume that has a three-dimensional effect. He uses a unique blend of creamier tones and pigments for the girl's skin so it has a sort of glowing effect in the light and contrasts with the background.

Red and brown ochres are used to define shadows on the girl's skin to create depth and definition as the light source comes from the left frontal area. This also helps to accentuate the facial features and make them as realistic as possible.

Vermeer uses the Dutch custom of a dark background which allowed the artists to create a three-dimensional effect of the highlighted subject. Dark backgrounds enabled the artist to be more flexible in their technique and gave them the freedom to play with various contrasts of lighting. Art historians have discovered that Vermeer used a green ochre tone as an undercoat in this painting which helped bring out the vibrant colors of the figure." Source: http://www.artble.com/

The girl is seen against a neutral, dark background, very nearly black, which establishes a powerful three-dimensionality of effect. Seen from the side, the girl is turning to gaze at us, and her lips are slightly parted, as if she were about to speak to us. It is an illusionist approach often adopted in Dutch art. She is inclining her head slightly to one side as if lost in thought, yet her gaze is keen.

The girl is dressed in an unadorned, brownish-yellow jacket, and the shining white collar contrasts clearly against it. The blue turban represents a further contrast, while a lemon-yellow, veil-like cloth falls from its peak to her shoulders. Vermeer used plain, pure colours in this painting, limiting the range of tones. As a result, the number of sections of colour are small, and these are given depth and shadow by the use of varnish of the same colour.

The girl's headdress has an exotic effect. Turbans were a popular fashionable accessory in Europe as early as the 15th century, as is shown by Jan van Eyck's probable self portrait, now in the National Gallery in London. During the wars against the Turks, the remote way of life and foreign dress of the "enemy of Christendom" proved to be very fascinating. A particularly noticeable feature of Vermeer's painting is the large, tear-shaped pearl hanging from the girl's ear; part of it has a golden sheen, and it stands out from the part of the neck which is in shadow.

The oriental aspect, which is mentioned in the above extract, is further emphasised by the turban. The reference to Isaac and Rebecca suggests that this picture could have been painted on the occasion of this young woman's marriage. So to that extent it is a portrait.

Source: www.wga.hu

Composition

The composition of Girl with a Pearl Earring is delightfully simple. Unlike most of the other paintings by the Delft master, the subject here is only a simple head of a girl looking over her shoulder at the viewer. No hint of a setting is provided, other than its atmospherically dark tone. This too is unusual for the mature Vermeer. The unusually direct contact between subject and spectator, and the slightly parted position of the lips, presents a sense of immediacy so great as to imply significant intimacy. The girl is wearing a simple brownish-yellow top, which contrasts strongly with her bright white collar. A further contrast is offered by her blue and yellow or turban (or chaperon) which gives the picture a distinctly exotic effect. Turbans were a relatively common accessory in Europe from the 15th century, as is shown by Man in a Red Turban (1433, National Gallery, London), the famous self-portrait by Jan Van Eyck. Indeed, Vermeer's older contemporary, Rembrandt, painted single figures and heads in exotic costume throughout his life, and that similar small heads with unusual headgear by Carel Fabritius (1622-54) - who taught Vermeer - indicate that he may have carried this tradition to Delft.
Source: www.visual-arts-cork.com

Grade 9 Art - Day 27

In our study of visual art terminology, our next focus word is Scale.

Scale is simply the size of one object when compared to another. 

Scale can be used for dramatic effect, to correctly reproduce your subject in a larger or smaller way, and is often used in relation to the human body.

I found this excellent web resource to assist you in understanding scale:

https://605.wikispaces.com/Scale

Grade 11/12 Art - Day 26

Painting Analysis - Van Gogh's Starry Night

The painting was done from memory during the day.  It is somewhat whimsical, showing his view from the sanatorium he committed himself to in May of 1889.  Please consider the following quote from Van Gogh:
"The imagination is certainly a faculty that we must develop and it alone can bring us to a more exulting and consoling nature.  The star-spangled sky, for instance, is a thing that i would like to do.  But how can I manage, unless I make my mind up to work from imagination?"

In the scene is the village of Saint Rémy.  The Alpilles rise to the right.  The cypress tree and hills were not really in the same view; Vincent added those from nearby scenes.  The same tree (or at least very similar tree) can be seen in "Wheatfield with Cypresses":

A debate exists as to whether or not Van Gogh painted this in a literal or literary way:

1) Literal - he either painted it as he saw it, or as a hallucinatory genius.  Astronomers agree that given that it was painted in June, the largest star is the morning star but cannot agree whether or not the constellations shown are Cygnus or Aries.

2) Literary - some believe that he may have drawn his inspiration for this painting from the work of Walk Whitman or Victor Hugo, or perhaps from the Bible (Christ in Gethsemane,  Joseph's dream in Genesis, or even Revelations).  

Whatever the inspiration, it is one of the most recognizable pieces in art history!

Grade 10 Art - Day 26

Using Art to Express Personal Feelings or Communicate Emotions to an Audience

Now that we are nearing the end of the drawing unit, I want to experiment with mixed-media.  Mixed-media simply combines different tradition media in one piece. Often, the effect is stunning!  Think of the many elements and principles of design.  What colour might you use if you were completing a self-portrait if you wanted to convey the emotions that you feel?  What patterns or means of emphasis might you use to show the viewer what you were hoping to communicate?

I would like to introduce you to a famous artist by the name of Frida Kahlo. From biography.com, "Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907, in Coyocoán, Mexico City, Mexico. Considered one of Mexico's greatest artists, Frida Kahlo began painting after she was severely injured in a bus accident. Kahlo later became politically active and married fellow communist artist Diego Rivera in 1929. She exhibited her paintings in Paris and Mexico before her death in 1954."  

Frida was well known for her self-portraits or working herself into her paintings. Here are some examples:

Your task today is to create a self-portrait.  I want you to look at Frida's use of colour, line, and shape to inspire you in this journey.  You are welcome to mix media, and may use any materials in the room.  I am looking forward to seeing what you accomplish!!