On and on and on

Throughout a tough stressful semester us students should be overwhelmed with joy that Christmas holidays are just around the corner, which will allow us to relax and enjoy some time off by recontacting with family, friends and other activities. But for some of us its just a dream which cost a thousand bucks.

Some of the courses that are provided to us are not all the same work load, for us fine art students it is hardly difficult to miss out although of days not working because we will never manage to get everything done in the right time especially when your working with different type of paints which requires a lot of time to dry. These problems cause a lot of stress and anxiety to the student it self which is not very good. Even also some of the students are good fortune as others, which in their free time or the weekend they have to work a part time job just to keep u with their funding and family needs. By this the holidays wont be looked at a joyful holiday but a more hard working week through out the year, in which results to a lot of time management between school work and work. Most of the time for them to get the assignments get in done they have to stay up late at night sometimes till 4-5 o'clock in the morning to get everything ready.

This type of situation is being face through out my personal life in which through out the years lead me into certain types of changes within my character and personal work. I totally agree that the school need to keep their highest reputation at the students work and education but sometimes they are to greedy in which they don't but them self into the students shoes and see it from their own point of view.If this would change and they will start looking at these either they could extend the holidays which allows us more time to develop our work more professionally or they would look into the amount of work lot that was given to us.

Elements in use

Throughout further studies into my research I found how there are 7 elements of art, which are a vital importance of building up a composition. They are mostly known as: Line, Form, Shape, Texture, Tone, Colour and pattern.  However without the use of formal elements or their existence, art as we know it could not have been known.

 I came to the conclusion to see how art is a well-known factor on how a person/artist is allowed to express himself by the use of formal elements. Therefore with the use of line, shape, form, tone, texture, pattern, and colour, the artist will be able to define his ideas and thoughts well by giving an indication of; Movement, feelings / expressions, geometrical / negative shapes, tone, perspective throughout 2D work, 3D work, Highlights, shadows, contrast, surface quality, repetition, primary / secondary colours and colour schemes.

They all work together as a big sum because everything fits together like a big puzzle; if you remove something, another section won’t work out well. It is said that when the person has a good understanding of the elements, he will be able to create any artwork he wants from painting with oils to sculpting in clay, stone, wood etc… But how many of them were used for the artist’s reflection and by this does it still have the connection on how the brain and eyes work together which depicts out the idea?

References

Madden, A. 2017. What Are the Seven Elements of Art? - Definition & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. [online] Study.com. Available at: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-the-seven-elements-of-art-definition-examples.html  [Accessed 18 Dec. 2016].

The power of the elements and movements !

Throughout the beginning of time in the Pre-Historical era people started the craze of art by using the simplicity of  formal elements for their cave art and sculptures. Although that they were done in simple lines and color they still managed to communicate and describe well what they were intentionally thinking. 

Title : Lascaux Cave
Location: France

Throughout history, in the progression through art movements, painters started to create their own style but they weren’t able to do what they wanted because other people with higher titles obligated them to do what they requested and by this they managed to manipulate people to their own believes and intentions. In some periods of time artists started to get annoyed by this fact, therefore by their own creativity and their feelings in their time, they started showing their own projections into the paintings; showing the people that they are an important value. For example: Michelangelo – Sistine Chapel and Goya – La familia de Carlos IV.

Artist: Michelangelo 
Title: Sistine Chapel
Year: 1508–1512

Artist: Goya
Title: La familia de Carlos IV
Year: 1800–1801 

As years passed, artists started breaking the elements into their own power by breaking up the shape of the figure, losing all the paresis proportions, using only one color or a mix up. During the Impressionism era, artists like Monet, Morisot, Renoir and some others were a few of those artists who wanted to paint on inspirations such as landscapes and modern life throughout open air paintings which they were reflecting their inner self’s rather than continuing on the past historical art. They started to give more importance on how to capture light, movement and the atmosphere around them where a bright color palette was also used.

Title: The summer, Poppy Field 
Artist: Claude Monet 
Year: 1875

On the other hand the Post-Impressionism which included Cezanne, Van Gogh and others, managed to break again from the Impressionist style and continue more on expressing their deep emotions. Their paintings are most popular this time but during their time, people were still accepting their art in progress due to the big change. Their art was done with a lot of formal elements such as; a good amount of lines that even when applying them they created texture and movement and a lot of light and bright colors that with these they still managed to make an aesthetic sense out of it.

Artist: Vincent VanGogh
Title: The Starry Night
Year: 1889

Artist: Vincent VanGogh
Title: Self Portaite

Van Gogh stated two quotes which I found quiet relevant to the subject:

‘’I put my heart and my soul into my work and have lost my mind in process ‘’ – Van Gogh

‘’Occasionally in times of worry, I’ve longed to be stylish, but on second thought I say no – just let me be myself – and express rough, yet true things with rough workmanship’’ – Van Gogh

By this he is stating how painting was the only thing he loved and sacrificed everything for, but as much as it did good for him, it still lead him to total absent despite the fact that this always lead him to believe in himself throughout his work and never followed the herd from the past techniques.

References:


Admin, 2016. 54 Memorable Quotes by Vincent van Gogh. [online] Quote Sigma. Available at: < http://www.quotesigma.com/54-memorable-quotes-by-vincent-van-gogh/ > Accessed 16th Dec. 2016.

Anon, 2016. The Visual Elements of Art. [online] Artyfactory.com. Available at: < http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/visual-elements/visual-elements.html > Accessed15th Dec. 2016.

Moffat, C., 2007. Prehistoric Art & Ancient Art - The Art History Archive. [online] Arthistoryarchive.com.Availableat: < http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/prehistoricart/ > Accessed 13th Dec. 2016.

Voorhies, A., 2016. Post-Impressionism | Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [online] The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Available at: < http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/poim/hd_poim.htm > Accessed 18th Dec. 2016.

Examination through out development

Previously mentioned from my last blog, I stated on what are the most important things which are related to the theme ART and how it is affecting my life, either for the better good of the better worse.

By this I continued researching on how art is being seen throughout different areas of particular people throughout these past years. Although that art is a wide open subject, I found oddly interesting on how in this present time people are using it as a medical reason instead of talking to a psychiatrist , which by this managed to get an official name as ‘Art Therapy’.

With the use of Art therapy people will manage to overcome their fear, behavior, feelings, social skills and any type of mental disorder. I think that with this technique it is letting the person in a more freeway on how he can communicate his problems but In a more personal and creative way. This type of therapy can be done in different kind of media such as sculpting and drawing, which gives more support for their development.

Artist: Yayoi Kusama
Artwork Name: Obliteration room 

Artist: Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is a famous Artist mostly known for her colorful polka dots, but when researching more about her I noticed that she wasn’t doing the polka dots because she liked circles or colors but they were helping her to express herself which helped her recovers from her mental illness in which by time the polka dots were a cure of obsession.  People used to think she was different due that she used to have hallucinations when she was a young child and grew up to have a more troubled life. 

But when she was introduced to art as part of her sessions it helped her more to show people who she is and what she can do which allowed her to protect herself from any type of madness she could encounter. By being herself, she managed to beat the odds and allowed her to create a style of her own which she refers to ‘’Psychosomatic Art’’. By now people will be thrilled to go view her artwork and say what an amazing artist she is, but she states back by saying that:

‘’I don’t consider myself an artist; I am pursuing art in order to correct the disability which began in my childhood’’ – Yayoi Kusama

By this, art has developed in different directions that it’s not only used to gain profit out of a simple art piece and that so person calls himself an artist but it’s used to express himself with.

References

Tate, 2012. Yayoi Kusama. [online] Tate. Available at  http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/yayoi-kusama  Accessed 10th Dec. 2016

TEDx Talks, 2015. The healing powers of art | Domingo Zapata | TEDxSyracuseUniversity. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnIrnBnjTmc Accessed 11th Dec. 2016.

TEDx Talks, 2013. Making art is like speaking in tongues: Alicia Eggert at TEDxDirigo Generate. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyztAaL2jw Accessed 9th Dec. 2016.

Self thought on Art

Throughout these past years I always heard the phase from people around my private life and from the public of how a degree in fine arts is useless and a waste of time, by this I can see how some people are still close minded always trying to breakdown people’s hopes and dreams.

Although throughout my life I always heard what can be good for me and to choose something that will help me find a good stable job but i still managed to continue on something that i love and have a passion for and as long as there is that flame that is still lit, by that the job will always be done with care.

Sometimes I still come to the fact to ask myself: why am I studying fine arts? Is it useful? Can I make out something worth full out of it? The answer is simple; I choose this path because I want to make a difference to show how our life is full of artistic things and people are still denying it and if there is no one to take a step forward its useless to dream that there will be change.

To continue on my thoughts I still keep asking myself how us artists and other viewers see art by Giving indication to other questions like: ‘’what is the most important key element in art?’’, ‘’will it be strong enough to change how people and the artist himself look or think about it?’’, ‘’ Do the eyes and brain work together or does it work on the function that is given by the emotion that is being depicted?’’.

This could lead into a whole investigation and research in a more scientific way but the artist’s most important key element is the use of formal elements which by the use of them artists managed to create their art in a more understanding and emotional way by letting them express themselves throughout their own painting.

Ali Ferzat Talk : A vision throughout an artistic hero

During this year we were really fortunate to have the opportunity to have a talk with the artist Ali Ferzat who is a Syrian artist in caricatures.

Upon his arrival we asked him: '' That he  once stated if I'm not prepared to take risks I have no right to call myself n artist, do you still stand by this clam especially throughout this experience? '' I was  astound on how he managed to respond back by telling us how he is happy to welcome all of us and that he feels at home among all his people due to the similarities that we share compared to his country.

Despite the fact the caricature art is known as a profession he doesn’t see it that way in fact for him it’s a talent born with the person a type of genetical compound. Even though it's a talent the artist still need to practice what he is good at otherwise there is no improvement.

His art was also reflecting onto politics and showing a sense of aspect amoral in which they were always clashing together. By this he was making the politicians stand everyday with bare foot on a very hot ground making their situation more intense and as he said with pride and enjoyment '' making life hell for them''.

Due to the crises happening the mafia had the opportunity to get involved and was showing a lot of interest such as; trading items in a more exaggerate way like human part and for them as long that money is being paid they will never stop and the political aspect will keep getting stained but the revolution against them is still holding strong enough and won’t let anything tamper it by this justice will be served.

Although art was seen as a born talent he was the first one which stood up for his believes and broke the law by criticizing and making fun of the higher people, and throughout his progress rage started to be build and people used to take his drawing and shredding them in pieces.

This happened because his work is always showing the depiction of the people throughout the crises which the drawing got more aggressive and powerful,  which left him beaten up and all of his bones broken but due to his act of courage  he started to gain respect and support from the victims, if he didn’t get this type of support the government could have gone bonkers and exterminate him. Even though his support and threats to kill him he kept his hopes and dignity to the people first and stayed in Syria.

Another question was ''How caricatures are influenced in western culture, is it more impactful as what is happening in Syria?'' With a genuine reply he told us that caricatures change throughout time and places which carries the issues of the people. But the situation in Syria is more crucial than any other protest around the world because it’s about freedom and liberty.

By now he is travelling all over the world spreading out the message that their governments are killers, they have two faces like a coin but at the end of the day everyone is pulling the same rope.

For him to conclude he told how art and the world can work together hand in hand and it could be more powerful than the greatest weapon ever invented on earth, that it could be even a simple pencil in which used in the proper case could bring more chaos that it traumatize the victims and show what is right and wrong.

But for him Syria will always remain his homeland and for all the other Syrians.

power from below from Ali Farzat

Ali farzat is a Syrian political cartoonist, which he is shows symbolism in which he is expressing daily activities happening in Syrian life throughout his Artwork . By this he is enabling the viewers to see politics, economics and society that are functioning from a different angle and therefore inspire the riders to appreciate theses sincere work.

 

Although that farzats work looks as an enjoyable position it could be the opposite and from a short period of time could be the most dangerous work you could ever done in which some cases brought him a death sentence and he had been banned from certain country's. This is due that he is using his own art to predict and show the commons people voiced and revolting it into a tool. For example in some of his work shows how he is switching food and supplies for citizen with weapons, showing how greedy and disrespectful  the higher people are.

Throughout the whole general art works he is showing how pain is being persuading the people  , it can show a situation to the national people when they don’t have enough money because the political people aren't giving any and also in one of his art work shows how even political people steal from each other. He is also relating how violence has two sides in which they are shifting between them, in which the lower class people always tend to get hurt first and after karma turns around and hits them back in the face.       

By this he is using the term power from below by using his art and design, I think that with this he is also been managed to build up his won character and skills due to  very intense part In his life even if he is targeted and given a life sentence, but as long he is doing it for the greater good of his country and his people he will still but up his heart and will in it. 

References

Creativesyria.com. (2016). Ali Farzat. [online] Available at: http://creativesyria.com/farzat.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2016].

En.wikipedia.org. (2016). Ali Farzat. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Farzat [Accessed 14 Nov. 2016].

Stelfox, D. (2016). Ali Ferzat's cartoons – in pictures. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2013/aug/19/ali-ferzat-cartoons-in-pictures [Accessed 12 Nov. 2016].

Power from below

Through out these years, power from below had changed into a more powerful concept but it always was showing the differences between the lower class to the higher class connected with  politics/religion and all other government industry's that are the right conspiracy. There was always this dilemma that the lower classes were to do as the higher classes demanded, even though they didn’t agree to what they are proposing or doing, so by this it is showing a sense of dictation were people are given orders but they aren't willing to speak up for their own voices.

 For example:

1 )World war ll - Hitler - He always was that one person who was always speaking for everyone, because he wanted to make the world a better place but to the respect and higher position he got he started to take full control that by time he even started to make his own people suffer.

2)October 20, 2011 - muammar gaddafi - Although he was a dictator with great power and control which lead him to make  good and bad things for his country, When he was shoot dead by his own rebelled people by then the empire that he build collapsed, and all of that power was gone, by this people started to do what they want and no one was their to stop them, violence, rape and war started amongst them.

In my own thought I think that name it self '' power from below'' starts exactly from the lower class, because it’s the lower class in which votes and decides who they want to rule and dictate them which leads them to a higher position, and due to the position they are granted they will start to take advantage and lose respect for his people, which leads to anger and destruction and they will so anything to get rid of him the same example to number 2.

Power from below has the same structure how columns are build, the lower class are always the base and the column is the higher class , if any damage to lack of strength occurs in that particular architect everything goes to ruins. 

A students vision (Criticism)

Another scholastic year has started and the school is still lacking from things that FOR us students should be ( important??)

Throughout these six years that I've been attending this collage we were always lacking in space particularly when it’s a rainy day, everybody is staying inside the corridors but due to the lack of seating and area everybody is staying on a wet dirty floor and squished together as if we are a group of pigeons closed in a cage which is unhygienic due to bacteria and infections. Even if it's not raining, we have an allocated sitting area exactly when existing the canteen but it lacks the use of chairs and tables which restricts us students to work on our assignments  during frees or else a place where to relax during break hours.

This problem could be eliminated if the school would provide certain assignments to chosen courses in this particular section in which the students are creating the particular area, it will be an opportunity to work on a public area and get the feel and experience you need when they go out working in the near future.

 This is an Art and Design school so Environmental awareness is important to take caution to show how we are ready to make a difference in the world by using recycled or reused objects to create this particular project.

Another lack of space is the library, in my opinion I think that the library is quiet small for us students to work in their own comfort. There is also the lack of computers amounts in which sometimes you need to be really lucky you find one empty. But throughout these years there was a virus spreading around and when we were using our pen drives we were also spreading it into our own personal computers which evolved into corrupted or lost work. From my side of view if I was told what I could do to solve this problem is by investing into a good and reliable antivirus by this their giving a message to the students that they are willing to help them save their work and internet safety.

Since the past year I entered into the fine arts course in which in the first year we were given a particular studio for us to work in and also hang out as a class. This year we weren't that lucky to get a studio unfortunately it left us a little bit lost due that we haven't got a place to work on our assignment and due that some lessons require canvases/wooden panels and equipment we have to carry them all the time with us in which sometimes they are really heavy. We could always leave them in the studio but due that its not ours other student from different levels are going inside and it wasn’t the first time that something was misplaced or even stolen.

Down stairs there is a corridor in which right now is left full of desks and no particular use at all, if they manage to plan out to install any kind of cabinet or lockers it would make our students lives a little bit better and help us keep our routine more organized.

This kind of situation is happening mostly due to overpopulation in the school itself, every year a good amount of students are being accepted in the school and their isn't any more space for everyone to stay comfortable. It's always great that a collage manages to give a vast variety of accepting students to give them opportunity but they aren't thinking of the students who are still studying there for the past years. There should be a kind of policy on how they should divide the acceptance or a portfolio examination.

This all has to start from the very core of the institute the administration and the council it self, which in my opinion is still at the lack of organization, and us students aren't being let to show our voices even if we try were still being ignored, as if we are treated like hamsters always doing what they teach us and when we go out to find a job we will be the freshly presented prey but the problem should be tackled  were is all start first.

'' Arts education is critical for helping student develop creativity, critical thinking and problem solving abilities'' - Megan Chernin, L.A Fund Chair

Citation

 

Fetter, B. (2012) A favorite quote: Megan Chernin |. Available at: https://www.bettefetter.com/megan-chernin (Accessed: 29 October 2016).

Art Controversial

1. Is an Art degree useless?
2. Can art be used as a freedom of expression?
3. Does art has its limits?, Or it evolves everyday?
4. Does art count for everyone? (Such as kids, teens, adults and Seniors)
5. Can art predict the future?
6. Does visual disorder or any kind of disease effect an artist work or how the viewer sees the art work?
7. Does expressive art count as a therapy session?
8. Can it be used to send out a message to the public?
9. Do different materials change the way it can be viewed?, or could it help the artist get out the message more ?
10. Does different culture change the way we see art in person or t has something to do with the brain function?
11. Can Graffiti/Manga/Animation/Digital art count as art or any type of vandalism?
    
    Citation: 
    
    Dirksen, C.R. (2012) Can art predict the future? Available at: https://cherieroedirksen.com/2012/09/04/can-art-predict-the-future/ (Accessed: 19 October 2016).
    
    Martinez-Conde, S. and Macknik, S.L. (2016) ‘Famous paintings can reveal visual disorders’, . doi: 10.1038/scientificamericanmind0315-23. (Accessed: 19 October 2016).
    
    Team, I.A. (2016) Why an art degree is not useless. Available at: http://info.ipfw.edu/blog/why-an-art-degree-is-not-useless (Accessed: 20 October 2016).
    
    Tucker, A. (2012) How does the brain process art?Available at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-does-the-brain-process-art-80541420/?no-ist (Accessed: 20 October 2016).
    
    White, T. (2007) Eye diseases changed great painters’ vision of their work later in their lives. Available at: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/april11/med-optart-041107.html (Accessed: 21 October 2016).
    
    Cunningham, A. (2011) Art is for everyone. Available at: https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr30/4/fr300414.htm (Accessed: 21 October 2016).
    
    United, C. (2014) Exploring different art forms. Available at: http://www.ownart.org.uk/how-to-start/exploring-different-art-forms/ (Accessed: 22 October 2016).
    
    Rests and Artists, the (2005) ART PSYCHOLOGY. Available at: http://www.e-artdrops.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=37&Itemid=57&lang=en (Accessed: 22 October 2016).
    
    Productions, R.T. (2004) Art is limitless. Available at: http://roosterteeth.com/post/3296096 (Accessed: 19 October 2016).
    
    Inc, Q. (2014) Eplore the psychology of art. Available at: http://www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/psychology-of-art.html (Accessed: 20 October 2016).
    
    Htwe, N.E.E. and Long, D. (2016) ‘Art is limitless’. Available at: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/lifestyle/19068-art-is-limitless.html (Accessed: 22 October 2016).
    
    Nursing, the, emotions, your and Make (no date) ‘100 Art Therapy exercises - the updated and improved list’, Available at: http://intuitivecreativity.typepad.com/expressiveartinspirations/100-art-therapy-exercises.html (Accessed: 23 October 2016).

Situation

Throughout our entire life we are face with ups and downs in which leaves us with problems far from each other. When trying to see how were going to tackle this problem we are introducing critical thinking into the situation by asking our self: what is the problem? What is causing it? How am I going to fix it? , by asking these simple questions I am already narrowing it down and look for a solution.

This type of thinking works exactly how a spider thinks to design her own web, she will start off by producing the threads (finding the problem) and by time she also make the threads out of silk in which helps her more work with her spinnerets  ( looking for that particular solution and how to make it work), after that it will allow her to start working on her web and see that it fits her understanding (opening more and see which works of not).

A more similar problem occur to me almost every year that I start school, the main problem was the lack of organization which lead me to laziness and carelessness, this happens a lot because I'm more a physical working person(workshops) rather than a theoretical person, but through out time I also noticed that I had to make them bought balance. This year I started at the very first day by making a list of what I need to finish till he end of the semester, this way it will keep me more aware of what needs to be done also I made it on a light colored paper in which I found most interesting how the eye manages to focus more. 

Critical Thinking in a general way

Critical thinking is the general knowledge/symptom that every human being is born with,  through out time and age it will start to develop in a more practical way which leads the human brain to train it self in a mental way.

"Education is not the learning of facts, but training the mind to think" - Albert Einstein

We can also see how critical thinking was used from time to time from philosophers, politicians, artist, doctors and even children. Every section has its own different agenda which by this practice helps them more to understand different information and also helps them to get to know different people. This way they will be able to see how they can plan out their whole idea by seeing which stuff works or not by evaluating it into different sections in which also they need to see how they can face out the consequences and get through out their everyday life.

In my personal opinion, I don’t think that critical thinking only exists in the human section but it is also found in other species on earth. In example; There is a man and a dog, they both want to cross a river, but in the river there is an alligator. Both of them know that the river is not safe to cross, this way we can see how they are critically thinking the situation and seeing how they can find a solution, which can be also implanted vice versa to the alligator in the river. 

Lau, J. and Chan, J. (2004) [C01] what is critical thinking? Available at: http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php (Accessed: 9 October 2016)