Visual Arts - Algonquin Achievement Centre -...

Visual Arts AVI2O Updated – May 2012

AVI2O February 2012

AVI2O Introduction The course is designed for the person who is interested in art, but is maybe not highly

skilled. It attempts to teach the basic principles of art by means of practical projects,

written explanations and illustrative materials. Practical projects are chosen as the main

teaching vehicle in the belief that by doing what the artist does you will be best able to

appreciate what art is. The study of art ought to be an enjoyable one, because through it

you are learning to make better use of your senses, and so will discover visual things you

had not noticed before, and you are learning to work more skillfully with your hands, so

you will attain some of the satisfaction of the craftsman. Training the eye, the mind and

the hand to work together is a slow and difficult process; so do not be discouraged if your

first attempts do not look to you like art.

Lesson 1 Assignment #1: Monogram Portfolio Project

1. Using your first and last initials, produce a monogram (a combination of two

letters designed to function as one symbol) that is designed within a specific

shape.

2. Prepare at least three (3) different designs.

3. Improve your design and transfer it on the final paper, considering the criteria

described below:

a) Using construction or bristle board (71 x 56 cm), fold in half creating a

portfolio to contain your work for this course

b) Add your chosen monogram design to the front.

4. Submit your three designs to be evaluated as well as your finished portfolio.

Example:

AVI2O – Visual Arts Page 1

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Lesson 2 – Dots and Lines As you look at the piece of paper, blank and white, you are in something of a position of

an author at his computer. You have made no commitment, but any mark you do make

affects whatever comes next.

The simplest thing you can do is to add a dot to the paper. If you do that you will already

add tremendously to the artistic meaning of the composition.

The single dot provides the eye with something to focus upon. Compare it to the

brightest star in the evening sky or a tiny fly on a large bare wall, or to the oil stain on a

pool of water. In art and nature the human eye is in constant search for a focal point in an

effort to organize it’s seeing. Focal point is such an important principle of composition

that, while it will be considered in a lesson of its own, it must be in yo7ur mind n any

composition you do.

In making dot compositions you will realize that you are in fact working with small

shapes not with a mathematical “point” which has neither length nor width nor height.

However, these are shapes in which the eye is attracted by their position rather than by

their contour.


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From Dots to Lines

It is an easy step to go from dots to lines. If dots are arranged in a

row, the eye quickly sees than as a dotted line. Thus the early

Greeks saw the stars in the sky as a linear presentation such as the

big dipper. Line is one of the most expressive elements in art.

The Museum of Modern Art defines line as a “path of action”.

Lines vary in three aspects:

1. Length (long or short)

2. Thickness (fat or thin)

3. Direction (vertical, horizontal and oblique or diagonal)

Each line direct has definite distinguishing characteristics:

Vertical, suggests: poise, balance, height (ex: skyscraper)

Uprightness, honest, dignity (ex: Standing figure or totem pole)

Horizontal, suggests: peace, rest (ex: a painted landscape)

Speed, streamlining (ex. a sports car)

Diagonal suggests: movement (ex: an athlete in action)

Strife, danger, suffering (ex: a battle scene)


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Some effects attainable with lines:

Deep Space Tension

Swelling Space Falling

Some effect attainable with lines and dots


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Assignment #2

Project: Thumbnail sketches of dots and lines

Thumbnail sketches are small, freehand compositions made to establish layout, rather

than a detailed drawing.

Study the dot and line compositions on the previous page. Now do some compositions

yourself considering these suggestions:

1. Strive for variety

2. Do not allow your dots to get so date more your lines so wide that they become

shapes.

3. Do not attempt to draw the subject matter

4. Make 4 compositions

5. Try to express moods, rhythms and movements.

6. Name each of your sketches.


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Lesson 3 Because drawing, and especially line drawing is so basic, many ways of doing it have been evolved. Below are four of the way you can do drawings. 1. Contour drawing – the edge of form:

In this kind of drawing the edge of the form is the thing drawn. The technique is described by Kimon Nicolaides in his classic book The Natural Way to Draw as follows:

Sit close to the model or object which you intent to draw and lean forward in your chair. Focus your eyes on some point (any point will do) along the contour of the model. Move your eye slowly along the contour of the model and move the pencil slowly along the paper. As you do this, keep the conviction that the pencil point is actually touching the contour. Be guided more bu the sense of touch than by sight. This means that you must draw without looking at the paper, continuously looking at the model.

When making a blind contour drawing, the eye is not watching the hand as it draws on the paper. Contour drawing is an excellent way to train the eye to draw what it really sees rather than what it thinks it sees. The first contour drawing you do will look, well, funny. However, with practice, you will find that you will be able to accurately record and image on paper without looking at your hand as it draws.

2. Weight drawing – the whole form from the inside out:

Weight drawings emphasizes the solidarity of material:

Believe and feel that you are working backward and forward as well as up and down until you have actually filled up all the space between the centre of the figure and all of its surfaces: back, front, and sides.

The completed drawing should be a solid mass, darkest where the figure is heaviest and most massive, and the lightest where the form is the thinnest.


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3. Gesture drawing – the movement of the whole

Here you draw not what the thing looks like, but what it is doing. Nicolaides explains it this way:

Draw rapidly and continuously in a ceaseless line, from top to bottom, around and around, without taking your pencil off the paper. Let the pencil roam, repeating the gesture.

In this form of drawing, arms, legs and torso are reduced to lines which indicate the potential for movement of the figures.

4. Structure drawing – geometrical equivalent

It is possible to build up a drawing on the basis of the geometrical equivalents of the parts of the figure. Thus the human figure can be thought of as tubes and cubes articulated by the skeletal structure. This method of drawing has been in use at least since the Middle Ages and is more or less convincing depending on how closely the proportions of tubes and cubes resemble the actuality of the thing being drawn.

Structure Drawings


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Assignment #3 Project: Four ways of Drawing Choose as subject a great variety of items: people, animals, inanimate objects

• Draw each of the methods described above. • Make your drawings as large as the paper allow (8.5 by 11) • Label each of your drawings

Lesson 4 – Space and Volume Space Space is the interval between things. In painting, space is the empty or unfilled parts of a picture, the full parts being shapes or images. In paintings which are entirely flat and two dimensional, space is the surface or background around the shapes. Some painters depict space by means of employing a variety of devices to suggest depth. The sculptor and architect on the other hand, work with real space. For the sculptor space flows around and sometimes through his work. Here space is much more than what is left, it is clearly defined as a positive force. For the architect, space is the light and air within the walls of the room. We live and move in space. Walls, floors and ceilings are the means by which the architect contains and shapes the space. Mirrors and glass walls enable him to expand the space. Spatial organization in terms of human needs is his first concern. It must be functional and satisfying. The space we live in can liberate or stifle our spirits depending on how it is used. Everyone had experienced the relief of stepping from an over-crowded bus. Feelings of awe and reverence come freely in the towering vertical space of the cathedral. By comparison, the horizontal space of the modern bungalow seems cozy and intimate. Realize that spaces have form. Spaces, that is the unoccupied parts in a painting, the holes in a piece of sculpture, the living area in a home, all have size and shape. These intervals of space are as much part of a visual design as are the things which define them, for Example: the occupied parts of a painting, the wood of the sculpture, the partitions of the home. The spaces in an art form are referred to as the negative parts and the shapes are called the positive of the resulting structure. There are occasions when the negative (space) and the positive (shape) exchange roles, for example, when


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there is white lettering on a black background, and you attempt to read the black part. The following illustrations illustrate a case where shape and space reverse roles. Volume Space can be considered as either two-dimensional or three-dimensional depending on whether you are talking about a painting or a sculpture. If it is three dimensional, it encloses or encompasses volume. Volume, sometimes called mass is three-dimensional. Volume is produced by areas combining to make something solid, which takes the place of so much space Assignment #4 Project: A family of shapes In this project you are asked to invent a family of shapes and to arrange them into an interesting pattern. Family of shapes simply means that your shapes would fit together to form a whole, like a jig saw puzzle. The next two pages suggest ways of evolving families of shapes and arranging them.

This picture of the maple leaf used on the Canadian flag can also be seen as profiles of two men with large noses (can you find them?)

This picture can be seen as a white vase or as two black profiles


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Lesson 5 Colour Harmonious Colour Schemes: Definitions Monochromatic: One basic colour with matching shades and tones. For a harmonious

colour scheme, experiment with different textures. Achromatic: Neutral colour arrangements (black, white, grey) without any

specific colour definition. Analogous: A primary colour with two or three related colours lying next to one

another within the same section of the colour wheel. Triad: Three colours positioned equidistantly around the colour wheel. Single Complementary: Two colours lying directly opposite each other on the

colour wheel, and creating a contrast: one colour is warm; the other, cool (ie; orange and violet, blue and yellow, read and green)

Colour Characteristics: Primary Colours: The three main colours: magenta (red), yellow and cyan (blue).

These colours can be combined to yield other colours, but cannot themselves be produced by any combination of colours.

Secondary Colours: Colours produced by blending two primary colours (ie; orange,

green violet) Tertiary Colours: Colours resulting from the combination of one primary and one

secondary colour. Warm Colours: Also called “advancing” colours. These are red, organe, yellow,

including all in-between shades. Cool Colours: Also called “retreating” colours. These comprise hues of green,

blue and violet.


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Hue: Referring to colours derived from primary and secondary colours and divided into two categories: warm hues and cool hues.

Tint: Gradation of colour achieved by simply adding a smaller or larger

measure of white to a given colour. Tone: Gradation of colour obtained by mixing varying degrees of grey

with a given colour. Shade: Produced by adding varying amounts of black to a given colour. Dominant Colour: Main colour in a colour scheme or colour mixture. Grey (Neutral Colour) : Blen of black and white Intensity: Designates degree of gloss, sheen or flatness or a colour. Value: Designates scale of lightness or darkness of a colour. Assignment #5 Project – Colour Wheel Create and paint a colour wheel that extends to three rings: Primary colours, secondary colours and tertiary colours. Primary colours: magenta (red), yellow, cyan (blue) Secondary Colours: colours produced by blending two primary colours Tertiary Colours: colours resulting from the combination of one primary and one

secondary colour.


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Lesson 6 Study of Values Value is a series of tones ranging from the very darkest to the very lightest. This study will consist of creating or reproducing a black and white image by subtracting black therefore creating light and varying the values. Assignment #6 Project: Values Step 1: Choose a black and white photograph from a magazine that has a very high

contrast. Step 2: In your sketchbook make a square or a rectangular shape the same size as your

reproduction. Step 3: Using a charcoal pencil or soft lead pencil, fill out the entire area in order to

obtain a dark value. Step 4: Proceed to reproduce your drawing using at first only an eraser. Continue your

drawing using both the charcoal pencil and the eraser in order to replicate your chosen picture.

Step 5: Hand in both your finished

product and the photograph you have chosen.

Note: This project is messy – be

sure to place newspaper down on the desk before you start and if you are wearing good clothes be sure to cover up with an old shirt or a painter’s smock.


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Lesson 7 Precision Drawing Assignment #7 Project: Precision Drawing For this project you will be going outside with paper and a soft pencil. You will make rubbings of four (4) different surfaces (eg; trees, fences, rocks, --pick anything interesting)

1. Each rubbing must be done on the left side of the paper to allow for a corresponding drawing on the right.

2. Draw these textures by hand, next to the rubbings, trying to reproduce the texture

as accurately as possible. Remember to look closely at the rubbing.

3. The finer detail is often neglected by a lot of artists. This is a lot of work and it can be time consuming but it is necessary to hone in on the detail skills.

Example:

Rubbing Reproduction


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Lesson 8 Non Linear Perspective The surface on which a picture is painted is recognizably flat. It is called the picture plane. Many artists respect the two dimensionality of this surface and produce flat paintings, an example of which is Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrain (see to the right). Other artists, in a variety of ways, open up this flat surface and encourage us to see their work in three dimensions. Having created this imaginary space, the artist is in complete control of the space. How the artist treats this space will depend on the idea or feeling he is trying to produce and how he want us to react to his work of art. Within this imaginary three dimensional space, objects may hold a relationship to each other and to use which seems to parallel the real world as we know it. We relate easily to the depth of the painted chamber in Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper. Never before had this sacred episode appeared so real. Sometimes the artist can better serve his purposes through a handling of space that is very different from what we ordinarily experience. The Italian artist Di Chirico depicted a world in which our experience of space and of objects is challenged. In Nostalgia of the Infinite, customary spatial experiences are initiated only to be violated as plants tilt illogically.

The Last Supper by

Leonardo Da Vinci

Nostalgia of the Infinite by

Di Chirico


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Ways of creating the effect of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface.

a) Overlapping b) Size c) Position d) Texture e) Neutralization f) Colour g) Tone

While the treatment of space in painting remains a highly personal mater, the creation of space (the representation of the third dimension on a flat surface) can be dealt with more factually. The artist is able by various means to create the illusion of space (depth or distance) on a flat surface for example:

a) By overlapping shapes (when one shape appears to overlap another one it appears closer in space)

b) By making distant objects small and closer objects large (through size) c) By placing distant objects higher and closer objects lower in the picture (by

positioning) d) By showing less detail on distant objects and by eliminating texture e) By allowing distant objects to be grey in colour (through neutralization of colour) f) By depicting close objects in warm advancing hues (red and orange) and

background objects in cool colours (blue and green) which appear to recede (through colour)

g) By showing graduation of tone (through light and dark) h) By arranging lines so that they appear to go back in space until they disappear at a

vanishing point on the horizon (through linear perspective) Some of these ways of creating the feeling of depth are illustrated on the diagram above. Linear perspective being more technical than other ways of creating the effect of three dimensions is described in the next lesson.


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Painting Techniques Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium (usually a glutinous material such as egg yolk or some other size). Following are some instructions for painting with tempera paint. You may experiment with these techniques before doing the project for this lesson. Instructions 1. Choose either tempera powder or pre-mixed tempera. The powdered form must be

mixed with water, but the thickness may be more easily controlled. Pre-mixed tempera is more convenient, but it is more difficult to adjust its thickness.

2. Chose the correct paper or surface. Tempera works best on paper that works well

with a water base, such as watercolor paper. Experiment on other surfaces, such as wood or canvas.

3. Mix the correct thickness. Tempera paint is flexible in its consistency. Thin

tempera paint is almost transparent and can be used in much the same way as glazes. Thicker tempera is more opaque.

4. Take heed of techniques. Because tempera paint dries quickly, short swift brush

strokes are more effective. Thin tempera works well when underpainting. Use numerous layers of paint to build depth of color.

(Underpainting gets its name because it is painting that is intended to be painted over).

5. Blend a rainbow of colors. While tempera may only come in basic colors, these

colors can be blended to make any shade desired. Use the color wheel to blend primary colors into secondary: red and yellow make orange; blue and yellow make green; blue and red make purple. Use black, white and brown to make variations of colors.

6. Allow drying time. While tempera paint dries quickly to the touch, it may take

much longer to completely cure. Some paintings with many layers may take up to a year.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binder_(material)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizing

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Assignment #8 Project Description: Make similar shapes (circles or squares) and arrange then so they appear to be fading away in the distance. Your closer shapes will be darker and larger than your further away shapes. You may overlap your shapes creating the illusion of space. Adding texture or detail to the closer shapes will also add to the effect. Do not use too many shapes – probably two or three different shapes, two or three for the middle and one or two for the foreground (part of the scene that is closest to the front). Procedure:

• Draw your shapes, each one smaller than the previous one. • Paint each shape; each successive smaller one should be lighter than the previous

one. • Cut out the shapes, arrange them for the desired effect and glue then to a piece of

construction paper. Lesson 9 Linear Perspective (read all the information in this lesson before doing the project) Introduction to Perspective Perspective is a technique used to represent the 3-diminsional world on a 2-diminsional (flat) surface. In other words, it means drawing things realistically as they are further away or closer to us. History of Perspective in Art Many artists have used different ways of showing “depth” or using perspective in their artwork for hundreds of years. It was not until the Renaissance (from about 1450-1600) that artists really developed a mathematical system for using linear perspective consistently. Below is an example of a famous Renaissance painting that provides an excellent example of how perspective drawing works. This is Raphael’s School of Athens. You can notice how the arches appear to go back in the distance and become smaller. This type of linear perspective makes objects, which are closer to our eye, appear larger and those, which are further, away, look smaller. This is how our eye sees the world.


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How to Create Linear Perspective in Drawings Mastering the art of one-point, linear perspective takes practice, time, and patience, but you can get the basic ideas in a few simple steps. First, draw a horizontal line across your paper, somewhere near the center (see the red line in the image below). This is the horizon line – the place where the sky meets the earth. Next, add a point to that line (pink dot). This is your vanishing point. Front planes of shapes (buildings, etc.) will be normal, and have right angles, but the side planes will all have lines that move backwards in a diagonal line towards the vanishing point (blue lines). These lines are called orthogonal lines Other Types of Perspective Once you have begun to master the technique of one-point perspective, you can move on to two-point perspective. As the name suggests, instead of having one vanishing point, this technique adds a second one. Instead of having the front planes be flat, only corners and edges appear to be in the front, with two side planes going back, one toward each vanishing point. There is also three-point perspective, which throws in the added dimension of looking down from above or up from below. Finally, there is a technique called aerial perspective, which involves looking straight down on something, as if you were flying in an airplane. Examples:


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Two-Point Perspective: Three-Point Perspective:

Aerial Perspective


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Watch the Tutorial on YouTube showing one-point perspective before doing the project for this lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apSCsTZTjwQ Assignment #9: Two Point Perspective

Always draw lightly (whisper lines) because several parts of each line may be erased.

1. Put your paper in landscape view.

2. Draw a horizon line in the middle of your paper.


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3. Add two points on the ends of the horizon line to use as vanishing points

4. Lightly draw a small vertical line below your horizon line in the center of your paper.

5. Using whisper lines, draw a line from the top of your perpendicular line to each vanishing point (2 lines created)

6. Using whisper lines, draw a line from the bottom of your perpendicular line to each vanishing point (2 lines created)

7. You should now have a double "V" created. Another way to look at this is that you now have two triangles with a common line drawn on your paper. This will be a street that you will line buildings up on. Erase the original vertical line you started with.


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8. You may choose to extend the lines so that the street becomes an intersection. The lines closest to you should be darkest and the lines farthest away should be barely visible.

9. Draw a line perpendicular to your horizon where the intersection is. Make sure this line extends beyond the horizon line. This is the front corner of your building. At this point, I usually get rid of the horizon line so things stay a little neater.

10. Using whisper lines, draw a line from the top of your perpendicular line to each vanishing point (2 lines created).The street acts as the bottom of your building.

11. Draw two more perpendicular lines within the triangles. These lines create the far walls of the building. The perpendicular lines do not have to be at equal distances from the original perpendicular line. Play with where the lines fall until you like the image. Lines close to the original perpendicular create a boxier and taller building.

12. Now outline this shape and erase the whisper lines that extend past your building.


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13. Let's add some windows. Make an even number of dots down the front corner of the building.

14. Extend these in one or both directions. Pointed toward their respective vanishing points.

15. These could be full-length windows or separate. Drop vertical lines down to finish the windows. Erase your whisper lines.

16. Next we'll draw a building that is below that horizon line so the viewer will be able to see the top of the building. So, draw a line that is below the horizon line keeping in mind that you don't want your building in the road.

17. Extend whisper lines from the top and bottom of your new building. The road acted as one of my vanishing points in this case.


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18. Drop vertical lines in between your sets of whisper lines.

19. Now look carefully at which direction the next set of whisper lines goes. The right side goes to the left vanishing point and vice versa.

20. Now erase your whisper lines and darken up your lines for your new building. You could erase the road lines unless you wanted a glass building.

21. Those are the basics behind buildings and two-point perspective. I'll show you some details, then let you play. Some stop lights might be entertaining. Remember, you always start with a vertical line and let horizontal lines go toward a vanishing point. Even the tops of the lights go to a vanishing point. There should be NO horizontal lines unless they are ON the horizon line.

22. This was your practice drawing. Read carefully through what you will be graded on before you start your final drawing.


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Lesson 10 Hatching Hatching is a method of creating surfaces and textures through the use of long and short strokes. It is shading consisting of long and short lines. The following are examples

hatching - a row of lines, all facing in the same direction. More dense and concentrated in the areas that appear darker

cross-hatching - similar to hatching, except with the addition of criss-crossing lines.

contour-hatching - follows the contour, or curve or outline, of the object. In this case, the hatching is rounded to match the shape of the circle.

scumbling - tiny, squiggly circular lines - sort of like "controlled scribbling"

stippling - placing many, many dots on the paper to indicate shading. Probably the most time consuming of all the methods, but creates some neat effects


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Example drawing: Assignment #10 Project #1: Reproduce the one (1) of the following examples of Hatching displayed below. With each of your drawing keep your movement loose and free to create more life and energy in your work. Observe the different textures and effects produced by using different pencil points and stroke directions. Some results are created by pushing and pulling your pencil. For baskets, bricks or stones first draw the pattern and then share the surfaces. To create the appearance of wood grain, begin by lightly indicating the pattern you see on the piece of wood, observing how the wood grain flows. Project #2: Read the short biography of Vincent Van Gogh (on the following pages) and summarize in one page Van Gogh life and his art.


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Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853 - July 29, 1890) is generally considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt, though he had little success during his lifetime. Van Gogh produced all of his work (some 900 paintings and 1100 drawings) during a period of only 10 years before he succumbed to mental illness (possibly bipolar disorder) and committed suicide. His fame grew rapidly after his death especially following a showing of 71 of van Gogh's paintings in Paris on March 17, 1901 (11 years after his death). (Properly the name rhymes with loch, but it is also pronounced 'goph', 'go' and 'goe'.) Van Gogh's influence on expressionism, fauvism and early abstraction was enormous, and can be seen in many other aspects of 20th-century art. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is dedicated to Van Gogh's work and that of his contemporaries. Several paintings by Van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 Van Gogh's painting Irises was sold for a record $53.9 million at Southeby's, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $82.5 million at Christie's, thus establishing a new price record (see also List of most expensive paintings). Life and Work Vincent was born in Zundert, The Netherlands; his father was a protestant minister, a profession that Vincent found appealing and to which he would be drawn to a certain extent later in his life. His sister described him as a serious and introspective child. At age 16 Vincent started to work for the art dealer Goupil & Co. in The Hague. His four years younger brother Theo, with whom Vincent cherished a life-long friendship, would join the company later. This friendship is amply documented in a vast amount of letters they sent each other. These letters have been preserved and were published in 1914. They provide a lot of insight into the life of the painter, and show him to be a talented writer with a keen mind. Theo would support Vincent financially throughout his life. In 1873, his firm transferred him to London, then to Paris. He became increasingly interested in religion; in 1876 Goupil dismissed him for lack of motivation. He became a teaching assistant in Ramsgate near London, then returned to Amsterdam to study theology in 1877. After dropping out in 1878, he became a layman preacher in Belgium in a poor mining region known as the Borinage. He even preached down in the mines and was extremely


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concerned with the lot of the workers. He was dismissed after 6 months and continued without pay. During this period he started to produce charcoal sketches. In 1880, Vincent van Gogh followed the suggestion of his brother Theo and took up painting in earnest. For a brief period Vincent took painting lessons from Anton Mauve at The Hague. Although Vicent and Anton soon split over divergence of artistic views, influences of the Hague School of painting would remain in Vincents work, notably in the way he played with light and in the looseness of his brush strokes. However his usage of colours, favouring dark tones, set him apart from his teacher. In 1881 he declared his love to his widowed cousin Kee Vos, who rejected him. Later he would move in with the prostitute Sien Hoornik and her children and considered marrying her; his father was strictly against this relationship and even his brother Theo advised against it. They later separated. Impressed and influenced by Jean-Francois Millet, van Gogh focussed on painting peasants and rural scenes. He moved to the Dutch province Drenthe, later to Nuenen, North Brabant, also in The Netherlands. Here he painted in 1885. In the winter of 1885-1886 Van Gogh attended the art academy of Antwerp, Belgium. This proved a disappointment as he was dismissed after a few months by his Professor. Van Gogh did however get in touch with Japanese art during this period, which he started to collect eagerly. He admired its bright colors, use of canvas space and the role lines played in the picture. These impressions would influence him strongly. Van Gogh made some painting in Japanese style. Also some of the portraits he painted are set against a background which shows Japanese art. In spring 1886 Vincent van Gogh went to Paris, where he moved in with his brother Theo; they shared a house on Montmartre. Here he met the painters met Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Bernard, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Gauguin. He discovered impressionism and liked its use of light and color, more than its lack of social engagement (as he saw it). Especially the technique known as pointillism (where many small dots are applied to the canvas that blend into rich colors only in the eye of the beholder, seeing it from a distance) made its mark on Van Goghs own style. It should be noted that Van Gogh is regarded as a post-impressionist, rather than an impressionist. In 1888, when city life and living with his brothers proved too much, Van Gogh left Paris and went to Arles, Bouches-du-Rh, France. He was impressed with the local landscape and hoped to found an art colony. He decorated a "yellow house" and created a celebrated series of yellow sunflower paintings for this purpose. Only Paul Gauguin, whose simplified colour schemes and forms (known as synthetism) attracted van Gogh, followed his invitation. The admiration was mutual, and Gauguin painted van Gogh painting sunflowers. However their encounter ended in a quarrel. Van Gogh suffered a mental breakdown and cut off part of his left ear, which he gave to a startled prostitute friend. Gauguin left in December 1888.


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The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Vincent van Gogh now exchanged painting dots for small stripes. He suffered from depression, and in 1889 on his own request Van Gogh was admitted to the psychiatric center at Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole in Saint Remy de Provence, Bouches-du-Rh, France. During his stay here the clinic and its garden became his main subject. Pencil strokes changed again, now into spiral curves. In May 1890 Vincent van Gogh left the clinic and went to the physician Paul Gachet, in Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris, where he was closer to his brother Theo, who had recently married. Gachet had been recommended to him by Pissarro; he had treated several artists before. Here van Gogh created his only etching: a portrait of the melancholic doctor Gachet. His depression aggravated. On July 27 of the same year, at the age of 37, after a fit of painting activity, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo at his side, who reported his last words as "La tristesse durera toujours" (French: "The sadness will last forever"). He was buried at the cemetery of Auvers-sur-Oise; Theo unable to come to terms with his brother's death died 6 months later and was buried next to him. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher. Large exhibitions were organized soon: Paris 1901, Amsterdam 1905, Cologne 1912, New York 1913 and Berlin 1914. Vincent van Gogh's mother threw away quite a number of his paintings during Vincent's life and even after his death. But she would live long enough to see her son become a world famous painter.


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Mid-Term Culminating Task You have now reached the mid-point of the AVI2O course. There is no exam in this course, but you will complete a culminating task. Culminating Task: 15% of your final mark. Your culminating task is to do a study in hatching by reproducing Van Gogh’s Starry Night. You may find a copy of this painting on the Internet or ask your teacher for a copy.

Starry Night

Painted by Van Gogh in 1889


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Lesson 11 Art History Renaissance artists drew upon the knowledge of the Greek and the Romans to create balanced and pleasing compositions. The next 5 lessons deal with the history of art in the Renaissance Period as well you will have an opportunity to look at the ancient art of origami. Modules covered within the next 5 lessons include:

1. Art History and the Hermitage Museum 2. The Japanese art of Origami 3. Canadian Artists

The History and the Importance of the Hermitage Museum The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia contains one of the greatest collections of art work in the world – more than 3.5 million items. The interiors of the buildings that contain this collection are considered masterpieces of eighteenth and nineteenth century interior decoration. The contents of this lesson are intended to help in the study of Western painting through analysis of parts of the Hermitage collection. This is possible since highlights of the museum are masterpieces by the most famous European painters. Take a virtual tour of the museum at the following web site:

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html Origins: In 1764 the Russian Empress Catherine II (known as Catherine the Great) purchased a large number of Western European paintings. For more than two centuries, this collection has continued to survive and grow – through a 900 day siege, through wars and through a revolution. Today, the Hermitage’s permanent display occupies 300 rooms. It is home to more than 16,000 paintings, 600,000 drawings and prints, 12,000 sculptures, more than 250,000 works of applied art, 700,000 archaeological exhibits and 1,000,000 coins and medals.


http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/index.html

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The collection is housed within five interconnected buildings, which form a magnificent architectural ensemble on the bank of the Neva River in the centre of St. Petersburg. They include the Winter Palace (former residence of the Czars), the Small Hermitage, the Big Hermitage and the Hermitage Theatre (all added by Catherine the Great); and the New Hermitage (added by Nicholas I) The modern curators and keepers of the Hermitage collections try to preserve the heritage of the past to develop the museum according to the new trends. This is a world resource, worth preserving and understanding. Assignment #11 Project: Choose one (1) painting from each Era for your own “Art Gallery”. Then use the Internet to find information on the era and the painting. Example: If you choose Rainy Day in Paris from the Modern Era, list the characteristics of a modern painting along with a description of the painting you selected. List of Painting and the era in which they were painted. Renaissance:

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Filippino Lippo Italian 1485 Adoration of the Christ Child Religious Perugion Italian 1497 Portrait of a Young Man Portrait Giorgione Italian C1500 Judith Religious Titian Italian 1548 Pope Paul III Portrait Tintoretto Italian 1580 St. George and the Dragon Religious Caravaggio Italian 1595 The Lute Player Genre Brueghel Jr. Flemish C1630 Adoration of the Magi Religious


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Barogue

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Valazquez Spanish 1617-18 Three Men at a Table Genre Van Honthorst Dutch 1620 Christ in the Carpenter’s

Shop Religious

Ruens Flemish 1625 Maid of Honour and Infante Isabella

Portrait

Rembrandt Dutch 1634 Descent from the Cross Religious Van Dyck Flemish 1637 Philadelphia and

Elizabeth Wharton Portrait

Stomer Dutch 1640 Esau Selling His Birthright

Religious

Knüpfer German 1650 The Queen of Sheba before Solomon

Religious

Van Ruisdael Dutch 1640 Ferry Crossing at Arnheim

Landscape

Sweets Flemish 1656 Self-Portrait Portrait Van der Neer Dutch 1660 Landscape with a Mill Landscape Zubaran Spanish 1660 The Girlhood of the

Virgin Religious

Steen Dutch 1667 A Game of Backgammon Genre Claude Lorrain French 1672 Night Landscape 18th Century French (Rococo +)

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Greuze French 1765 The Spoiled Child Genre Chardin French 1770 The Washerwoman Genre Fragonard French 1795 The Stolen Kiss Genre Boilly French 1807 A Game of Billiards Genre PortGros French 1810 Napoleonon the Bridge

of Arcole Portrait

Impressionist

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Monet French 1867 Woman in a Garden Landscape Renoir French 1885 Child with a Whip Portrait Denis French 1894 Mary Visits Elizabeth Religious Pissarro French 1897 Boulevard Monmartre Landscape


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Post-Impressionist

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Van Gogh Dutch 1889 Bushes Landscape Vuillard French 1893 In a Room Genre Gauguin French 1894 The Miraculous Source Genre Cézanne French 1900 Mont Sainte-Victoire Landscape Rousseau French 1908 Tropical Forest Landscape Modern

Artist Nationality Date Title Subject Marquet French 1910 Rainy Day in Paris Landscape Matisse French 1906 View of Collioure Landscape Matisse French 1911 Family Portrait Portrait Picasso Spanish 1902 The Visit (Two Sisters) Portrait Picasso Spanish 1909 Woman with a Mondolin Portrait Picasso Spanish 1908 Three Women Portrait


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Lesson 12 Romanesque and Gothic Art Definitions: Romanesque Art – 12th and 14th Century. Often confused with Gothic Art, Romanesque Art is predominantly featured in medieval architecture, (churches, monasteries) arts and crafts (Bayeax Tapestries) and ornamentation (jewellery and weapon decoration) Characteristics:

1. Heavily stylized figures feature extremely long bodies with large hands and feet

2. Bodies are usually covered in robes that reveal little to no physical features.

3. Faces are characterized by long, thin noses and very large

eyes. Both male and female faces are usually the same in appearance.

4. Architecturally, churches are shown to be dark and heavy

with domed ceilings, thick pillars and small windows. Walls and ceilings are usually heavily ornamented with sculpture and mosaics that tell Biblical stories (Icons)

Key Examples of Romanesque Art:

1. The Bayeux Tapestry

2. The Leaning Tower of Pisa


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3. Santiago de Compostela church (Spain)

4. San Ambriogio Church (Milan, Italy)

In order to be truly appreciated a Romanesque church, should be seen standing alone and it should be seen from a distance.

Gothic Art – 13th to 16th Century

1. Dominate architectural style of the Middle Ages characterized by the “vault” (pointed arch), extreme height, the “flying buttress”, and a multitude of windows. The height, light and airiness of these structures was intended to make the parishioner feel “closer to God”.

2. Figures have lost much of the stylization and appear to have more individual and unique facial expression seen toward the end of the period. However, the excessive length of the body can still be seen.

3. Illuminated manuscripts (extremely patterned and detailed

illustrations drawn in books by monks) feature bible stories, mythical beasts and heavy texture.


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Stained Glass A Brief History of Stained Glass

Accounts vary on the earliest use of stained glass mainly because it was invented before recorded history. Some historians claim it was first used as a domestic luxury in the homes of wealthy Romans in the first century. Stained glass eventually gained recognition as an art form sometime in the fourth century as Christians began to worship openly and built elaborate churches to celebrate their religion. Other historians point to evidence in ancient ruins that implicate the use of stained glass in pagan traditions and decor. While we may never know the exact origin of the medium of stained glass it is clear that the spread of Christianity is directly related to the expansion of stained glass across the globe.

The twelfth century began what is known as the Gothic Era and stained glass windows took center stage in elaborate and monumental cathedral designs. Beginning with the innovative designs on the St. Denis, stained glass windows were used to bring light, both literally and metaphorically, into cathedrals to enhance the worship experience. Most of the stained glass from the St. Denis Cathedral was destroyed during the French Revolution but a few select fragments and even some entire windows can be found on display in varying locations throughout Europe.

The bold lines and strong figures of Gothic style stained glass were eventually phased out as Renaissance artisans leaned toward greater detail, more delicate coloring and increased realism. Stained glass windows evolved into something more like a painting on glass than an architectural element and some of the notable elements such as lead lines disappeared. Although there were numerous pieces created and even some masterpieces, due to the difficulties in expressing the great detail of requisite to the Renaissance era, true stained glass became somewhat of a lost art.

Stained glass had been primarily used by the Catholic Church and much of the precious art form was destroyed during the 1600's by order of King Henry VIII after his break with the Church. Not only were cherished stained glass windows recklessly destroyed, but many of the glass making facilities were ruined as well. Religious unrest was not the only factor in the decline of stained glass. During the Baroque period the fashion leaned toward more intricately detailed interiors and elaborate wall painting which necessitated the use of clear glass in the architecture. Many of the remaining stained glass windows were left unmaintained and allowed to decay during this period and very few new stained glass windows were created.

During the late seventeenth century the hearts and imaginations of the people returned once again to the Gothic style of architecture. This revival was apparently motivated by the need to escape the harsh realities of "modern" life including the daily grind of factories. With the return of Gothic architecture emerged a newfound interest in stained glass. Artists initially continued to use the technique of painting on glass, but eventually realized the superiority of the old pot metal glasses used in medieval times. Since the old


http://www.cafbastore.com/adsense/stained/A-Brief-History-of-Stained-Glass.php





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techniques had not been used for such a long time, the technique used for making the lead lines had been lost and the artisans of the period floundered when trying to recreate the dynamics of the Gothic stained glass. This coupled with a reluctance to give up the newer more detailed "modern" depictions of scenes and figures lead to windows with an interesting design with the old architecture and an unusual blend of the old and new stained glass styles.

During the nineteenth century, artisans La Farge and Tiffany created new variations of opalescent stained glass. La Farge tended towards architecture and window designs with a small private studio, while Tiffany boasted a larger studio that branched out into other areas, like the Tiffany Lamp which has become a household name. Today's stained glass artists are bound by no particular style or religious themes. Much of the work they do involves restoration, but can also be seen in both small and large decorative touches in homes of people from almost any economic background. New and innovative techniques are constantly being discovered and stained glass continues to add interest to our lives.

Assignment #12 Project: On acetate, create an imitation stained glass window using a permanent marker and acrylic paints. (Teacher will have supplies) Suggested theme: invent a Mythic Beast set in a decorative stained glass window. Step 1: Make a drawing in your sketchbook. Step 2: Trace your design onto an acetate using a permanent black marker Step 3: On the other side of the acetate, paint your window with bright, vibrant colours Step 4: Attach your image to the window.


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Lesson 13 Origami A Brief History of Origami Origami is a Japanese word derived from the terms 'oru, to fold' and 'kami, paper'. It is now practiced all over the world in many different forms. On this page, I will attempt briefly to describe the history of the art of paperfolding. Papermaking is thought to have originated from China and spread to Japan by the 6th Century AD. Simple models such as Noshi, a type of charm for warriors and nobles were folded although paper was expensive. Folding was gradually incorporated into many aspects of day-to-day like, including religion. Models were not diagrammed but were taught from one generation to the next.

By the 18th Century, the first sets of diagrams were generating, including the Senbazuru Orikata, or how to fold 1000 cranes. Designs at this stage in history were simple and often involved cuts and gluing. The modern era of paper folding owes much to Akira Yoshizawa, who has created thousands of models, many of them 3-D and far more complex than earlier models. He also established the practice of wet-folding. Yoshizawa also made the art internationally popular, attracting folders such as Robert Harbin, who later founded the British Origami Society. For a more detailed history, Joseph Wu's website has an excellent essay suitable on the history of origami.

Assignment #13 Project: Create four (4) shapes from the origami instructions that are explained and demonstrated on the following pages and submit to your teacher for evaluation.


http://www.origami.gr.jp/Model/Senbazuru/index-e.html

http://www.origami.as/Info/history.php

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Origami Crane:


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Frog


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Lesson 14 Greek Vase Decoration A Brief History The earliest Greek vases were decorated with bands of simple geometric patterns covering most of the vessel. Eventually the entire vase was decorated in this way. The years between 900 and 700 B.C. when this form of decoration was being used, are called the Geometric period.

Early in the eight century B.C. artists began to add figures to the geometric designs on their vases. Some of the best of these figures were painted on large funeral vases. These vases were used much the same way as tombstones are used today, as grave markers. The figures on these vases are made of triangles and lines and look like simple stick figures. Several figures often appear on either side of a figure representing the deceased, as though they are paying their last respects.

Their hands are raised, pulling on their hair in a gesture of grief and despair. Realism and Vase Decoration In time, vase figures became more lifelike and were placed in storytelling scenes. An excellent example of this kind of painting is provided by a vase showing two figures engrossed in a game. It was created by an artist named Exekias (ex-ee-kee-us) more than 2,500 years ago. Notice how the artist has arranged this scene to complement the shape of the vase. What makes this an effective design? Exekias’s vase shows two Greek generals plating a board game, probably one in which a roll of dice determines the number of moves around the board. The names of the generals are written on the vase. They are two great heroes from Greek literature, Ajax and Achilles. The words being spoken by the warriors are shown coming from their mouths just as in a modern cartoon strip. Ajax has just said “tria” or “three”, and Achilles is responding by saying “tessera” or “four”. Legend says that these two great heroes were so involved in this game that their enemy was able to mount a surprise attack. Exekias shows the informality of this simple scene. The warriors’ shields have been set aside, and Achilles, at the left, has casually pushed his war helmet back on his head. Ajax, forgetting briefly that they are at war, has removed his helmet and placed it out of the way on top of his shield. For a few moments, the Greek heroes are two ordinary people lost in friendly competition.


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Exekias’s Use of Realism Exekias also had added details to make the scene as realistic as possible. An intricate design decorates the garments of the two generals. The facial features, hands and feet are carefully drawn, although the eyes are shown from the front as they were Egyptian art. Exekias was not so concerned with realism that he ignored good design, however. The scene is carefully arranged to complement the vase on which it was painted. The figures lean forward, and the3 curve of their backs repeats the curve of the vase. The lines of the spears continue the lines of the two handles and lead your eye to the board game, which is the centre of interest in this composition. At this stage the Greek vase design, decorative patterns become a less important element, appearing near the rim or on the handles. Signed vases also began to appear for the first time in the early sixth century B.C. indicating that the potters and artists who made and decorated them were proud of their works and wished to be identified with them. Assignment #14 Project: Based on the type of art that tells a story, create a simple design for a vase. Step 1: Draw the shape of your vase on newsprint. In order to make your vase

symmetrical, draw half of the vase, fold the paper in half, and cut it out. If it is not symmetrical at this point, correct it.

Step 2: Create a rough draft of your vase design in your

sketchbook. Step 3: Trace the shape of your vase n a piece of Bristol board. Step 4: Cover the surface of your vase with various colours of oil

pastel. Apply liberally, in no set pattern. Step 5: After, the oil pastels, cover the entire surface of your vase

with India ink. Be careful it can stain. You will have to apply many coats of the India ink.

Step 6: Once the ink is dray, draw your design using a pointy tool.

You will scrap through the India ink to the colour below to make a beautiful pattern,


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Lesson 15 Canadian Artists There are many famous Canadian artists, Emily Carr, Allen Sapp, Thom Thompson just to name a few. Assignment #15 Project Research a Canadian artist. Your research should be 500-600 words (2 pages) in length and extra marks will be given of some colour examples of the artist’s work is included. Your written assignment should include a biography of the artist, their life as an artist and names and styles of their art pieces. Lesson 16 Is it Art? Answer the following questions and include with your project submission.

1. A broken wine glass, can this be considered art? Explain your answer.

2. How about a painting of a broken wine glass, is this art? Explain your answer.

A few years ago, an artist by the name of Jana Sterbak exhibited at the National Art Gallery of Canada a sculpture that consisted of slabs of meat forming a dress. The Meat Dress created a lot of controversy amongst the public.

1. Why do you figure Jana Sterbak would display such a piece?

2. Is this Art? Explain your answer.

Voice of Fire is another piece of art that created quite a controversy mainly because the National Art Gallery of Canada paid over a million and a half dollars for it. This very large painting consists of three strips of paint (blue, red, blue). The artist is Barnett Newman.

1. Is the Voice of Fire art? Explain your answer.

2. How can we put value on art?


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Assignment #16 Project Expressive moods or feelings can be created by using the technique called “collage”. Collage is an artwork made up of bits and pieces of materials pasted to a surface. Make a collage that expresses your day – happy, dull, exciting, nervous and so on. Using colour swatches, pictures of objects, and sections from magazines or newspapers, create a collage that represents your day. Plan the collage so that it combines the properties for a work of art: subject, composition and content. Materials: White or coloured paper (used as your background) Magazines, newspapers, photographs Coloured and/or textured papers Scissors Glue Step 1: Think about how your subject will be included in your work of art. Think of

all the activities o f your day, all the people you encounter and all the places you go. Try to find photos, words, colours and textures that can be used to represent each one. Select many pieces trying to get a variety of sizes and colours.

Step 2: Think about the composition of your artwork. How can the arrangement of

photos, letters and colour areas be used to express the sequence of activities through your day or the importance each one has for you?

Step 3: Think about the content of the work of art. What do you want to say about

your day? Is it boring, exciting, pressured, frustrating, and/or delightful? Remember, the way you use colour, line, shape, texture and space will affect the content of the work. The arrangement and placement of each of the items will also express the content of what you want to say about your day.

Step 4: Spend time arranging the items, trying many possible compositions before you

paste anything down. Apply glue sparingly to the back of the items. Press lightly with the palm of your hand to attach the collage pieces.

Step 5: Is your collage ART?


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Lesson 17 Image Artists as Fabric Designers Vincent van Gogh did not design clothes, but if he had, imagine what his fabric design might look like. Actually, designers have adapted the style of artists into clothing, advertising design, even architecture. For example, the tropical lime greens, oranges and pinks used by Paul Gauguin are often used in beach wear. Assignment #17 Project Your task is to design a male or female outfit in the style of an artist you choose. Suggestions: Look for art by Pop and Op artists: Picasso’s Cubism, the Abstract

Expressionists of America in the 1940’s, the Hard-edge style of Frank Stells, the Surrealism of Salvador Dali, the geometric patterns and primary colours of Piet.

Select an artist and study several examples of his/her work. Look for colour combinations, rhythms, brushstroke techniques, themes and linear movements. Do not copy a piece of clothing from a model in a painting. Instead, work from the entire painting. Materials: Drawing paper Pencils Painting medium and tools according to your choice of artist Step 1: Ask a classmate to pose for you in a gesture reflecting the style of the artist you

are interpreting. Draw the pose at least 8 inches tall. Step 2: Then draw your design and select a medium that best suits the artist style –

water colour, pastel, marker, oil pastel or tempera. Step 3: Fill the clothing design with colour and pattern in the style of the artist you

chose. When you have finished ask yourself:

1. Have I presented a complete male or female outfit? 2. Have I utilized representative colour and style of the artist in my fabric design?

See example on the following page:


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Assignment #17 - Example Clothing line using the art of Piet Mondrian. Lesson 18 Introduction to Pop Art What is Pop Art? In general it refers to art from the 1960’s and 1970’s that incorporated images and even objects from everyday environments. In other words artists began using everyday objects as subject matter for their work. The subject itself may have been a candy bar or clothespin, but by changing the scale of the object and making it very large or by changing the context it became important as a work of art.

Painters such as Larry Rivers, Robert Raushenberg, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Robert Indiana, Andy Worhol and sculptors Claes Oldenburg, George Segal and Marisol all worked within the Pop art aesthetic by incorporating images from advertising, Hollywood and popular culture into their art. In some ways Pop Art was a reaction to abstract expressionism, (art that contained no images at all), and a way for artists to use the images that surrounded them from popular culture. Although Pop Art began in

England in the 1950’s, it reached its full potential in the United States in the 1960’s

Andy Warhol, Tomato, 1968

Roy Lichtenstein – Sweet Dreams Baby, 1965

Claes Oldenburg – French Fries and Ketchup, 1963


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Sculpture Sculpture can be one of two basic types; sculpture in the round or bas relief. Sculpture in the round refers to work that is meant to be viewed from all angles while bas relief sculpture has areas that are raised, (in relief) on a flat surface and areas that are cut into the surface that create depth. The face of a coin is a simple example of bas relief. Bas relief sculpture is meant to be seen from the front only, and is usually mounted on a wall. In addition to the two basic types, sculpture can be created using one of two basic methods; additive techniques or subtractive techniques. Additive techniques require the artist to build up the sculpture by adding layers of material whereas the subtractive techniques require the artist to carve away material to create the finished sculpture. Traditional additive materials include clay or papier maché, and traditional subtractive mediums include wood and marble.

Non traditional approaches to sculpture began early in the 20th century when many artists started to incorporate other materials including found objects, (pieces of, or whole manufactured objects chosen by the artist) Pop artists loved using many of the new materials available to sculptures in the 1960’s, such as plastics and fibreglass and often incorporated found objects in their works.

Assignment #18 Project For this assignment you will search the Internet for a Pop Art piece. Once you have selected your Pop Art Piece, answer the following questions about the piece. Be sure to include your Pop Art picture with the completed assignment.

1. Write down three (3) questions that immediately come into your mind as you look at this artwork?

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen – Plantoir, 2001

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen – Corridor Pin, Blue, 1999


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2. Give the full name and nationality of the artist. What is the title of the work? Give the date the work was made or completed. In which museum or gallery can this work be found?

3. What medium and/or technique is used by this artist?

4. Can you identify the subject matter of this artwork? (still life, landscape, figure, portrait, genre, narrative/history, abstraction, fantasy, allegory/symbolism).

5. What appears to be the focal point or area of emphasis in this artwork? How is it made so important?

6. What specific emotions or feelings does this work arouse in the viewer?

7. What is the subject matter? Does it represent something else? What is this work “about”?

8. How does the title of this work add to its meaning?

9. Why was this artwork created? What purpose does it serve?

10. Who was/is the intended audience? Was it created for a particular group or individual?

11. Does this work appear to belong to a particular period in history or a specific art style?

12. Does this artwork “speak” to you?

13. What do you admire about this artwork? What are your reasons? (Look back at some of the things that you have already said.)

14. Do you think this artist has been successful in communicating something to the viewer? Why or Why not?

15. Which of the following statements best fits your reason for evaluating this artwork as you have? • It is accurate and honest in the way it imitates real life. • It encourages strong emotions or feelings in the viewer • It is visually well organized and has an exciting design • It says something about my own society, beliefs or concerns • It presents the beauty and visual appeal of the subject

16. How would you rate this particular artwork? (Poor, Mediocre, Good,

Exceptional.) Give reasons for your rating.


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Lesson 19 Careers in Art There are many careers in art! Assignment #19 Project Choose one career to research. Find out the educational requirements, the job expectations, job description and salary range. Present you findings in a creative manner. Remember, you are the artist.

Careers Art Director To be an artist, you must gain an understanding of the elements and principles of art. You must see things in a visual way as compared to the written word. Whatever your medium, you will most likely want to achieve a unified effect. Like artists, art directors use their creative vision. They use it to develop materials for magazines or advertising agencies. Whether he or she uses striking photographs, clever illustrations, or elegant typefaces, it is the art director’s ability to present a unified artistic concept that makes an ad campaign or magazine layout successful. To be a successful art director, you need to be creative and be able to work well with people. You also need an inventive mind to develop new themes that enhance the presentation of your publication or advertisement and you need to make connections to current events and trends. It is important to be able to communicate your ideas to a wide variety of other artists. Finally you will need to have a passion for excellence and an ability to analyze and criticise each complete campaign. To develop these skills, you need interest in a variety of artistic ,media and some experience working on visually orientated publications. Graphic Designer The diverse media and methods available to artists make possible a kind of visual communication. The ability to communicate visually through the selection and arrangement of type, art, photos and borders for layouts to create attractive materials for businesses and organizations is very important to graphic designers. Graphic designers use a variety of print, electronic and film media to create art that meets a client’s needs. Most graphic designers use computer software to create promotional displays and marketing brochures for new products, visual designs for corporate


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literature, distinctive logos for products or businesses and cover designs for music or video productions. It doesn’t stop there. Film credits and TV commercials are also often designed by graphic artists. To be successful in this field, you need to be able to solve graphic problems conceptually and communicate your ideas clearly. Good graphic designers are resourceful and original thinkers. If you love to draw and to express yourself in a variety of media, you, too, can become a graphic designer. Art Critic To gain a better understanding of a work of art, an art critic uses the four-step process of description, analysis, interpretation and judgement. To help others find enjoyment and understanding, the critic weaves this process into a well-planned, carefully executed piece of writing. Art criticism can be informative, thought provoking and expressive. Art critics have the special ability to write about works of art in an informed and interesting way. They review exhibits at galleries and museums. They may also write about particular works or recent books on art. Whatever the subject, the goal of the art critic is to teach the reader. To succeed as an art critic, you need to get as much experience as you can working with or speaking to artists. In addition to excellent writing skills, you need a background in art and art history. An ability to conceptualize is also important. To develop these skills, you need to enjoy the writing and thinking process. Try your hand at a short piece of criticism on a local art exhibit, you may be well on your way to becoming an art critic. Architect The designers of the Egyptian pyramids and temples had an astonishing sense of space and proportion. Their ability to visualize and execute the construction of such massive stone and brick buildings was nothing short of genius. This is especially true when you consider that such feats were accomplished without the use of modern machinery or technology. Many of today’s architects continue to be inspired by the impressive structures of the past. At the same time, they bring innovation to their designs. Chinese-American architect, I.M Pei, brought the past into the present by designing and building a contemporary pyramid, based on the ancient Egyptian model. Pei’s high-tech glass pyramid serves as the new entrance to the Louve museum in Paris, France. Responsible for the complete design of a building, an architect must take into consideration not only its appearance but also its function, cost and accessibility. The architect often works closely with engineers, contractors and urban planners. It is often the architect’s job to make sure the design and the building codes and safetly regulations are being followed.


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To succeed in architecture, you need to be able to conceptualize, understand spatial relationships and communicate your ideas visually. Good communication skills, creativity, and the ability to work either independently or as part of a team are also very important. Scenic Designer The ancient Greeks are famous not only for contribution to architecture but also for their development of the theatre. Students of drama continue to read, act in and imitate the enduring plays of Euripides and Sophocles. People who interested in theatrical productions are still inspired by the Greek amphitheatre and its evolution. Today’s scenic designers draw from classic styles as well as contemporary innovations to set the stages on which the dramas of our time unfold. Scenic designers are responsible for creating the look of the show by designing the sets. Working closely with the director and lighting designer, the scenic designer makes sure that the set, props and backdrops produce the desired effects. A successful scenic designer is creative and skilled at drawing, painting and analyzing colour. Strong communication skills and the ability to work well with others are valuable characteristics for this career, since this job demands good working relationships with producers, directors, lightening designers, carpenters, electricians, and crew members. Scenic designers should also be reliable and able to work efficiently under pressure. If you are interested in theatre and design, then you can develop skills needed to become a scenic designer. Urban Planner We know a great deal about the art and architecture of ancient Rome because much of it has withstood the test of time. A visitor to today’s Rome will marvel at the layout of a city whose ancient buildings; aqueducts and roads are still a vital part of people’s loves. Rome is an early example of urban planning at its best. Today’s urban planners use computers and advanced research methods to design urban areas, but in many ways the work the Romans pioneered has not changed. Urban planners work with local officials on plans to encourage growth or to revitalize areas. They may be involved in activities such as designing plans for alternative transportation systems or protecting the natural environment. Planners address issue such as traffic, air pollution and the effects of growth and change on a community. They may also work on important social issues, such as plans for homeless shelters, parks and correctional facilities.


AVI2O February 2012

Like artists, planners must be able to think in terms of spatial relationships. They must visualize the effects of their plans and designs. Planners should also be flexible and able to bridge the gap among different viewpoints. To be successful in this career, you need to be able to communicate well, both orally and in writing. You can develop these skills as you study art and other disciplines. If you are visually oriented and like to work with communities, you can become an urban planner. Landscape Architect The designer of a Japanese Zen garden uses nature such as trees, plants, rocks and water as a medium for art. Like a painting, the garden is both beautiful and symbolic. Its man-made elements are designed to work in harmony with the environment. The careful arrangement of paths, pools and plants as well as the use of sculpture, create a unique, peaceful experience for the visitor. Similarly, today’s landscape architects design parks, residential areas and shopping centres so they are functional, beautiful and compatible with nature. As designers of the location of buildings, roads, walkways and the arrangement of tress and flower gardens, landscape architects must find the best ways to conserve natural resources. They are responsible for analyzing the natural elements of a site, preparing a design and complying with local and federal regulations such as those that protect wetlands or endangered species. Successful landscape designers enjoy working with their hands and have a good sense of spatial relationships. Creative vision and an ability to draw and draft are also desirable skills. Good oral communication skills, strong writing skills, and some knowledge of computers are necessary for conveying ideas to others. To develop these skills, you need an appreciation of nature and a willingness to study the technical subjects this job requires. Advertising Artist The symbols used by early Christian artists helped to tell the scripture stories in a visual way. A simple depiction of a dog, symbolizing faithfulness, or the portrayal of praying hands, suggesting the struggle for salvation, are common images in the artworks of this time. Today, symbols can still be found in art and in the images we see daily. Although they are not necessarily religious, the symbols of our society function in much the same way that early Christian symbols did. They bring messages to the public. They tell us cultural stories we already know. Where can you find such symbolic images? They are all around us in the art and images of advertisements. Beginning artists who work in the advertising industry may get jobs creating storyboards (drawing roughly depicting the ideas for an advertisement that are presented to clients).


AVI2O February 2012

Another area for artists is in the production of layouts and paste-ups (dummy and drawings) which involves pasting type in position and sizing photographs. To succeed as an advertising artist, you need a strong ability to draw, an eye for colour and realistic representations and speed, because you are usually asked to create your assignments quickly. It helps to have a love for drawing and an interest in the business for advertising. Illustrator The term illustrator, derived from the Latin illustrare, means “to make bright” or “illuminate”. Artists began illuminating manuscripts as early as the fifth century. By the thirteenth century, artwork was being used to illustrate the Book of Psalms and religious history. Today, children’s books provide some of the finest examples of book illustration. American artist Maxfield Parrsh created brilliantly colourful and finely detailed illustrations for many publications. Illustrations can be imaginative works of art in themselves, but their main purpose is to illustrate the text they accompany. The job of an illustrator is to paint or draw pictures for books, magazines and other products. Since pictures often draw readers into a text; a well-conceived illustration must be artistic, thought provoking and meaningful. In children’s books especially, the illustrations are often used as the primary means of telling the story. To be a successful illustrator, you need to have a strong ability in the areas of drawing and painting. You need a vivid imagination and a flexible style and approach. Good communication skills are also helpful since you need to work closely with writers and art directors. To gain these skills, you need to develop both your ability as an artist and your background in art. Video Game Developer With the invention of linear perspective in the early Renaissance, artists were suddenly able to give the illusion of distance in their paintings. Renaissance painters used perspective to give three-dimensional reality to figures and objects depicted in their two-dimensional canvases or frescoes. In a similar fashion, today’s video game designers create 3-D figures and landscapes on their 2-D computer screens. Responsible for conceptualizing all the elements of a game, the video game designer must make the game an exciting experience for the user. As the driving force behind the vision of the game, the designer often leads the game design and guides the production of teams. To succeed in 3-D animation, you need a strong sense of visual style, an excellent understanding of game theory and play and familiarity with technical developments in the


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field. Good communication skills are also important. To develop these skills, you need an interest in interactive media and the desire to get started. Fashion Designer The artists of the sixteenth century in Europe focussed their attention on brilliant colours and intricate designs. This interest is especially evident in the detailed representation of clothing that we find in some of the portraiture of this period. Today, fashion designers often look to the artists of the past for inspiration when it comes to designs, colours and textures. Fashion designers must reflect diversity in the designs they create. They must constantly ask: Who are my customers? What do they want their clothes to say? What materials do they want and how much do they want to spend? An ability to draw, along with a background in textiles and fabrics are important skills for this career. Clothing designers are responsible for creating everything from high fashion to functional sportswear. To be a successful designer of garments, you must be creative and innovative, as well as practical. You should be familiar with past designs and be an interested observer of current trends, fads and cultural influences. To develop these skills, you need to have a flair for design and the desire to get started. Photographer Like the Realist painters of the mid-nineteenth-century, early photographers captured images of the real lives and conditions of ordinary people. AS the technology of photography developed, however, so did its artistic possibilities. Although many of today’s photographers might consider themselves realists, others use the photographic process to create fantastic images and artistic effects. Using lenses, film, filters and light, photographers create pictures that record events, capture moods and tell stories. They also know a great deal about mixing chemicals, developing film and printing photos to create particular effects. To succeed as a commercial photographer, you need good eyesight and the ability to work with your hands. You should be imaginative and original. Whatever the subject may be, a good photographer needs to be accurate, patient and detailed-orientated. To develop the skills of a photographer, you should start taking pictures now. Practice and experiment with effects, join a camera club and read photo magazines to learn more about this career


AVI2O February 2012

Medical Illustrator The development of Post-Impressionism and Realism in the art of the later nineteenth century coincided with astonishing advancements in science. In the 1850’s, French chemist, Louis Pasteur discovered bacteria, which revolutionized the field of medicine. Artists such as Thomas Eakins became fascinated with the realistic portrayal of human anatomy in painting. Today, artists with similar interests can become medical illustrators. Medical schools, medical publishers, pharmaceutical companies, and lawyers all rely on the talents of medical illustrators. As a creator of vivid and detailed illustrations of human anatomy and surgical procedure, the medical illustrator is essential to the teaching of medicine. An ability to learn from research is important to the profession. Successful artists in this field will have the desire to learn the many different techniques used to communicate scientific information. The medical illustrator must also have knowledge and comprehension of the subject in order to portray it with precision. To develop these skills, you need to be interested in science. Cinematographer The invention of the first handheld camera – the cinematographe – by Louis Lumiere in 1895, opened up a world of possibilities for early 20th century film makers. The first films took the form of documentaries, but very quickly film making became a medium for drama and entertainment. One hundred years later, technology and innovation have raised cinematography to a captivating art form in its own right. The cinematographer or director of photography, helps create the look of a movie. This involves directing the lightening for each scene, framing shots, choosing lenses, selecting film stock and communicating with camera operators. Above all, the cinematographer ensures that the visual look of the film conforms to the director’s vision. Successful cinematographers are visually orientated individuals who enjoy working as part of a team. To be a cinematographer, you must be interested in all facets of the film making process. Strong verbal communication skills are also essential, since the cinematographer must listen carefully to the director and instruct the camera operators and lightening technicians accordingly. To develop the skill of a professional cinematographer, you will need to get expert training. But you can begin by learning about cameras and photographic techniques. If you have access to a video camera, you can practice by taking friends and/or family.


AVI2O February 2012

Lesson 20 Final Culminating Task You may choose project #1 or project #2 Culminating Task: 15% of your final mark Project #1:

1. Choose a reproduction from the Internet or from any of the prints that you teacher may have.

2. Identify the artist, the title of the piece and the style of art.

3. Reproduce the painting using the same style as the one from the print you used for your research. The content of your piece can vary but try to respect what is typical of this style. The size should not be less than 8.5 in by 11 in. (regular computer paper), but it may be larger.

4. or less 30 cm by 45 cm

5. All work MUST be done in class.

Project #2

1. Create your own work of art. You may do Pop Art, traditional art, a craft or something uniquely yours.

2. You must bring your materials to school and do this project in class.

Congratulations

You have completed AVI2O


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