Logo Design

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

 

I loved having the opportunity to create a logo representing 'me', and also without the help of computer design software. For the past 18 years I have worked as a Production Artist in a marketing department. Basically, I help prep and retouch images in Adobe Photoshop, and whatever else needs to be done to help the Graphic Designers. I also am familiar with Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. Most of the logo work I've done in the past I've created  for my own art business, and I've done it exclusively on the computer. I am a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and I have been volunteering on the 'brand strategy' team. We are trying to set up a cohesive brand platform so we are more recognizable. We also want to make sure that regardless of who designs materials for our events and exhibitions, everything has the same 'look'. 

2. Describe the process: creative thinking skills and ideas you used in the logo creation.

 

I began by thinking of designing a three-letter monogram that also showed that I was an artist. Also, I tried thinking of what might work on different platforms, such as letterhead, business cards, Facebook, Instagram, etc. I started with drawing geometric shapes, as seen below, I drew a rectangle, square and two circles. I eventually decide to use a square.

Very first ideas/sketches for my logo

One of my favorite artist's is Albrecht Dürer; although he is probably best known for his prints, I particularly love his self-portrait paintings. My maiden name is 'Demmin', and when I was working on my BFA in Art History, I noticed that Dürer had the same initials as me, and would paint 'AD' on his paintings. My last name is now 'Tasevski', but I wanted to somehow pay homage to Dürer's monogram with my own twist. My favorite painting medium is soft pastel, so I also wanted to incorporate that within my logo. A free clip-art image of a group of pastel sticks was a big inspiration to me. Initially, since it is an instantly recognizable symbol of an artist, I wanted to put a traditional artist's palette in my logo. Upon further consideration I decided to not to include a palette since you don't use a palette with pastels, you just grab the sticks and start painting.

Albrecht Dürer's monogram

Detail of an Albrecht Dürer self-portrait 

 

Inspiration for pastel grouping in my logo

I traced Dürer's monogram with the thought that I could somehow pull a 'T' for 'Tasevski' out of it and create a three-letter monogram. Doodling on tracing paper with pencil and a black Sharpie marker, I came up with a handful of potential ideas. I also kept a value study and color wheel handy for added inspiration. At first I was going to add color to my logo with colored pencils, but then I thought of using my acrylics in cyan, magenta and yellow that I used to create my color wheel in a previous week's module.

Sketches and Inspiration

Final Sketches for Logo

I ended up liking the square format the best with the monogram at an angle, breaking out of the square border, and a grouping of four pastel sticks painted in cyan, yellow, magenta and black. The logo was drawn in pencil on 300 lb. Arches watercolor paper, outlined with a black Sharpie marker, and the pastel sticks were painted with acrylics.

Logo Design in progress

Final Logo, Initials 'ADT' with Pastel Sticks

3. What was the most important discovery you made in the creation of your logo?

 

The most important discovery I learned is that it is not an easy task to come up with a logo (especially without using computer design software) that functions on so many different levels, as well as being easily recognizable. Top brands, such as Pepsi, McDonald's, Apple, are simple and immediately recognizable throughout the world. I am going to hang on to the logo I created and work on it in my InDesign software program. I like where my logo is headed, but I would like to see it sharper and more streamlined. Pictured below is the business card I currently use, showing the front and back that I designed in Adobe InDesign.

www.morganstreetdesigns.com Logo/Business Card

 

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos, powerpoint, and reading material  for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

 

The most important information I learned is that there are many designs, colors and symbols that a graphic artist plays around with before they've satisfied a customer's vision. You cannot present one idea and expect it to be a success, there is a lot of trial and error before the perfect logo can meet all of a customer's expectations.  A logo needs to be easy to understand, eye-catching, identifiable, and work on many different platforms. This is particularly important in today's world, where social media has become yet another platform where a logo must succeed in making your brand easily identifiable.

The videos were excellent, it was interesting to go 'behind the scenes' and see the evolution of a logo from the graphic designers' side and the client's side. It is essential to listen to what your client wants and do your best to transform their idea into comprehensive brand platform.

Albright Knox Art Gallery

 Visit & Response to the Artwork

I have been visiting the Albright Knox Art Gallery for many years, and it was a pleasure for me to visit this past Wednesday with a specific assignment in hand. My parents took my younger sister and I often when we were growing up, and as an Art History major in the early 1990's I also made many visits. We are fortunate to have a world-renowned gallery like the Albright Knox in Buffalo, and it is conveniently located across the Buffalo State College campus. Some of the works I am going to discuss have intrigued me for years, while the painting by Philip Guston was one I saw for the first time.

A.) Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?

 

Georges Seurat. Étude pour " Le Chahut" 

(study for "Le Chahut"), oil on canvas, 25 3/4" x 21 1/2", 1889

The first work that made an impression on me was Georges Seurat's Étude pour "Le Chahut". I have been to the Art Institute of Chicago and stood in front of Seurat's iconic masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, oil on canvas, 81.7" x 121.25", 1884-1886. The Étude pour "Le Chahut" is a rather small 'easel painting', which seems tiny in comparison to the huge painting in Chicago. This makes sense, however, considering it was only meant to be a study for a larger painting. Yet in both works, not only is the style of placing tiny color marks next to each other the same, he has also painted the frames. Seurat was a pioneer of the style known as 'Pointilism', meaning small 'points' of color. But when you look closely, the brush-marks look more like ovals dabbed on with perhaps a rounded flat, or 'filbert' style brush. His paintings must have taken extremely long to make, in the case of  A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte the date of the painting's creation spans two years. The study in the Albright Knox Art Gallery was completed within one year, but most likely over many months.

Mark Rothko. Orange and Yellow, oil on canvas, 91" x 71", 1956

The next work that made an impression on me was Orange and Yellow. I know many people who look at a modern work of art such as this and say "I could have painted THAT" or "any child could do the same thing!". Admittedly, sometimes I feel that way. But after taking a Modern Art History class with Dr. Sylvia Bakos in 1995 at Buffalo State, I gained a greater appreciation and understanding of 20th modern art. Whenever I am at the gallery with someone who doesn't understand the nature of modern art, I've always looked to this work as a starting point for a discussion. Forget that it is a yellow rectangle on top of a larger orange rectangle and think, 'how does this make me feel?' It personally makes me think of the warmth of the sun, a hot day, analogous colors, a simple composition. So although I may not wish to hang it in my home or write a term paper on it, I do appreciate and understand the aesthetics behind it.

B.) Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?

 Berthe Morisot. Femme cousant (Woman sewing), oil on canvas, 25 3/4" x 21 1/2", ca. 1879

I connect with this painting on several different levels. First, I am a fan of Impressionist artists', such as Morisot's, works; I love the loose brush-strokes, the use of a bright or  'high-key' palette, and the often 'everyday' subject matter. Like myself, Berthe Morisot is a female artist, however she painted during a time when it was an unusual occupation for a woman. Also, I love to sew in my spare time. I can relate to the woman in the painting, head bent in concentration over the sewing or mending she is working on. It is a lovely painting, and a picture cannot do it justice. It is exciting to look closely and actually see each individual brush-strokes and see the many colors in the sewer's flesh-tones and in her dress.

Giacomo Balla. Dinamismo di un cane al guinzaglio 

(Dynamism of a dog on a leash), oil on canvas, 35 3/8" x 43 1/4", 1912

This painting by Italian artist Giacomo Balla, considered to belong to the style known as 'Futurism' is one of my favorites. I was sad to see that it is not currently on view, but I have stared at it so many times that I want to include it as painting that I feel a connection with. What has always fascinated me about this work is the way movement is clearly displayed in a two-dimensional work of art. I am a dog lover, and I can absolutely feel and see the energy of the happy dog - legs, leash and tail a blur of motion. It's interesting that the dog-walker's feet and lower leg only are portrayed, so it's not necessarily a figurative piece, only part of the figure is shown. And you can tell that the dog-walkers feet are also a blur of motion. I notice that just by the number of dog feet and tail versions, which are greater in number than the dog-walker's, that the dog's legs need to move faster to keep up with the longer legs of his walker.

C.) Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?

Victor Vasarely. Vega-Nor, oil on canvas, 78 3/4" x 78 3/4", 1969

Again, this is another work I have seen many times, and I always want to know more about it! It is a very large, two-dimensional work, yet when I stand in front of it, I always feel as if a huge sphere is pushing it's way through a grid towards me. It is an amazing optical illusion, and I would love to know how the artist planned this work. Not only is the almost 'neon' color palette complex, but so is the grid pattern itself - everything looks mathematically precise and I'm curious as to how the artist came about the design. Was there a preliminary sketch on the canvas? Are there smaller studies done of this work so he could plan which colors would create a larger impact?

Philip Guston. Multiplied, oil on canvas, 66" x 80 1/2", 1972

I have never seen this painting before, and it was hanging on a wall by itself in the sunlit sculpture room on the second level of the gallery. Never having studied this artist, I was still intrigued because it's date of creation is also the year I was born. What is the significance of the monochromatic use of red? The only other hue besides red is the yellow sun, painted child-like with the the sun's rays coming off in distinct lines. Is it a cluster of buildings? Abstract mushrooms? Whatever they are they seem to be sprouting in a cluster above a red structure. I'm curious as to the symbolism, if there is any, behind this work. Since it is the only painting on a wall in large room it makes a large impact, you can't simply walk by without stopping to take a closer look. Did the artist request that whichever gallery purchased this painting had to display it alone on a wall? Whatever the answers may be, I enjoyed looking at this painting. Although this is not the style that I choose to paint in, I do appreciate it's uniqueness.

The first work that made an impression on me was Georges Seurat's Étude pour "Le Chahut". I have been to the Art Institute of Chicago and stood in front of Seurat's iconic masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, oil on canvas, 81.7" x 121.25", 1884-1886. The
Étude pour "Le Chahut" is a rather small 'easel painting', which seems tiny in comparison to the huge painting in Chicago. This makes sense, however, considering it was only meant to be a study for a larger painting. Yet in both works, not only is the style of placing tiny color marks next to each other the same, he has also painted the frames. Seurat was a pioneer of the style known as 'Pointilism', meaning small 'points' of color. But when you look closely, the brush-marks look more like ovals dabbed on with perhaps a rounded flat, or 'filbert' style brush. His paintings must have taken extremely long to make, in the case of  A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte the date of the painting's creation spans two years. The study in the Albright Knox Art Gallery was completed within one year, but most likely over many months.

Value Scale & Color Wheel

1. Discuss what you thought about creating the Value Scale and Color Wheel.

I used to teach an Adult Education 'Beginning Watercolor' class. The first thing we would do is create a value study, and then next, several color wheels using different variations of primaries. For instance, they would create a color wheel using warm pigment tones and cool pigment tones. This helped lay a foundation for the students to start to think in terms of different values in their paintings, from light to dark. By experimenting with the color wheels, they became less intimidated by the vast array of colored watercolor tubes in front of them. In the picture below, I created a charcoal value study as well as a watercolor value study (using Winsor & Newtons's 'Payne's Gray'). In the watercolor study seen in the middle, I have punched a hole in the center of each value, thus creating a 'window' that you can hold against a painting to see which value it is. To create dynamic, interesting, artwork it is important to understand how to use values and colors to your best advantage.

2. Which media did you enjoy working with the best and why?

I enjoyed working with the Golden-brand acrylic paint the best since I love working with color. I often work in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign, so I understood CMYK as the four colors used in printing, but I was not aware that RED, YELLOW and BLUE were "historic" or "pre-scientific" primary colors. It was fascinating to combine my Cyan, Magenta and Yellow primary-colored acrylics and achieve Black!

3. What was the most important discovery in the creation of these studies?

In the creation of these studies, I found that it is possible to mix primary colors and achieve black rather than a muddy brown. From an early age we learn that the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue; I now realize that this is not entirely true, you actually need to use magenta as your 'red' and 'cyan' as your blue, but in both the historic and the modern color wheel you use yellow. While this, to me, is the most important discovery in the creation of these studies, whenever I struggle in my own paintings I find that by looking at it in a black and white photograph I can easily pinpoint where I need to add or subtract lights and darks. If my work only contains one value, regardless of how beautiful the colors are it will not be as successful as it would be if I were to emphasize values from the lightest- lights to the darkest-darks.

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

The videos were short and informative. If you had never created value studies or color wheels, these quick tutorials are important to watch. While the information seems simplistic, it is imperative that every artist understand the basic principles learned from creating value studies and color wheels. They are a sturdy foundation on which to begin your study as an artist.

http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p712/ADTasevski/Value%20Studies%20and%20Color%20Wheel/Value%20Studies%20%20Color%20Wheel_zpscuh12hod.jpg

Color Theory and Emotional Effects

1. Describe Color and it's effects on emotions. Use the appropriate vocabulary of color in your posting.

Color, as described in the video, is 'powerful, unpredictable, and difficult to control.' Scottish artist June Redfern, who loves to use striking color in her own work, travels to the Italian city of Venice for inspiration and to study the color of one of her favorite Venetian artist's (Titian) painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. She is especially drawn to Titian's dramatic use of red. As a young girl, I read many of the 'Nancy Drew' books, and Nancy is always described as being 'Titian haired'; I didn't understand what this meant, so I asked my parents and they said it meant she was red-haired. Titian's reds go through so many subtle shifts in tone, from a warm tomato-red, to brick-red, to maroon, the list goes on and on. Since Venice was the busiest port in Renaissance Italy, there were many different pigments available to artists. The red that Titian favored was Carmine red, made from crushed Turkish beetles. Titian's technique of layering color mimicked the reflective quality of the light found in the watery canals of Venice. What is also so unique about Titian's paintings is that the colors he used are reflected back into the flesh of the people, this was never done before. For instance, if one is wearing blue there is a slight blue reflected in the flesh tones; this was considered a radical use of color. Prior to Titian, the colors artists used were often dictated by the patron because some colors were more expensive than others. The video follows June Redfern's painting process; she throws turpentine soaked rags at her canvas, she wipes paint straight from the tube onto her fingers before smearing it on her work, her studio is chaotic; her struggle to recreate the light of Venice and of  'finding' the colors she seeks to represent is a true emotional battle, one that most artists can relate to on some level.

2. What is a theoretical aspect of color that most intrigues/fascinates you? Why?

I am most intrigued by the color blue. Not only has it always been my favorite hue, but it has a fascinating history. Lapis Lazuli, a semi-precious stone which was originally imported to Venice from Afghanistan, created the most intense blue found in nature. This particular blue, called Ultra Marine (meaning 'Beyond the Sea') is made by finely grinding Lapis Lazuli, binding it into a linen-wrapped ball, and kneading it for three weeks. Due to the precious nature of this pigment, and the time consuming process it took to create it, artists restricted it's use to, for example, the Virgin Mary's cloak. It is so interesting to me that the preciousness of this particular color dictated which figures were painted blue. Without even being able to read (or write) any member of society could easily pick out important religious figures in a painting, and therefore understand the Biblical story behind the painting.

3. In the Color video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and it's effects on emotions?

The café that Van Gogh painted made the biggest impact on me; his use of bold, garish colors create such drama; it makes me 'feel' the unease of the room's interior, it's definitely not an 'inviting' space. While Van Gogh suffered from mental illness, he most often painted between bouts of depression. Here, Van Gogh is in essence warning the viewer that no good can come of visiting a café such as this, only bad things could happen if you were to enter. Van Gogh was able to make the most of this bold color palette due in part to the fact that, with the creation of less expensively manufactured pigments, and new chemically-enhanced vibrant hues, he was easily and affordably able to get his hands on the (metal) tubes of paints needed to paint his masterpieces.

4. In the Feelings video, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and it's effects on emotions? 

Goya's dark, disturbing images, particularly his paintings of monsters (Saturn Devouring His Son), the firing squad (Third of May 1808), and even the creepy-eyed portraits of Spanish royalty, are very unsettling. In his famous commissioned work, Third of May 1808, color is used to amazing effect; the man about to be shot is almost flood-lit and portrayed in bright white. He has his arms outstretched in a Christ-like crucifixion pose, there are dead bodies bathed in deep red blood, the firing squad is faceless and dark. Saturn Devouring His Son is painted in dark colors, which further emphasizes the crazed look in Saturn's light-colored eyes, as well as emphasizing the the white-fleshed, headless, bloody, son he is eating. 

Elements and Principles Slideshow & Reflection Journal

Creating a series of digital photos to represent the 'Elements of Art' and 'Principles of Design' was a challenge, but also a lot of fun. It is one thing to read these rules in a book and digest what these elements and principles are, but to actually go 'out in the field' and capture images of each one really made me think; I truly enjoy reading about art (I have a BFA in Art History) but I find as a 'visual' person, I often have a better understanding of concepts if I can paint, draw or photograph them.

When it came to setting up my photos, I naturally found that some concepts and how to capture them photographically came easy. For example, when I think of 'line', one of the visual elements of art, I immediately thought of the vine charcoal sketches I draw before adding my soft pastels. I use a paper that has a lot of texture or 'tooth' to the surface, and my lines are thin in some passages of my sketch and thicker in others. I live in an older home in the city of Tonawanda, and there are lots of interesting 'textures' inside and outside of my residence; I captured the garage door handle in a photograph because I liked the way the metal handle, which has a relatively smooth texture, contrasted with the cracked wood, which you can tell could easily give you a nasty splinter. For 'color' I chose to photograph a recent painting of a Rose of Sharon that I created. I intentionally played with the vibrancy of the cool blues/purples of the flowers against some of the warmer greens of the foliage to make the painting pop. The lighter hue of the flowers against the deeper greens of the background also helped to create what I like to think of as  'color excitement.' I once taught an Adult Education watercolor class, and I had each of my students create a value scale with the Winsor & Newton color Payne's Gray. When they had completed their value scales (which were about the size of a bookmark) I had them use a hole punch in each value, thereby creating a little window that they could use to check their paintings in progress. This helped them create more diversity not just in color, but in the color values they used; it was a helpful tool. For my 'value' photograph I took a black and white photo of my garage in the late afternoon when different shadows were playing on the surface.

The above-mentioned photos are all from the elements of art, and as a Fine Artist myself, I found that I could rather quickly think of ways to represent them. The principles of design caused me to really stop and think, and since I am currently taking a class in jewelry making, these principles are perfect for reinforcing what Professor Saracino is teaching us. I do have a few favorites in my design photos, although overall I like my elements of art representations a little better. My daughter has a beautiful sailor dress, and I saw it lying on the bottom of the stairs, ready to be brought to her closet, and the stripes on the hem just naturally created a beautiful 'rhythm'. And for 'contrast' I couldn't resist showing my rough chainsaw-carved bear on top of the smooth reeds of the woven basket. 'Motion' was the most difficult to capture, I photographed my had about 20 times before I settled on a photo, and then exaggerated the blur of motion a little bit in my Adobe Photoshop program.

I cropped each photo into a perfect square so that as a whole there would be a cohesiveness to my album. Interestingly enough, I have come to the conclusion that many images could fall into several different categories. My 'contrast' picture of smooth and rough could also have been used for 'texture'. And the blue and white tablecloth I used to represent 'proportion' (due to the pattern) could also have stood in for 'balance' or 'repetition.' This is one of the infinite reasons that ART is so exciting - the combinations of elements and principles are infinite, and by understanding and using them to their best advantage, artists are able to develop their own unique style.

http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/ADTasevski/slideshow/The%20Elements%20and%20Principles%20of%20Art%20and%20Design

The Aesthetics of Art

1. For each video and article list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

First Video

Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts

Aesthetics, which comes from the Greek word "aisthetikos" is the study of beauty and art. The first video that we watched covered aesthetics from the 4th century BC in Athens, Greece, up until the 2nd half of the 20th century AD in the United States. This is a wide range of time time to be covered in a video less than an hour long, but it non-the-less gave an excellent overview on the philosophy of aesthetics, and how what is aesthetically "pleasing"changed over the centuries.

I was surprised to learn that Plato, the influential Greek philosopher of classical 4th century Greece, held a low opinion of artists and poets. He believed they were creating illusions over which they did not have a full understanding, and therefore had no business creating. According to Plato, only a philosopher knew the difference between reality and illusion.

Plato's student Aristotle strayed away from his teacher's low opinion of artists. He believed that poetry was art, and that evoking emotions was good for the people. He spent much time analyzing Greek Tragedy. Aristotle established the three rules which make up a tragedy: action, time and place, and he also claimed that each Play should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

There were NO AESTHETICS in the Middle Ages. Instead, the idea of beauty was overshadowed by a complete dedication to God. In Medieval times art theory was "merely (the) defining (of) technique".  At the height of the Renaissance in 15th Century Italy, Alberti, a man of many passions (including philosophy) believed that beauty is harmony and perfection, and there were formal laws to follow: proportion, symmetry and order.

The foundations for modern aesthetics didn't begin until the Enlightenment period in 18th century England. Philosophers of this time period included Joseph Addison and Francis Hutcheson. Addison contributed to modern aesthetics in his papers 'On the Pleasures of the Imagination', while Hutcheson stated that beauty equaled good, which in turn embodied 'Divine Order'. However, he felt that the viewer or listener needed to have refined sensibilities to truly experience beauty in art and music, which unfortunately left an enormous amount of the population out of the equation.

The philosopher Alexander Baumgarten, who was influenced by fellow German philosopher Immanuel Kant, coined the word "aesthetics". For Kant, the only thing in art that can't be beautified is "ugliness and that which is disgusting", the reason being that something ugly/disgusting causes pain. Kant believed that beauty was based on feeling; it can be shared but is subjective, there is no exact science of the beautiful. And while earlier philosophers claimed that an artist was no more than a skilled craftsman, Kant felt that an artist was a genius, and someone who was an "exceptionally sensitive and superior individual."

By the 19th century German philosopher Georg Hegel's  writings and speeches about aesthetics claimed that there were 3 ages of aesthetics, the Eastern or Symbolic Age, the Classical Art Age, and the Romantic Art Age. Art was presented by him as a completed process and a process in which no further advances were to be expected.

But there were further advances to be made, and these came in the 20th century when the established rules of art were now being broken and re-invented. By the second half of the 20th century the 'Avant Garde' had taken over. As American aesthetician Morris Weitz said, there were "...no necessary conditions that made something a work of art." And artist Marcel Duchamp put an upside down urinal in a museum and claimed that "...art is whatever we call art." By the end of the 1960's a work of art could look like anything, it was not necessary to be beautiful. Avant-garde art such as jazz, novels, films, musicals, and photography are no longer considered to be 'out of the norm', and are now completely accepted to be art.

What I most liked about this video was shown towards the end; to appreciate art is to live with it, and when you like something it changes your life. For example, my love for the work of Andrew and Jamie Wyeth has changed my life; I've purchased and read books about them, I've bought reproductions of their work and displayed them in my home, and I've specifically traveled to Chadds Ford, Pa and Rockland, ME to see their work in person in museums. No matter how you personally feel about it, or which philosophers ideas you most agree with, art is trans-formative and it is powerful.

Second Video

CARTA: Neurobiology and Art and Aesthetics

In the first part of the video Changeux describes the rules and constraints of artistic creation from the viewpoint of a neurobiologist's viewpoint. He breaks it down by the brain sizes of early man and the discoveries made at that time. For instance, the discovery of tools was found to date back 2.5 million years ago when man had a brain the size of 600 cubic millimeters. Next came the discoveries of symmetry, of symbolism, and of artistic composition. 32,000 years BC when Homo Sapiens first discovered composition, their brain was 1,400 cubic millimeters, which is approximately the size of a human's brain today. Man's brain had more than doubled in size, so Changeux believes there is a 'genetic envelope' for the evolutionary origins of art. He makes a strong case for his theory, and backs it up with examples of different tools made be early man and how they became more sophisticated with time, and also examples of the cave drawings in Grotte Chauvet, France.

In the second half of the video, Indian scientist Ramachandran talks further about the science of art. His questions about art include: Are there artistic universals? How does the brain respond to art? He discusses his Eight Laws of Aesthetics and claims that art "...transcends culture and species." He included images of brain scans, showing how different sections of the brain become stimulated when looking at art. It was fascinating in this video to hear two scientist's views of art and aesthetics, and it further emphasizes that 'art' is not just a part of the humanities, there is much science (and certainly mathematics) behind 'what is art?'

What the Brain Draws From: Art and Neurosciences

In this CNN article, Elizabeth Landau talks about how "(T)he human brain is wired in such a way that we can make sense of lines, colors and patterns on a flat canvas." Simple line drawings tap into a neural process; for instance we can see an artist's outline drawing of a room in a house and identify what it is, EVEN THOUGH when looking at the actual room there are no black outlines to be found. Apart from line, artists also play with color. As an artist myself I am very conscious of the color, hue, and values I use. I understand that different combinations will create different 'illusions' or even 'excite' the viewers vision (knowingly or unknowingly) by combining colors in a way that will create different optical vibrations. An interesting aspect of the article was the discussion of color vs. luminescence. Color contrast with no light contrast equals luminescence, and by playing with these aspects an artist can use luminescence to give the illusion of depth on a flat canvas.

2. Which philosopher's theory on aesthetics do you feel is most important? Be sure to mention the philosophers name, era (time in history), and contribution to the aesthetic theory in your response.

I feel that 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant's theory on aesthetics is most important. He lived in a time period known as the 'Age of Enlightenment' when there was much emphasis on intellectual activities. I agree with Kant's stance that the only ugliness that can't be beautified is the disgusting, something that causes pain. Most importantly Kant treated his philosophy on aesthetics as something almost ethereal, something almost impossible to explain; for Kant, beauty was based on FEELING; it can be shared, but it is subjective. It is true, there may be no perfectly exact science of the beautiful, it is subjective. In two recent art shows I had a pastel painting, Rose of Sharon, win top awards. Yet when I entered it in yet another show, it was rejected, they would not even hang it up. This is just one personal example of why Kant's theory, at least in my opinion, is most important to artists today. And for Kant, there was no exact science of the 'beautiful', he felt it was subjective. Kant also believed that a successful artist was a genius, for artists, in his eyes, are "...exceptionally sensitive and superior individuals." In earlier centuries being an artist was nothing more than a skilled craftsman, Kant elevates the artist to the stature of  genius.

Rose of Sharon, pastel on paper, 12"x12", 2016

3. What do you think about Changeux and Ramachandran's scientific view of aesthetics and art? What was the most interesting fact you discovered from each speakers lecture? 

I thought it was fascinating how both scientists were able to express their concepts of art and aesthetics from a completely unique viewpoint. Chagngeux was able to use the parallel of brain size in early man to what they were able to accomplish. Over the course of many millions of years human beings' brain grew to the approximate size it is now, 1,400 cubic millimeters, and it was at this time that man first began actually drawing, as seen on the cave walls in Chauvet and Lascaux (France). Changeux's hypothesis is that there is a genetic envelope for the evolutionary origins of art, it is not random.

The scientist Ramachandran delved into his neurological theory of artistic experience. He wonders if there are artistic universals and sets out in his lecture to document how the human brain responds to art, in part by using images of brains stimulated by different images of art. He believes there are Eight Laws of Aesthetics, and also that art transcends culture and species.

The most interesting fact I discovered in the first lecture was the relation of brain size to artistic expression as talked about by Changeux. As we evolved as a species over millions of years it can be proven that our desire or need to express ourselves artistically evolved with our growing brains. Art is something that makes us uniquely human and elevates us above all other species.

In Ramachandran's lecture I was intrigued by his Eight Laws of Aesthetics. Although he didn't have time to explain each one, it is fascinating to see how differently a scientist breaks down aesthetic laws as compared to how an early philosopher, such as Plato, did. His theory that art transcends culture and species gives 21st century artists new avenues to explore and think about. 

4. How do the videos and article relate to the readings in the text?

There are many ways in which the videos and article relate to the readings. For example, all three discuss Paleolithic cave paintings, such as the ones in the Chauvet cave in France, as the first examples of proof that "...the ability to make images is uniquely human." While the videos and article talk a lot about the philosophy of aesthetics and the science behind art, the readings gave many more visual examples of paintings, sculptures, architecture, photographs, installation art, etc. I found that by doing the readings first, I was able to appreciate the videos and article on a deeper level. While the first video talked about different periods in art, it helped that in the book we could see even more examples from each period, and the book readings even include African and Eastern Art, not just the commonly-known images of Western Art History.

5. What is your opinion of the films and article? How do they add depth to understanding of the topics in your reading in the text?

I think it brings added depth to the study art when you look at it from different viewpoints. Before the first film I had of course heard the names of many of the philosophers, but I was unaware of their different views of the philosophy of aesthetics and how these views changed over the centuries. My father holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry and my brother in law is a Neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic, so I found looking at art from a scientific viewpoint particularly interesting. Both Changeux and Ramachandran's unique theories on art are so different from anything I've ever heard or thought of before. I am the type of person who likes to 'hold' a physical book in my hand, so I found that having the readings to consult and highlight while I watched the videos and article very helpful. The videos were excellent, but both speakers did not have English as their first language. While they both spoke English very well, I still had to frequently stop and 'rewind' to catch something they said. This is another reason why I loved having the readings to go back to, I found that the different media we looked at this week all complemented each other, and each piece needed to be looked at to get the 'entire picture'.

My First Blog Post

For my first Blog posting I have been asked by my Fundamentals of Art Inquiry professor to answer the following questions, so here goes!

1. How was the process of creating the GMail account and setting up the Blog?

The instructions for the process of creating my Gmail account and setting up my Blog were very straightforward and easy to follow. I have a website for my artwork (which badly needs to be updated), www.morganstreetdesigns.com, and have always wanted to add a Blog to it. I was very intimidated by this, thinking it was beyond my expertise, but I now realize that it is definitely something I can accomplish.

2. What do you expect to learn in this course?

One of the things I expect to learn in this course is an expansion of my vocabulary, particularly when it comes to discussing a work of art, including a work that I myself have created. As I continue to travel on my journey as an artist (and future educator) I find that I am now being asked to talk publicly about my work. I was invited to give a 10 minute 'artist's talk' about my pastel painting Renée this past Spring at the Buffalo Society of Artists show held at the Kenan Center in Lockport. I agonized over what to say and over-prepared. I was speaking not only to interested art patrons, but also to highly talented and sophisticated local artists, and did my best to speak intelligently about my painting process. By taking this, and other Art Education courses I will definitely gain confidence in my abilities not just as a creator of art, but as an artist who can effectively communicate, as stated in the syllabus for this course,"...art theories, concepts, design, tools, and materials..."

3. How do you feel about taking an online course?

I am excited about the flexibility an online course offers. I took a class on Adobe InDesign in Ken/Ton's Continuing Education Program and was able to learn a lot more than I had anticipated. The online instructor was very easy contact; she was readily available to help troubleshoot any technical issues that I ran into.

4. What three things in the Growth Mindset (from Step 3) videos do you believe most apply to you?

Renée, 12"x16", soft pastel on paper, 2016

1. I believe that my creative talent was given to me as a gift from God; one of my favorite verses of the Bible is 1 Timothy 4:14 (King James Bible) 'Neglect not the gift that is in thee...
Just because I have this gift does not mean that I haven't had to work very hard to hone my talent. In the second video we watched, singer John Legend spoke of how for 6 years he was unsuccessful at getting signed to a record label. He may have been born with his talent, but he also has worked very hard to reach his ultimate goal of success in a very competitive field. From a very young age I enjoyed creating art, but over the years I have studied with different artists, practiced extensively on my own, and been rejected many times from shows and groups that I wanted to be a part of. I am finally to the point where I am receiving more acceptance than rejection letters. It is rare that someone is an overnight success, regardless of their talent, there is much hard work involved 'behind the scenes'.

2. Learning should be a lifelong activity, the more you use your brain, the stronger it becomes. Every single day you have an opportunity to increase your knowledge, you are never too old to learn a new skill, read a book, listen to a classical piece of music, etc. I received my BFA in Art History from Buffalo State College in 1995. It is now 2017 and I decided I WANTED MORE, so I enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Art Education program offered by Buffalo State. When I first considered going back to school I worried that I was 'too old' - I'm 45, married, two small kids - how could someone like me go back to college? But I want to learn more, so here I am, and I believe that I can do anything I put my mind to. Another example I would like to cite is my journey back to music. From 5th grade until I was a senior in college I played the bassoon. After graduation I had to quit because I did not own a bassoon, I had always borrowed the school instruments. Then about 5 years ago by chance I found a used bassoon, in need of work, on CraigsList that was being sold for $500.00. Bassoons are extremely expensive, this was finally my chance to actually own one and play again! The seller even accepted my offer of $400.00. It had been over 16 years since I had played, so I contacted one of my music professors from Buffalo State and she recommended that I take lessons with a professional bassoonist. Thus began my journey with Ellen Barnum (who is also a professor of music at Buffalo State and Canisius colleges), my bassoon teacher and friend of the last 5 years. I can now play better than I was ever able to play - but I also have had to practice almost every. single. day. I'll never be a professional musician, but it's something that brings me great joy, and I truly believe that reading music and playing an instrument strengthens and exercises your brain in a unique way. I credit it Ellen with bringing music back into my life.

3. It is unbelievable to imagine that Albert Einstein was a bad student and was told, basically, that he would never succeed in life. This reminds us to never let someone else dictate what we can and cannot achieve. We are in control of our own lives, our own destiny; if Einstein had listened to what his teachers told him and accepted their judgement of his abilities, the world would have been cheated out of one of the finest minds of the 20th century.