Allison Daigle #8

1.) My armor will be protecting my hands from the germs around us. I will be using different pieces to decorate the armor, to symbolize cleanliness, and protect myself from germs. Whatever decorations I choose to use, I will convey the message of cleanliness and purity.

2.) I don't believe I will use a cliche or stereotype in my armor. I am going to figuratively decide which decorations will protect against germs the most. If I were to use a cliche, however, I believe it would weaken my piece.

3.) The armor will protect me from the germs that are everywhere around us. It will protect me physically, but also emotionally as well. I get distraught when I see something dirty, and wonder what I have touched that is similar to the scenario.

4.) I will wear the 'gloves' over my hands, and they will lace up on the side where they will be cut.

5.) I will use various pieces of decorations to add to my 'gloves'. I am not sure if I will paint it, because the white that it dries as seems so clean to me. I will definitely be adding embellishment in order to protect my hands even more.

Kaitlyn Brown #8

1. For my final project I'm doing a knee brace since I have a bad knee from a car accident. I want to protect my knee from getting injured again, I'll be using push pins to keep things from damaging the brace and keep it away.
2. I haven't used sterotypes or cliche in my piece yet but when I do it will have something to represent my weakness.
3. The brace will protect my knee from getting injured it will also help my knee from moving in a way it shouldnt.
4. I'll be wearing it almost like a mask, it won't go all the way around but will have some sort of ribbon so I can tie it in the back.
5. I will use color that makes it stand out so people will know that it's my bad knee, having push-pins to keep things from going near it.

chelsea w #8

.) What kind of symbols, metaphors or cultural meanings have you incorporated into the design of your armor? Please explain how they are consistent with the message you want to convey?

2.) Have you used a stereotype or cliche? If so, does it strengthen or weaken your message?

3.) How will the armor protect you? Physically? Emotionally?

4.) How will you wear it? (i.e. straps)

5.) How will you embellish this armor? Paint? Build off of it, etc.?

1. i made the armor out of bones when in turn it should be protecting my bones.it is protecting my hand because my hand is the money maker I draw and i fight so my right hand needs all the protection it can get and the hardest thing next to metal is bone.

2.no stereotypes i have a deeper meaning for my armor more than just a physical protector.

3the armor literally protects my hand from physical damage also it protects my pencil by keeping it in place so i can never lose it.

4i put a glove on first then molded it and cut some of the glove away

5 i built the bones coming off of the peice and im possibly going to to paint it either two colors or one. Im all about simplisity that is still difficult. so a well crafted peice with a simple paint job is exactly what im talking about

Erica Markle, #8

1.) My armor is going to be protectors for my hands because I have a bad habit of picking at my nails. I am going to decorate the parts that cover my nails very tastefully so that they look nice. This will make me not want to even think about picking at my nails because it would ruin the beauty. I have also make one hand have a cover for the top of the hand and another for the bottom of my hand, because the right one is usually the one picking so I covered the bottom to make picking impossible. The top of the right hand is covered to ensure full protection. I think I will definitely come up with more as I begin to work. They will remain consistent with the message I am trying to convey because the decoration will show that I want to maintain that beauty and the positioning will force myself out of the habit.

2.) I think I used stereotype or cliché because when one thinks of protecting their hands, usually gloves would come to mind. I did form a type of glove, but it is not just ordinary gloves. I think it was necessary to use this cliché in order to convey my message. I also think that the fact that I branched out and created an unconventional set of gloves with only either the top or bottom covered along with the fingertips on both made them less of a cliché and more original.

3.) The armor will protect me from picking at my nails and causing myself physical pain. This armor will protect me emotionally because I will find better ways to relive my stress than picking at my nails. I will also feel a lot better about the appearance of my hands and therefore more confident.

4.) I have formed the armor so they fit perfectly to my hands. The fingertips are closed off so when I wear the gloves my fingers simply go into the fingertip holes. I will also reinforce the stability using ribbon.

5.) I a going to decorate the cloves by painting them. I am going to have a certain theme of colors that is symbolic, but I have not put much thought into what colors I am going to use yet. I am also planning on decorating the fingertips with sparkles and flowers to make me not want to damage the area by picking. I have to think about embellishing further, but these are my initial ideas.

Bridget Ryan #8

1) For my final project I am creating a mask to cover my brain to help protect my issues with math. I have always had trouble with math throughout school so I want this mask to protect me from making me feel dumb inside. The symbols I am using are push- ins on one side of the mask to protect the weakness in feeling dumb.

2) I have not used a stereotype or cliché but as I work on my mask I will create one. When I create my stereotype or cliché I will have my message to strengthen my mask.

3) This mask will protect me mentally and emotionally. The reason for this mask is to protect me from my own issue of thinking that I am bad in math.

4) I will attach some sort of ribbon to the back and tie the mask onto my face.

5) I plan on using this silver paper to represent the armor coating to also cover and hide the weakness of my low self-esteem in math issue. On the other part of my mask I am painting one side fluorescent pink to show that I am open to my problem and also to make it more pretty and more me since my favorite color is pink. On that same side I am also gluing colorful feathers and sliver glitter to sparkle up the understanding side of my math issue on my mask.

Gaby Piergentili #8

1. My armor doesnt really have any metaphors or symbols. It's pretty literal. I used a bra to create my armor to boost my bra size.

2. I dont believe i've used a stereotype or cliche

3. The armor is meant to protect my self esteem by creating the illusion of a bigger chest while stealing being dangerious to prevent creepy boys from coming on to me.

4. I'll attach straps on the top and back to wear it.

5. I'm going to add paint, wire, and ribbon.

RAMIN DOESN'T LIKE TURKIES #8

1. I have incorporated symbolic silence and censorship into my armor. The message I'm trying to convey is self censorship and conscious word selection as opposed to speaking without thinking.

2. I don't think I have used a stereo type or cliche, unless one considers physically blocking the mouth a cliche. I think that it is a necessity for my message, without it the message would not make sense.

3. My armor will protect me from saying things that might hurt others. I'm personally indifferent to offending people, but I don't try to do it purpose.

4. I'll wear it around my neck.

5. I don't think it needs much embellishment. It is meant to be kept simple and serve as a physical filter for my vocal communications.

Jill Palmer #8

1. For my project I will be creating a partial face mask with openings for the eyes, since I'm using my poor vision as my weakness. I have not thought of an symbols, metaphors, or cultural meanings to incorporate into my design yet. I feel that once I begin to further work on the project, more ideas will come to mind that will help to explain the message I'm trying to convey.
2. I don't think I have used a sterotype or cliche. Rather than creating something literal like a pair of glasses or goggles, I am creating a mask.
3. This armor will protect me physically by protecting the area around my eyes, along with my eyes themselves. I will put clear colored cellophane or cling wrap where the eyes sould be, which will act as lenses. It will protect me emotionally because I will be able to see and won't be self concious or concerned about how I look. I will make the mask stylish and appealing to wear.
4. I will attach ribbons to either side of the mask so it can be tied around the head.
5. I will paint my armor bright, vibrant colors and embellish it with glitter rhinestones and other accents that will make it fun to wear, while it is protecting you.

Mariah LeBlanc #8

1) For my project I plan to create some type of mask to go over my mouth to stop me from eating junk food. The symbols I have planned are large X's or DO NOT ENTER symbols. This would symbolize to not eat junk food. I have not yet thought of all of my symbols and metaphors. I have a feeling I will figure those at as I start decorating my project.
2)I do not know if this would be considered a stereotype or cliche, but I plan to incorporate fruit into my mask. This is promote healthy eating habits instead of junk food.
3) My armor will protect me physically from eating junk food. The goal of the mask is so I do not eat junk food at all, and I am not even tempted to eat junk food.
4) I will attach a strap to the mask that goes above my ears and around the back of my head.
5) I plan on heavily decorating my mask. My goal is for it to look some-what attractive. I plan to paint it black and white, or pink. I plan on adding fruit to symbolize healthy eating habits, and glitter and rhinestones to make it look girly. Also, I plan on adding some kind of netting to the bottom of the mask so if I was tempted to eat the drunk food I could drop it into the net. I also plan to add some sharp objects to the mask. This is because I do not want to put junk food near my mouth in fear of being harmed.

Blog Assignment #8

Read, "Constructing Meaning," by Mary Stewart, posted on Moodle.

Then, answer the following questions in a blog post. This will be a way for us to communicate about your project over the next two weeks.

1.) What kind of symbols, metaphors or cultural meanings have you incorporated into the design of your armor? Please explain how they are consistent with the message you want to convey?

2.) Have you used a stereotype or cliche? If so, does it strengthen or weaken your message?

3.) How will the armor protect you? Physically? Emotionally?

4.) How will you wear it? (i.e. straps)

5.) How will you embellish this armor? Paint? Build off of it, etc.?

Shira #7

Calm

Bridget Ryan #7

Excitement

RAMIN BIEBER #7

Talented.

Erica Markle, #7

Promising.

Kaitlyn Brown #7

Confusion.

Allison Daigle #7

Tranquil

Gaby Piergentili Extra Credit

"Remembering Monet"
Maritza Cantero Farrell

This painting that was dispalyed was one of my favorite pieces in the exhibit. It was a simple scene of lily pads and the use of color was what I liked the most. The soft blue tones in contrast with the brighter pinks used for the flowers was excellent. It was the kind of art I am most familiar with, i.e scenery, portraits.

Gaby Piergentili #7

strength

Mariah LeBlanc, #7

Confusion

Jill Palmer #7

ELEGANT

Blog Assignment #7

Look for an image of three dimensional form with a strong sense of postive AND negative space. Post the image to a blog entry and describe it in ONE word.

Your post should be an image and ONE word. The image does not have to be "art." It just has to be three-dimensional.

Kaitlyn Brown #6

Applying to College

In this situation, I had the problem of deciding where I wanted to go to school and what would I study in? At our age no one really knows what their future holds, choosing where you want to go to college is a problem every senior in high school faces. I had to write a list of all the colleges that appealed to me. Getting mail from different colleges and information from school made the decision even harder. Having so many options for you to choose from can be very stressful. In order to come to a decision you have to make pro's and con's for each college or university that you are thinking of applying to. Researching the colleges and going on tours of each let you see what it would be like to go there and can help make your decision on where you want to apply to. Once you apply to your colleges and find out what you will get for finical aid and scholarships are what help you decide on where you going to go. Choosing which college you will go with can be difficult especially if your between two colleges, your pro's and con's list helps you decide on which one is right for you. The final step is registering for your fall courses at the college you choose, and moving in! In the situation of applying to college I used the five stages to decide where I was going to go to school.

Bridget Ryan #6

I can’t really think of one time of my life when I needed to encounter a situation that required these stages but however, I have a recent one. After playing lacrosse for 9 years of my life I decided not to play in college. But after rethinking and using these brainstorming ideas I have discovered that I truly miss playing lacrosse and being on a team. I have thought about it very hard and decided to email the coach here at Lasell College, to see if I am able to play on the lacrosse team. As of this week I have a meeting all signed up for to talk about me joining the team here at Lasell! I am very glad opened my mind onto something I love doing and miss.

RAMIN aka snookie #6

Tackled with this burdening question, I tried to think of all the times that I had used the creative process in my life. The ideas which came into my mind would all be inappropriate for classroom discussion, so I decided to discuss the creative process behind answering this question. First I identified that I did not have any easy way to answer the question, so I began to brainstorm past experiences in which I went through these steps. I came up with a few results, all of which, as mentioned, would not be something I'd be too thrilled to share, so I went back and tried to find a loophole in the system. After some pondering, I came to conclusion that I should write about how I came to write about what I am writing about. "But how should I go about writing it?" I asked myself. I decided that I would just wing it without concerning myself too much as to the structure since this is what I tend to do with everything. Upon reaching this step, I remembered that I had probably used this process to write an essay at some point in my life, and further brainstorming lead me to remember using this model specifically while taking the SAT's. It was, however, too late for me to go back and write about that, so I decided to finish writing about how I came about writing what it is I am writing about now.

Jill Palmer #3-Creative Process

As the president of my high school DECA program, I was responsible for running and being in charge of our many fundraisers, all of which required these stages. One event in particular where I encountered a situation that required these stages was our welcome back dance. Our major concern was making sure we raised at least enough money to break even. We needed to make enough money to pay for the cost of the DJ, police, custodians, chaperones, food, drinks, and other expenses before we even thought about making a profit. As a class, we brainstormed ideas and came up with different ways to advertise for this event. After the dance, it turns out we made enough money and made a profit as well. We surveyed the students and asked them how they found out about the dance, this way we would know which method of our advertisment was most effective. We analyzed the data and found that most students were aware of the dance from the facebook group we made. From then on, we used this form of advertisment. In hindsight, I don't think I would have done anything differently. The creative process worked out well for me and the dance turned out to be a success.

Erica Markle, #6

My good friend and I always wanted to have a big sweet 16 party together since our birthdays are so close in date. That party never actually happened due to our hectic schedules, so we decided we would plan a big 18^th birthday party. To begin our planning we got together and came up with a list of things that we needed to decide and buy. The first major decision we had to make was the theme. We came up with a list and narrowed it down to our top three. We then went to the party store to see what we could find, and our ideas for the theme completely changed. We had open minds upon going to the store, and this helped us to find our theme. We came across different displays of theses and decided to go with a Vegas theme. We got the decorations and color coordinated everything, cups, plates, table cloths, streamers, and decorations. Then we went back and brainstormed more ideas to enhance the Vegas theme. We decided we would have tables set up with poker chips, cards, and other casino games to give the full feeling of being in a casino. We then had to decide on food that would be served so we went through different restaurants and finally found one that was decently affordable. We chose the trays we wanted and ordered them a few days in advance. We had narrowed down the list of people so that we could accommodate everyone in my basement and the invites that we created on the computer were sent. The most rigorous part was cleaning out my basement so it was completely free of the toys that crowded it. We had to come up with ways to hide the toys and find all different nooks and crannies to put them during the party. Finally, the date of the party arrived and it was a success. Looking back I would not have done anything different, everything seemed to work out as planned and we had a great time. The creative process worked well for us and helped us to have the successful party that we had.

Allison Daigle, Extra Credit

The oil on painting titled, "Celebrating Monet", caught my eye at the Lasell Showcase. The painting was done by Maritza Cantero Farrell, who is a professor in the fashion department. This particular painting caught my attention because I have always loved Monet's work. In high school, my art class had to choose an artist we were inspired by, and recreate one of their paintings. I chose Claude Monet, and the painting turned out to be my favorite piece of artwork. Farrell's interpretation of Monet's style was quite different than the originals. She kept the lily pads on the water to a minimum, and focused more on the overall feel. She used vibrant, but cool colors to create a peaceful atmosphere within the painting. I think she captured Monet's style perfectly.

Allison Daigle #6

After completing my first two years of college at UMASS Boston, I realized that it was time to choose a major. I had completed all of my general education classes, and knew it was time to figure out what exactly I wanted to do in life. I often thought about majoring in accounting, sociology, or even economics. I had enjoyed these areas of study at Umass, but I knew that I had to be happy in whatever career I ended up choosing. I finally realized that just because I enjoyed those specific areas of study did not mean I should obtain a degree in that field. I found that what I enjoyed the most in life, and what would make me happy on a day to day basis, was fashion. I knew that Lasell had an excellent program, and I wanted to major in fashion merchandising. After being accepted and starting the program at Lasell, I realized it was a perfect fit. In hindsight, I don’t think I would have done anything different. Even though I did not enjoy Umass, I was able to complete the mandatory classes at a lower cost. I am grateful for not feeling rushed into choosing a major as a freshman, and being able to thoroughly think my career path through.

Gaby Piergentili #6

While not very creative I had to make the decision about transfering to a new school and a new major. I made the decision on a whim after becoming tired and bored of the school and location I was in. I came up with the idea to switch from psychology to fashion merchandizing because it seemed to suit my personality more. However in hindsight I should have done more research on the major and the classes entailed. Also I only applied to a couple of different schools. I should have spent more time to refine and analyze my ideas before acting upon them.

Mariah LeBlanc #6

My senior year of high school I was given the task of planning our school's Victory Dance. It is held the same day every year; the Friday after thanksgiving. Every student in our school attends the dance, and looks forward to the evening. With so much pressure on my shoulders, I wanted to make sure I took my time, prepared wisely, and did not forget anything. Planning began in September with our first meeting. I had made announcements the previous week, and there was a large turnout at the meeting. The biggest problem to figure out, is what would the theme of the dance be? At our first meeting we brainstormed many themes. They included jungle, beach, fairytale, Arabian nights, Hollywood, and a romantic evening. The following week I held another meeting where the committee voted on the top three themes. After the committee had narrowed down the top three themes, we brainstormed again, though more intensely. The committee took each theme and brainstormed as if that was the theme chosen for the dance. At the end of the meeting we took another vote and chose our theme for the dance. The theme chosen was beach. In the weeks following I mostly had to plan the dance. Week after week the committee was loosing members and a lot of the planing fell on my shoulders as well as my advisor's shoulders. I had to buy decorations, design the tickets, find a DJ and photographer, buy concessions and much more. The student council helped to set up for the dance the Wednesday before thanks giving, and Friday morning, the day of the dance. In the end, after a lot of hard work, it all came together. It was interesting that my vision for the dance in the beginning was completely different in the end. Though, it couldn't have been better. The dance was awesome, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Blog #6: Creative Process

To gain success in a creative field, you must be some combination of the following:

• open minded
• ready to accept new challenges
• seeking connections

The creative process can be broken down into the following stages:

1. Identify the problem
2. Brainstorm Ideas
3. Refine and analyze
4. Decide which idea to use
5. Implement

For this weeks blog entry:

Reflect on a time in your life when you encountered a situation that required these stages. Describe in detail. In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?

Kaitlyn Brown #5 Abstract Sculpture

My Whirld
Stephen Kishel
"Tired of the same old same old, then, try sculpting, it will keep you reeling, revolving, and re-inventing. My life is like a whirlwind that never rests, and If I have not started something new in a day or two, I am very restless. They say if you want something done, give it to a busy person!"

Bridget Ryan #5

Counting Birds

Price: $4,200.00

It brings a smile to my face to see a couple in love. It would be wonderful if that feeling and that zeal for the one you courted why back when, would stick with you for a lifetime. It can! Just say it does! These sculptured birds will help you call back to your mind & heart the feeling you thought would never part. This was all his inspirations towards his making of this sculpture.

Erica Markle, Extra Credit

Although I do not recall the title of the piece, my favorite piece of work in the gallery was the one created by Deborah Baldizar. The woman sitting on the post was so simple yet so detailed at the same time and that variability really drew me in. The intricate carving of the woman's every curve and every part of her face was absolutely amazing. What I liked most was the the piece really told a story to the viewer. The woman seemed to be pondering on the post and this could be interpreted in many different ways depending on the viewer. Besides the sculpture which was the main focus, the large, welded, metal pieces next to the woman were very visually pleasing as well. They were very neat to look and and had good use of positive and negative space. This whole setup made me feel peaceful and at ease.

Erica Markle #5

This piece was created by Trevor J. Askin and it is entitled, "Circling." This piece is made out of bronze and it is very appealing to the viewers eye. I believe the pice was inspired by fish or dolphins. To me, it looks like the segments are jumping out of water, like these sea creatures do. I find this piece very soothing because it reminds me of the beach. I love the curves in the sculpture, not only in the positive space but also in the negative space as well. The curve the three segments make is very interesting and it gives the sculpture character. There is clear movement in the piece, and it is accentuated with the title. The segments seem as though they will continue circling around and around. The smoothness of this abstract piece is very appealing as well, and provides a soothing effect.

RAMIN wutttt #5

Converging Plateaus
Daryl Strokes
I can't find the date

This is made out of Redwood wood which is interesting because at some parts it looks like a stone sculpture. I think it was inspired by plateaus, considering the title of the piece is "Converging Plateaus." I like it because it looks like something that would be fun to put things on, like a table but not so much. I can definitely see this being inspired by two plateaus or a tree.

Gaby Piergentili #5

This scultpure was created by Los Angeles based artist Bruce Gray and is entitled "Brave New World." It caught my attention with its simple shapes and brushed steel. All the curved lines give it a movement almost like its circling itself.

Shira #5

This sculpture was designed by Jean Hans Arp. The inspiration was probably drawn from a human figure. The swollen belly makes me believe it is a woman, maybe pregnant. The sculpture is very graceful and depicts a small amount of sadness the way the head was made at a tilt. The artist uses a lot of clean curves in his sculpting giving it a nice smooth flow throughout.

Jill Palmer #5- Abstract Form

"Mallard; The Dreams of Ducks, or Ducks Redux," by Elijah Kaufman, 2000.

This three-dimensional, abstract, wall sculpture was created by the artist Elijah Kaufman in the winter of 2000. He was inspired by Leadbelly's song, "My Girl My Girl." The abstract shape and form really drew my eye to this piece. The curve of the lines are clean, beautiful, and give it a sense of movement.

Allison Daigle #5

Tree- by Steve Jensen

Date unknown

This abstract sculpture was inspired by a tree. I was drawn to the image because of the way he used lines to create a sense of movement. The tree almost looks as if it's swaying in the wind. He used curved lines at the top in order to create the fullest, bushiest part of the tree. At the base of the sculpture, there are realistic leaves imprinted. These give the abstract sculpture a touch of real life, which I believe adds to the overall image.

Mariah LeBlanc : Extra Credit

My favorite piece of artwork that was displayed in the "Teacher's Collection", would be the painting titled "Laughing Out Loud" by Professor Fischer. I loved this painting for all of its color and detail. The colors were very rich and warm, and true to real life, especially the color of the man's skin. What I loved about the detail was that you were almost convinced it was a picture. The laughing lines, the shading, and the mouth were almost exact to a real person. This picture intrigued me and I enjoyed it very much.

Mariah LeBlanc #5

This abstract sculpture is called "Brave New World", and was created by Bruce Gray. There is no date in which the sculpture was crafted but we do know it was crafted in Los Angeles; Bruce Gray's home base. Bruce Gray wanted to convey a sense of movement in this sculpture that would appear to be frozen in time. He achieved this with the curved and well balanced elements. Bruce Gray said " The disc element almost looks like it is about to be hurled like a discus or even a bowling ball" when speaking about the sculpture. There is not a specific inspiration for this sculpture but I can make an educated guess to what it might be. Based off its title "Brave New World", I am thinking that Bruce Gray got his inspiration from the world. In the top left corner of the picture it appears to me that this is a representation of the sun and half moon. The other pieces of the sculpture, if pieced together, would form a circle. A circle represents the shape of earth. The sculpture has a great deal of movement just like the earth, because the earth is constantly moving. This sculpture is quite popular. It was sold for $15,000, and is now located in Boca Raton, Florida, and is part of a private collection.

Blog Assignment #5-Abstract Form

1. Find an image of abstract sculpture(must be 3D, NO paintings).
2. Post it to the blog.
3. List the Title, Artist and Date.
4. Write a brief description, including what inspired it. If you can't find out what it is inspired by, then make an educated guess and describe why."Bird In Flight," by Constantin Brancusi, 1923

He concentrated not on the physical aspects of the bird but on it's movement. In "Bird In Space" wings and feathers are eliminated, the swell of the body is elongated, and the head and the beak are reduced to a slanted oval plane. Balanced on a slender conical footing, the figure's upward thrust is unfettered. Brancusi's inspired abstraction realizes his stated intent to capture "the essence of flight." -The Metropolitan Museum of Art description

shira #2

When beginning a class assignment, it is best to approach it with an open mind and use creative energy. When one just looks to find the "right answer", your personal experience and energy will not be very apparent in your designs.

Objective criticism is a direct observation and shared understanding of the assignment where discussion is clear and to the point. Subjective criticism is more personal and one's feelings that have gone into the project are discussed. There may be some lack of clarity here, so subjective criticism may not be used as often as objective.

A cause and effect critique analyzes the compositional choices made by the artist. This helps the people critiquing see the details and understand the design more clearly.

A critique at the end of a project helps to determine strengths and weaknesses in designs. They can be quite helpful depending on the involvement of the group observing. An end of project critique determines what designs are most effective and why.

Shira #1

I would describe this reading to a friend as extremely thought provoking and informative, while a being a little redundant at times. There were some really interesting views on the characteristics in creative people. These people are much more open and embrace art and ideas differently than most. They are able to open their minds and find connections and similarities between seemingly different parts. This also includes extreme attentiveness to minor details and delve into unfamiliar topics that helps find new discoveries. Overall, I really enjoyed reading and while I did not relate to all of it, It was cool to think of people that I personally know and put them into the different categories.

Erica Markle, #4

I chose this piece because it is so unique. There is so much wire used in the horse, that there is barely any negative space in the piece. But that much wire also gives the piece texture, along with the careful placement of the wire. The form of this horse is extremely intricate and it looks as though it was probably extremely difficult to make. I like how with wire that makes the tail is curled to give it a different look than the rest of the horses body. I also found it interesting how the artist depicted the mane. The mane is much different looking than the rest of the horse, theres no wire filling the space, but i think that creates a good visual contrast.

Bridget Ryan #4 wire

I chose this sculpture because I thought it was very eye catching by the amount of wire used in this sculpture. I also like how the shadow of the bear is presented on the side of the figure. It looks very clean and made very well because i do not see any wires sticking out. The body shape of the figure really definds the shape of a real sized bear. I like how the person made paws and how they twisted the wire to make the little nails. Under the sculpture creates great negative space.

Shira #4

This wire sculpture has many different elements of depth and detail. The design of the table is simple but has a lot of negative space making it visually appealing. The pulled out chair from the table makes his sculpture extremely life-like. Both chairs have the same dimensions and mirror one another. The use of sharp lines give the table and chairs structure.

Jill Palmer #4

This wire sculpture is very visually interesting and really drew my attention. It is amazing that that this was made using only one medium. It was neatly crafted and the lines define the shape well. The curved lines are clean and smooth. The object is three demensional and almost appears to be real.

RAMIN #4

This wire sculpture drew my attention because it has a guitar in it and I like guitars. Besides that it has a table and I'm pretty grateful for tables. I also like how the negative space in looks so interesting and I'm amazed by the craftsmanship of the piece, the artist really captured a lot of small details.

Mariah LeBlanc #4

This wire design by Thomas Raschke is extremely intricate. The reason to why I was drawn to this wire design is simply because of all of its detail. Thomas purposely added each knob and handle, being very precise not to forget a detail. The wire design even appears to be sitting on a burner. Thomas Raschke did an incredible job using primary contours. Even without the secondary contours you have an amazing visual, and are able to understand what the design is. Thomas Raschke did an incrdible job, and I was visually drawn to this piece.

Gaby Piergentili #4

I chose this because the way he used lines to create the structure of a teddy bear grabbed me instantly. The simply curves of the lines make it unmistakable and genuiniely adorable. Its very clean and only a few lines are needed in order to creat the shape of the arms, legs, body, and head.

Allison Daigle #4

Thomas Raschke uses the element of line with wire to create a visually interesting piece of art. This particular design stood out to me because of how Raschke made the window look like it had great depth. The window is simple, but very well executed. I think the simplicity of the perfect lines used to create the design added to the final look. He was able to use smaller lines underneath the larger lines, which served as the primary skeleton, in order to achieve depth. When looking at Raschke's window, I feel like I am looking into an actual window, expecting to see the inside of a home. He was successful in using different lines of length and width to create depth.

Blog #4,Raschke Wire Sculpture

Look at all the Thomas Raschke wire designs on his website.

Pick one that you think is visuallly interesting and really look at how he defines the form using only the element of line.

Upload the image and write a short blog entry telling us why you are drawn to this image.

Shira-Linear Form #3

Designer: Jessica Hewitt

I really like and appreciate the simplicity of this design. There are crisp lines that draw your eye to the focal point, which is the flower at the tip of the design. The negative space reveals depth and shadow making this design really pop. Although the shapes are very simple, they say a lot and have a nice visual appeal.

OMG ITS RAMIN #3

This sculpture by Stanislav Szukalski titled Rooster of Gaul has a lot of lines and visual rhythm in it.


Circles and curves are repeated a lot, but they are not all the same or presented in the same way, creating variety along with rhythm. This piece uses asymmetrical balance and utilizes its negative space so that it is just as intriguing as the actual sculpture itself. It is also held up by thick pillars which I believe are also lines. By manipulating shadows he creates a sense of value within the piece. I think the focal point is the head of the rooster. The lines and arrows in the piece also create a sense of movement. There is obviously some sick texture going on here.

Bridget Ryan #3

George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee shoreline- photo: Mike Tantillo

The gradation pulls your eye to the other side of the bridge. In this photo the lines on the bridge are parallel to each other. On the bottom of the bridge you can see the negative space between the bridge and the water, it gives off a great shadows on the right side of bridge. The closer arch is the focal point in this picture because your eyes go right towards it because it is the biggest structure in the photo besides the brisge its self.

Gaby Piergentili #3

This was created by John GIlber Luebtow, his use of line and shape creates a visually dynamic structure. Also, the way he incorportates light into his piece emphasizes the positive and negative space.

Jill Palmer #3-Linear Form

I found this picture on photobucket. It was taken by the user gymnastjen16. This photograph is visually dynamic and depicts linear form with a good sense of rhythm. The repetition of lines creates rhythm. Combined with the shape, the lines also create movement and draw the viewer's eye around the curve of the rollercoaster. There is a lot of positive and negative space within the structure which adds to its form.

Mariah LeBlanc #3 Linear Form

To the left is a photo of the Bedford Butterfly Bridge. The architecture is Chris Wilkison Architects Ltd., and the engineer is Jan Brobrowski & Partners. The bridge is extremely interesting and a representative of linear form because of its lines, positive and negative space, and movement. The lines travel from left to right, and up and down. This always has your eye moving and demonstrates the positive and negative space. The positive and negative space allows you to look through the bridge and see the other side of the river. As the viewer I can assume the bridge is visually appealing from all sides because of the positive and negative space. The focal point of the bridge is the curved steel beams. The eye is automatically drawn to them do to their immense size and shape. The curve of the steel beams has your eye constantly moving giving the bridge movement. The bridge is full of linear form and is visually appealing.

Allison Daigle #3

I chose to photograph the Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial bridge because I am fortunate enough to live very close to it. I walk by the bridge daily, however I have never had an excuse to stop and photograph the bridge until now. The original concept of the bridge was thought up by a Swiss engineer, named Christian Menn. It's actual design was engineered by Ruchu Hsu. The bridge uses many principals and elements which are uniquely combined to create a beautiful piece of architect while serving as a functional piece of infrastructure at the same time. Lines are used throughout the bridge, in order to hold the base of bridge up. The lines also create positive and negative space throughout the entire overpass. The Zakim bridge was designed to be symmetrically balanced, most likely so that it could function properly, but it also adds visual interest. The bridge also uses the lines and negative space to create a sense of movement. I also see rhythm within the bridge. The way the lines are positioned in the pattern that they are create a rhythm within the bridge as a whole.

Erica Markle, #3 Linear Form

This photograph was taken by Chris Blakeley. This photo depicts numerous elements and principles and the major ones are very evident. There is a lot of positive and negative space used with the space in the lines of the ferris wheel. There is also very good use of light and dark, for the ferris wheel is very dark, while behind it is lit up. There isn't much color, but there are hints of faded color if the viewer looks closely. There are two subjects in the photo which is interesting because the eye doesn't directly go to one focal point. The line is the key aspect to the photo and the rhythm it creates makes it ll the more interesting to the viewer.

Megan Conte Linear Form

This was made by Gensler and Associates and is in Irvine, California.

I think this is really interesting because there is really no focal point and your eye moves all around and the lines create a good rhythm. It also has good positive and negative space.

Kaitlyn Brown #3 Linear Form

By Brooklyn New York Photographer Daniel A. Norman.

The positive and negative space between the lines really make your eyes go towards what's through the bridge.The lines in the bridge and the shadows reflecting from it are all symmetrical and really make your eyes move from the front to the back. The negative space is the focal point because that's what your eye is drawn to. It has gradation when you look further into the photograph it gradually gets smaller.

Blog Assignment #3-Linear Form

Find an image depicting linear form with a good sense of visual rhythm.

1. Save it.
2. Upload it.
3. Tell us who designed it
4. Briefly explain why it is visually dynamic using the Elements & Principles of Design

As always, the title of your post should be your name, followed by #3-Linear Form.

CHYEAHHH ITS RAMIN #2

1. When starting a class its important to fully understand the criteria rather than find the right answer because memorization and repetition is what robots do, and people aren't robots. Its obviously more favorable to understand an assignment because understanding is learning, and without understanding the assignment you don't learn anything. This comes down to Plato's approach to teaching and Socrate's approach to teaching. If I remember correctly, Plato did not seek to test his students because he knew that focusing on getting the "right answer" distracted from the overall purpose of education. Socrates, on the other hand, insisted that his students learn by memorizing and repeating. The western world has adopted Socrates approach to teaching, which is flawed, unfortunately.

2. Objective criticism is based on observation and is without personal bias while subjective criticism is more oriented towards one's personal view and how one feels about something. In class we'll use objective criticism because we're more concerned with how something looks on the outside than how somebody feels about it.

3. Cause and Effect critiques build on descriptive critiques because descriptive critiques first describe how the composition is composed and cause and effect critiques describe what effect the composition of the critique has.

4. The value of holding a critique at the end of a project is to help people see what they could have done differently or better and how it would have effected the work. Its like having a fresh set of eyes or some thing. It should be constructive

Allison Daigle #2

1. Understanding the assignment criteria means the student will fully comprehend the requirements, and work diligently with the criteria in mind. Trying to find the "right answer" is simply trying to please the teacher, and not digging further to do any extra work. If a person can fully understand the concepts of an assignment, they will do much better than if they were to seek the "right answer". Understanding the criteria definitely has a more favorable outcome, because students truly get into the project, and it allows them to be more successful.

2. Objective criticism focuses on compositional concerns, which includes looking at the balance, spatial depth, and unity. Subjective criticism focuses more on the personal impact it has within the critic and the object. Feeling's, meaning's and the artists' intent are all areas to look at. I believe we will be using subjective criticism in Art 120.

3. A cause and effect critique builds into a descriptive critique because as one realizes that the object is created of many circles, for example, they can conclude that the object has a circular balance.

4. Holding a critique at the end of a project allows the artist to improve their work after hearing the constructive thoughts and ideas. Most times, a critique will allow the artist to better the project they are working on.

Gaby Piergentili #2

1. Trying to find the right answer has a less favorable outcome because you are only looking for what you believe the teacher deems as correct. By understanding the assignment criteria you are able to use the assignment parameters to your creative potential.
2. Subjective criticism is more opinion based, while objective focuses more on the assigment guidlines and physicality of the artwork.
3. The analysis of cause and effect allows the critique to be more detailed in the sense that there is reasoning for the way a piece of art was constructed.
4. HOlding a critique at the end of a project allows the artist to furhter his or her work and create something that they may not have even thought of in their initial creation of the piece.

Jill Palmer Assignment #2

1. There is a huge difference between really trying to understand the assignment criteria and simply trying to find the "right answer". By trying to find the "right answer" you are cheating yourself. Understanding the assignment is a learning process on its own and you gain much more. This way usually has a more favorable outcome since you are challenging yourself, rather than taking the easier route.
2. Objective criticism is used to tell how well a work of art or design is using the elements and principles of design. Subjective criticism is used to descrive the personal impact of an image or the the narrative implications of the idea. We will mainly use objective criticism in our critiques because our discussions will primarly focus on basic compositional concerns.
3. A cause and effect critique builds on a descriptive one by discussing the consequences as well as choices.
4. A critique can be very valuable at the end of a project. It allows the artist to recieve feedback on their work and take in suggestions and ideas to use or work on for the next project.

Erica Markle, #2

1. Understanding the difference between really trying to understand the assignment and trying to find the right answer is very key to a successful and creative piece. As the reading states the first step is to recognize what aspects of the assignment are being evaluated. Then in creating the piece you must key into those so that as the artist, you know where judgments will be coming from. Distinguishing the criteria in an assignment helps the artist to understand the boundaries and work from there, leaving the mind open to creativity. If the artist is simply looking for the right answer are only learning the teacher’s solution, and not expanding upon his or her own ideas, thus hindering the creative process. Understanding the assignment criteria usually has a more favorable outcome because it really allows the artist to get creative on their own. When artists are just looking for the right answer they put up a block that will prevent them from maintaining a functioning creative outlet.

2. Objective criticism is based solely on how the piece puts the elements and principles of design to use and how well they are used. Discussion in an objective manner is directed around “compositional concerns” such as, how the piece was put together and the spatial depth with a mutual understanding of the assignments parameters. On the other hand, subjective criticism is a discussion of the personal impact of a piece and is more focused on meaning, the piece’s nature, and the artist’s intent. Subjective criticisms tend to be more general and broad because it is difficult to remain only focused on the artwork. We will mainly use objective criticism in our critiques because there is more discussion of ways to improve a piece rather than personal input about meaning as in subjective discussion. The author recommends that in a “foundation year” subjective criticism will not be as effective as objective criticism, which is clear-cut, and to the point.

3. With descriptive criticism the compositional choices of the artist are the key points of the critique. Descriptive criticism helps the observer see details and better understand the design, then the cause and effect comes into play and describes the outcomes of the design. The author puts it well when she states that cause and effect describes choices and their resulting consequences.

4. The value of holding a critique at the end of a project is that projects can be further enhanced after being critiqued. Especially in art, there is always room for improvement and when the artist is given the opportunity to hear suggestions from others on what can be improved, they could make an adjustment that makes their piece that much better. As the last reading discussed, an outsider’s opinion should always be valued, in this case your peers who have most likely don’t the same type of project, as you certainly are able to offer significant advice. Not only is critiquing helpful to improve a piece, but it is also helpful for the viewers to learn from the discussion revolving around the elements and principles of design.

Bridget Ryan 2 post

1) When beginning a class assignment the biggest difference between really trying to understand the assignment criteria and just simply trying to find the right answer is that you aren’t really putting your 100 % in the assignment. When trying to find the answer right away you aren’t really learning or remembering what your doing. When really trying to understand the assigned criteria you know what your looking for and understanding it, so when it comes to the day of the test you’ll ace the test or exam.

2) The difference between objective criticism and subjective criticism is that objective criticism is based on direct observation and usually has shared understandings of the assignment parameters. Subjective criticism is used when people describe personal impacts of images. We will mainly use objective criticism in our critiques because it is more based on a classroom-learning environment (which we are) because we can help each other with different ideas to improve on our artwork.

3) Cause and effect critique builds up on a descriptive one because it creates much more detail then the description part of the reading. In the reading it says, “ A cause and effect critique builds on this description…the design is very dynamic.” Also, the reading says, “ in a cause and effect critique, you discuss consequences as well as choice.

4) A value of holding a critique at the end of a project makes each and every student become a better artist because it helps people express new ideas to each other and to develop better artwork.

Megan Conte #2

1) The difference between understanding the assignment criteria and trying to find the right answer is that when you are just trying to find the right answer you aren'r really listening to what the assignment is and you are doing it just to get it done. When you are understanding the assignment criteria you are actually putting thought into it and remembering what you had done. And you will know, the purpose of the assignment, what your teacher wants you to learn from it and when is the assignment due.

2) Objective criticism is based on direct observation and the discussion is straight forward and other solutions are shared. Subjective criticism is when the discussion focuses on the subject and content of the design including the meaning of the work and the artists intent. We will mainly use objective criticism because it will help us learn from each other and we can give our ideas to help other peoples work.

3) A cause and effect critique builds on a descriptive one because it goes into more detail about why something has a certain look. For example from the reading: the design is primarily composed of diagonals would be descriptive. using cause and effect you would say because of the diagonals the design is very dynamic.

4) The value of holding a critique at the end of the project is to help each other out in the class and give out ideas to improve our work.

Kaitlyn Brown #2
In this article it made you think more about what you want to do, you brainstorm and make several different examples before you decide on a final product. Doing this you make sure you make artwork that your truly proud of. It also taught you that explaining your artwork to peers and getting advice on what you can do to improve you piece it gives you good ideas on what to do on your next project so you can improve as an artist. This article really made me try to think before starting on our first project so I can have a final project in mind for next class.

Mariah LeBlanc #2

1.) The difference between understanding the assignment's criteria and trying to find the "right answer" is to first determine the boundaries of the assignment. Once you know the boundaries of the assignment you are able to focus all of your energy in the right direction. When you are looking for the "right answer" you are simply looking for what the teacher wants. This is not helpful. Understanding the assignment's criteria will always lead to a better outcome. When you know your boundaries you have a creative freedom to work within those boundaries. When you are looking for the teacher's solution you will most likely not be as creative.
2.) Objective criticism is based on direct observation and an understanding of the assignments boundaries.The discussion is usually clear and straight forward, but alternative solutions may be discussed in depth. Subjective criticism is used to describe the personal impact of an image, and the meaning behind the idea. The discussion usually focuses on the subject and content of the design. Some key points to be discussed will probably be the meaning of the artwork, and what the artist was trying to convey. The discussion usually becomes very general, and includes a wide range of topics. Objective criticism will most likely be used in class critiques because it is very clear and to the point. Subjective criticism leaves space for the discussion to go off on a tangent. When using objective criticism you are more likely to learn something use full that you will be able to use in your project and further projects.
3.) A cause and effect critique has the ability to build on a descriptive one in the way that during a cause and effect critique you discuss the consequences and choices of the artwork. The cause and the effect gives more of a description to the painting. For example, because of all the curved lines in the picture, the artwork conveys movement.
4.) The value of holding a critique at the end of a project is to give you a better understanding of the design. The artist of the design will learn which parts of the artwork were done beautifully, and which parts could use some adjustments. A critique is very valuable to both the artist and the viewer. Everyone has the opportunity to learn something.

Blog Assignment #2-Developing Critical Thinking

The second reading, Developing Critical Thinking, which can be found on our Moodle site, will focus on the subject of critiques. They are an extremely valuable part of our course. Your knowledge of how to participate effectively in one will help make them interesting and meaningful.

Read this four page document carefully and then answer the following questions in a post.

1. When beginning a class assignment what is the difference between really trying to understand the assignment criteria and simply trying to find the "right answer"? Which usually has a more favorable outcome and why?
2. Describe the difference between objective criticism and subjective criticism. Why will we mainly use objective criticism in our critiques?
3. How does a cause and effect critique build on a descriptive one?
4. What is the value of holding a critique at the end of a project?

Allison Daigle #1

1. I would definitely recommend this reading to any friend. The excerpt provided guidelines in order to achieve success in class, and in every day life. The author touched upon different concepts throughout, however the concepts helped to build towards the main goal of becoming successful with every endeavor a person may face. First, the author introduced the seven characteristics of creative thinking. Then, we learned about balancing rational thinking with intuitions. I personally enjoyed this section, because it provided specific examples using real life situations. A person can also look to their daily surroundings for inspiration. The reading also explained how self knowledge is essential because it creates so many more possibilities for an imagination. The end of the reading stressed the important of research. Brainstorming, sketching in our sketchbook, and keeping an open mind were all ideas the author proposed in order to be successful.

2. The reading had different points that left an imprint in my mind. First, I could relate to the area of goal setting. Also, the explanation on time management will definitely help me in the future. Distributing tasks, creating sequences, and self reliance were all points that I could relate to. In my other courses this semester, a lot of reading has been assigned already. I can now manage my time, and hopefully not procrastinate when readings are due.

Erica Markle, #1

If I If I were asked to describe this reading to a friend I would tell them that it is very helpful if they want to better express their ideas through creativity. I would tell them that it really channeled into the essentials of being a creative person. It was a reliable source and insightful as it keyed into details of creativity that I had never recognized prior to reading this. In a way it is also an inspiring reading, for it pushes the reader to look within his or herself to bring out their creative side using the methods described. The reading covered a lot of material pertaining to creativity and its core concepts. The thing that stuck out most was how contradicting creativity can be. For example the author states that the person must take risks but be safe at the same time, be modest but prideful, and numerous other contradictions that one must take note of in the creative process. The reading also went into a lot of detail about goal setting, and how the individual must set realistic goals based solely on their own capabilities and talents. Time management, working together, making a sequence for your work, and using momentum are all other subjects to enhance creativity that were touched upon by the reading. The author pushes the reader to be realistic about projects, use materials wisely, always question, and work with others to enhance the product. Projects wont always come as second-nature, for most people it is a struggle, but if you invest time, effort, and really think the job will get done with ease. I was personally not surprised by a lot of the elements listed, but I had never actually thought about it as such a complex system. I thought it covered everything that anyone would ever need or want to know about creativity and grasped the readers attention as well. It was well organized and written so that it was easy to follow, and I believe it will trigger a lot of creativity within the reader.

2.) Reading this relates to me in that I was able to actually focus in on these methods and now I can use them to my advantage in this class. I work very slowly, especially when it comes to artwork, and that can be attributed to the fact that I am somewhat of a perfectionist. However, in reading I learned ways to avoid this problem, if I set up a sequence and use the tips the author talked about time management I can effectively finish projects on time. A lot of time I also find myself doubting my projects, but from reading this I know that if I look at the big picture, everything will come together into a piece that’s creative in my own way. When I thought of creativity I thought that it was something discovered and found within oneself I never actually took the advice that you can learn just as much or more by working with others. I will bring this technique into play as I do projects in class surrounding by a room of creative thinkers. Keeping an open mind and questioning everything will lead to success in this class, which is highly based on creativity. I think it will also help in my future career because I will keep the elements of creativity always in the back of my mind and refer back to them when I am struggling to complete a binding project. I believe that putting this advice to use could put me at an advantage in the workforce as compared to someone who is rigid and straightforward.