Art 101 - Creative Notebook

August 8, 2005

The Camera and Art

It was in 1839 that the camera was brought to the public, 30 years before the Civil War in the

United States. Before that time, art had been only accessible to the aristocracies and wealthy people in general. Artists were supported by the church and state. After the invention of the camera, such works as "The Battle of Issus" by Altdorfer were commissioned. Other battle scene works by such artists as Goya were commissioned after photos of war scenes were brought back to the citizens. Although Goya did not personally view battle scenes, photographs and hearsay from soldiers allowed him to use his own expressions to recreate those scenes on canvas.

Photography made social and political statements, and those emotions were echoed in the work of the artists during that time. Statements of truth and realism were made in works of art due to photography. Such works as "Guernica" by Picasso made political statements about opposition to war. The sharp edges and dark values of black and grey mimic a battle scene -- a scene possibly from the Spanish Civil War -- the war Picasso was protesting in his art.

The way in which mediums were used changed due to the camera. Paintbrushes were not used in the traditional manner as it was in classical paintings. Fine lines were abandoned. Instead, artists such as Monet used thick brush strokes to capture the passage of time on canvas, as the camera does. Just as the camera captures light, artists used the brush strokes to capture the way color and light affects an object.

Even as recent as the 20th century such works as "Iwo Jima", the sculpture, was a product of the camera. It is a direct replica of the photo taken during WWI. The way the light is used and motion is captured in the photo of the soldiers holding the American flag is evident in the sculpture. Just as the camera captures quick motions, so impressionists and expressionists used the brush stroke to recreate these motions. Soon artists became more interested in content, rather than the subject. Also, in mimicking the camera in its capturing of flashes of movement in photographs, art captured multiple perspectives. As the subject moved to different positions, the artist, in turn, would capture each motion and the way light changes with each new position.

August 12, 2005

Under the Parisian Sky

This is a beautiful photo of the bottom of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The sun was setting behind the buildings and trees and the patterns in the monument are very evident against the blue sky in silhouette.

August 11, 2005

Baby Cantalope Hanging Around

There is nothing like sitting on the patio and watching the fresh fruit grow. Here is a new cantalope growing along my patio fence. The contrast of the hunter green fruit against the brown wood is so earthy and natural. I adore nature and gardening.

August 10, 2005

My Sailor Man

This is the Italian love of my life coming out of the Chesapeake Bay and onto the boat. There's one thing that is better than gardening for sure -- sailing. Notice the horizon lines in the background and how, compared to the rope in the foreground, Michael gets smaller as he recedes into the background.

August 9, 2005

Come Sail Away

I remember as a tiny child being mesmerized by sailboats. I wore little sailor suits and dresses. I remember the day Michael and I brought this boat home and the christening party as if it was yesterday. The diagonal lines of sails are very apparent.

August 8, 2005

Synchronized Boating

Notice the rhythm of the boats and the main sail poles all in a row. Love those boats!!

August 5, 2005

It's a Bird, It's a Plane

The trees and boats become smaller as they recede into the background. Do you see the plane landing to the right?

August 4, 2005

The Smithsonian

Notice the contrasting lines closely. As the diagonal lines of the trees flow upward, the lines of the museum flow downward.

August 3, 2005

Rockefellar Center

It is not readily apparent here, but the ice skaters are in a pit. Not only do I love this picture, but I love this place and try to go here every time I go to New York City.

August 2, 2005

Teach the Children

The pattern of the rafters in the ceiling is unique, but I love the look on Josh's face as he makes his first attempt at ice skating.

August 1, 2005

The City of Lights in the Daylight

This is an overview of the city of Paris. The parallel lines and vertical lines of the city create a beautiful design.

July 29, 2005
The Red Room
My bedroom is my favorite room, because red is my favorite color. These monochromatic colors contrasts the deep, dark mahogany wood of the bed. The geometric shape of the canopy emphasizes the height of the ceilings.


July 28, 2005
Autumn Leaves
The deep red and orange hues of the autumn leaves sparkle through the rays of sun.


July 27, 2005
In the Cold of Winter
In Mississippi, there is no snow in the cold of winter, just aqua skies and leafless trees. The contour lines of the tree is like a work of symmetrical art.


July 26, 2005
University of Maryland on a Snow Day
I love this photo, because the chapel at the university is almost mystical as the sun goes down behind it and the snow covers the campus grounds.


July 25, 2005
Todd on the Ski Slope
This picture of Todd on the slopes is interesting as the slopes recede into the background, an example of linear perspective.


July 22, 2005
Sunflowers
Out in a Mississippi field on a hot summer day a bunch of Sunflowers swayed in the wind and I couldn't help but capture it.



July 21, 2005
Biracial Babies
This photo is in my collection of black & white photos. The shades of black, white and grey are evident in this photo. The pure white covering on the bed contrast with the dark mahogany bed posts. The darkness of my skin contrasts with the grey tones of the kid's skin. There are definitely values of light and dark throughout the photo. There is a sense of uniform or unity. The contour lines of the knuckles under the chins bring more emphasis to the faces. The implied line of the three, in the shape of a triangle, parallels the triangular headboard on the bed.


July 20, 2005
House in Seaside, Florida
This house is in Jim Carrey's movie "The Truman Show".
The house is filled with elements and principles of designs. The patterns on the fencing are repetitous triangles and diamonds. The element of geometric shape is evident by the square windows, rectangle doors and triangular roofs. Color is an obvious element in use -- pastels. The balance is symmetrical. I love this house because of its innocence. I understand why this neighborhood was chosen as the setting of Carrey's movie. The theme of the movie is lost innocence, also.



July 19, 2005
House on Martha's Vineyard
This is house is found in Oaks Bluff on the island of Martha's Vineyard. There is a long line of oddly painted homes along the water. As with the Seaside house, this house exhibits shapes of geometric form such as triangles, rectangles and circles. There are several patterns with the use of shapes. Directional lines are used on the rooftops.


July 18, 2005
Inauguration - Bill Clinton's Day
What a day this was -- the second inauguration of President Bill Clinton. The skies were blue and the colors were true. The contour lines of the domed Capitol Building seemed more grand on that day. The time and motion of the day is captured with the waving of the lone flag at the top of the building.


July 14, 2005
Kicking Up My Legs in Paris
The grandeur of the Eiffel Tower was just as evident on the day I visited it as it was the day construction of it was completed. This symmetrical photo of a triangular monument piercing the heavens is made up of a combination of lines. There are actually two horizon lines. The implied horizon is shaped by the trees and building in the background -- from the atmospheric perspective -- and the wall in the foreground, which I am sitting on. The emphasis or focal point is directly on the tower. I've seen this photo arrangement many times in the past, but it wasn't until I was in Paris that I understood the magnitude of the tower.


July 13, 2005
Monochromatic Seaside in Florida
I particularly like this photo because of the monochromatic color of the sea and sky. The linear perspective shows parallel lines receding into the backgroud at the vanishing point. This is also an example of actual light.


July 12, 2005
Atmospheric Autumn
Autumn is my favorite time of the year, so I enjoy looking at this photo. It is symmetrical, very well balanced. I remember the day that I was taking this photo vividly. I could not believe what I say through the lens. The hues of the trees from the atmospheric perspective are beautiful. The reflection of the trees in the water lightens the water, so the light is implied. There is a serene unity in this photo, almost utopian.


July 11, 2005
Black Unity, Color Mittens
This photo is one of many that I took as a child photographer. As you see, my little cousins were used during my pet projects. That was years ago and now their kids are actually at the age that they are in the photo. I have always loved winter and there is something about colorful mittens that excites kids. So, I dressed them in my fur coat, berets and scarves. The parallel lines on the wall gives the photo depth. The space has an overlapping perspective. The colors are vibrant. The subjects in the photo are unified. The motif on the floor displays an irregular rhythm that appears visually to be textured.