Finished Poster and Books

My three books and poster.

5 Color Sets

1. Mood (calm)
Calm

2. Temperature (Hot)
Hotness

3.Season (Spring)
Fresh Spring Day

4.Gender (Female)
Female Makeup

5. Persons Profession (Civil Engineer)
The Civil Engineer


The swatch titles for each set are what is under the second line of each number. Here is the link to all of them.

http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/search?term=alortega1215

Mini Poster Critique

These were the final two that were chosen. My group liked the way I used the words and they like the way how it compliments the ink mark. They like how the trail of the ink mark starts strong and then spreads out thinner and thinner because it goes well with my quote. They prefer the top one more because the like how the ink mark looks at the bottom of the page than at the top. They wanted the large font to be a little bit lower of the page because it looks like I am trying to force balance instead of it balancing on its own. Also they thought it would be better if the second part of the quote was a little bit smaller and upside down.

Modular Madness Critique

Everyone liked the geometric shape of my piece. They really liked the hole that I left because it makes them want to peer inside even though the piece is made out of thumbnails and they can easily prick themselves.. They really liked the spider web like threads that is wrapped around the whole piece. What could have been better is that the inside could have more interesting things inside to look at. Also they wanted it to be just a little bit bigger even though Hunter said that would actually hurt it because the spikes are so small that it would loose the feel of it being hazardous.

10 Mini Posters

The ten best choices of my posters.

Mark Making Contraption

My contraption is made up of clothes pins, rubber bands, pencils, and hot glue.

Close up shot.

Reminded of a little construction site so I shot the photo as if it were a tall building.

Inside details.

I grabbed a light and started playing with the shadows of it.

Here is my mark making contraption in action.

Modular Madness Process

I decided to use thumbnails and hot glue as my found object.

My object completed.

The inside of it has tabs of the clear boxes the thumbnails came in glued inside.

I left the strings of glue on the piece because I like the way it gave the  piece texture.

Harmony and Balance Reading

Harmony

To create unity, objects that are similar must be put together. However, too much of the same thing would become monotonous.

-One logical way to achieve unity is proximity. Put the same objects close together.

-Repetition can also be used to achieve unity. Repetition can create patterns that flow together.

-Continuation can also be used, however, it is more subtle.

-Continuity is especially important if making a book or magazine. There has to be some variations in the design otherwise it will become boring.

-Thematic unity: an arrangement of similar or related objects.

-The mind sometimes perceives shapes found in a design that aren't really there which is called closure.

-The grid can be used to organize a design.

Balance

There must be balance in a composition.

-Balance can be achieved through symmetry where both sides are like mirror images to each other.

-Asymmetry can also be used for balance because the slight difference makes the composition more interesting.

-Radial balance is symmetry in a spherical space.

- Crystallographic balance occurs when there is equal emphasis in an allover pattern

-Formal balance is more symmetrical

-Informal balance is more asymmetrical

-Inverted symmetry uses symmetry where one half is inverted

-Biaxial symmetry uses two axes of symmetry instead of just one

Reading from October 1st Lecture

I. Form and Visual Ordering

A. 3 essential components

1. subject
2. form
   1. The total arrangement of the composition and to the very act of organizing and composing it.
3. content

II. The Principles of Organization

A. Artist begins with the elements and applies to the seven principles of organization

1. Principles of organization: harmony, variety, balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economy
2. If successful then the artist has created visual unity

3. Harmony
   1. May be defined as a pleasing relationship between different sections of a composition
   2. Occurs when elements or independent parts have characteristics in common
   3. Thought as a factor of cohesion
   4. Vastly different areas or images will begin to harmonize if they are treated in a similar manner
      A. Repetition
      1. certain things are repeated or used more than once in the composition
      2. does not require exact duplication, just similarity
      3. Resemblances give a work a degree of harmony

B. Rhythm

1. a continuance, a flow, or a sense of movement that results from repeated beats
2. can be affected by the likeness of their character, their direction, their type, their value, their size, and so forth
3. creation of rhythm also relies on the repetition of pauses between repeating units.
4. Variation and the negative spaces, or intervals, helps create the rhythmic pattern
5. Added emphasis on certain beats adds to rhythm
6. In visual arts, the “pause” is a negative visual space or less-accented visual unit
7. Spacing (visual silence)

C. Pattern

1. a basic pattern is a motif

2. the motifs can then come together and create the allover pattern
3. motifs don't have to be just patterns and shapes, it can be a theme
4. motifs don't have to be exactly the same

D. Closure

1. mental process of assembling to create pattern

E. Visual Linking

1. closure unifies shapes that share an implied group relationship
2. shared space itself becomes the cohesive factor
   1) Shared Edges
   1. shapes that share a common edge

2) Overlapping

1. becomes a shared area

3) Transparency

1. shape or image is seen through another

4) Interpenetration

1. When several images not only share the same area but also appear to pass through each other

F. Linking through Extensions (Implied and Subjective Edges/Lines/Shapes)

G. Excessive Use of Harmony

IV. Variety

A. the counterweight to harmony, the other side of organization essential to unity.

B. Contrast

1. “opposition or dissimilarity” and occurs wherever elements with opposing characteristics are placed in the same area.
2. When artists repeat elements in a way that makes them appear unrelated- such as a few wide lines in a group of narrow ones- the differences, or contrasts, stand out.
3. Through the introduction of contrasts that an area, image, or shape is made to become emphasized or more dominant

100. Elaboration
     1. embellishment, or the enhancement of the surface with subtle information, minute details, and pattern.

D. The Dualism of Harmony and Variety

1. One can't exist without the other.

V. Balance

A. has gravitational influence

B. Symmetrical Balance (Formal Balance)

1. visual units are exactly the same on both sides

C. Approximate Symmetrical Balance

1. potential monotony of pure symmetry can be reduced by subtly varying the

nature of the repetition to achieve

D. Radial Balance

1. visual forces are distributed around a central point and often radiate from it.

E. Asymmetrical Balance (Informal/Occult Balance)

VI. Proportion

1. deals with the ratio of individual parts to one another or the the whole
2. scale is used when proportion is related to size and refers to a standard gauge or “norm” in order to judge the relationship between objects

VII. Dominance

A. to achieve dominance:

1. isolation- a separation of one part from the others
2. placement- “center stage” is most often used, but another position can be dominant, depending on the surroundings
3. direction- a movement that contrasts with others draws focus
4. scale or proportion- larger sizes normally dominate, but unusual scale or proportion also attracts attention
5. character- a significant difference in general appearance is striking

VIII. Movement

A. lets the eye wander around the artists work and go on a “tour”

IX. Economy

A. Requires to see what works in a piece and what doesn't so that you can remove or add

X. Space: Result of Elements and Principles

XI. Three-Dimensional Form and the Principles of Organization

A.can be tectonic-closed, massive, and simple

B. or atectonic – open, to a large degree

C. Harmony and Varitey

D. Balance

E. Proportion

F. Dominance

G. Movement

1. Illusionary
2. Kinetic- involves the physical movement of the work itself

E. Economy

Looking for Repetition

(1) Abstract Expressionism

Louise Bourgeois, Seven in Bed, 2001
 Line  because of how the bodies are all in a vertical shape creating lines as well as the arms themselves create lines intertwining. The work leans more on the chaotic side because it just looks like a mesh of bodies all together. Makes the viewer feel a little uncomfortable because it is seven people "in bed" and some have two heads.

Louise Bourgeois, Fugue, 2003
The element of shape is created here as well as line because your eye can't help but to see the circles lines create. It is not completely in the monotony side of the spectrum but leans a bit too it because although you see the same pattern, the pattern varies in scale quite a bit and they overlap so it makes it just a little bit chaotic. It makes me dizzy because my eye wants to follow the shape around and around and around.

  

Isamu Noguchi, Nine Floating Fountains
Mostly the element is shape because of the cubes and the water streaming down also creates a shape of a rectangular prism. It lies more on the monotony side of the spectrum because the water streams down together and compliments well with the cubes. It makes me feel that physics has been thrown out the window because it really does feel that the fountains are floating in the sky. It also looks very relaxing because of the simple cube shape and the water streaming down.

Isamu Noguchi, Akari Light Sculptures, 1960s

Line is the main element of these sculptures because as a whole they are vertical lines while horizontal lines make them up. It is very close in the monotony side of the spectrum because it is the lines are generally the same width and go in almost in the same direction. The repetition makes me feel calm and the shape the lines create are simple.

(2) Minimalism

John McCracken, Song, 2008
The main element is line because all you see are red vertical lines. The work is very to the monotony spectrum. Just a little bit off because the shades of red are not the same. The repetition to me is very harmonious with the bars all trying to be the same.

John McCracken, Dimension, 2004
Space is the main element in this installation because of how spread out the bars are that you can't help but look around and see them all. It is in the middle of the spectrum just because of how spaced out it is and the different colors of the bars. However, it is harmonious in the sense that the bars are the same size and shape. The repetition of it makes it look grand just because of how spaced out it is.

Dan Flavin, Untitled, 1996
The element of color dominates this piece because your eye focuses more on the light than the shape of it and you just want to see all the colors.There is also line. It is harmonious because it is the same pattern of colors over and over and the way it is vertical parallel lines. The repetition reminds me of a rainbow.

Dan Flavin, Untitled, 1973
Shape and line are the elements because you can't help but connect the lines into the squares that you see. The piece is incredibly harmonious because it makes the same shape and same color over and over. The green in the dark room makes it look gloomy and creepy. However, since the color is green it makes me feel a bit relaxed.

Another angle of the installation.

(3) Post Minimalism

Mona Hatoum, Light Sentence, 1992
Space and line are the elements that the installation creates. It is a bit chaotic here just because of the angle of the shadows the light creates. The repetition gives it a dark gloomy feel only because there is one small light source that gives off the shadow in a grand scale.

Mona Hatoum, Map, 1999
Shape is what is viewed here because you see the map of the world. It is a bit harmonious because it is used with the same object. It reminds me a little of the world at night and all the city lights are on.

Gabriel Orozco, Sand on Table, 1992-93
Shape and point are in this sculpture piece because of the shape the sand on the table makes and all the footprints look like points. It is in the middle but leans more on the harmonious side of the spectrum because of the sand. The repetition makes it look like you are just stuck in a desert.

Gabriel Orozco, Horses Running Endlessly, 1995
Mostly point because of how the Knights are located and the color of the squares spread out randomly. The piece is very chaotic because the knights are looking in various directions and the color of the squares are spread out randomly. The piece makes me feel like the horses are randomly lost and aimlessly fighting.

(4) Today (within last 10 years)

Lara Almarcegui, Construction of Rubble of Secession's Main Hall, 2010
The elements here are point because of the different rubble lying around in different points. The installation is in the middle of the spectrum just moving a little bit on the harmonious side. The scales of the mounds are different and it is different types of dirt but they all look like the same shape of rubble and very organized in their own type of dirt. I can see almost like the raw materials used to construct any building here and looking at the mounds makes me feel how much of each material is used.

Different angle.

Different angle.

Lara Almarcegui, An Empty Terrain in the Danshui River, 2008
Point shows up here because of the pamphlets spread out evenly. It is more on the monotony side of the spectrum because of how the pamphlets are the same and placed orderly on the table. Makes you want to pick up the pamphlet and look at them.

Célio Braga, Full Blown, 2003/2004
Shape is the main element because you want to see the square. It is greatly harmonious on the spectrum because it looks organized and with the same object and color over and over. The repetition blurs since the object is so small and it goes well together. Gives me a calming feeling since it is in a simple shape and a calm pastel yellow.

Closer look at the installation piece.

Célio Braga, Liquescent, 2004
Point and shape come up because of the various shapes spread out on the glass. It is chaotic because there are a variety of shapes on top of each other and seems to be only a little bit of order. The piece just makes you want to stare at it and look at all the different shapes that the artists has used.