Art Notes Compilation

Architecture

Six Decades of Sensuality Oscar Niemeyer, is an architect, and creator of innovative designs in steel, exposed concrete, and glass for the past 60 years. A dash of modernist ideals combined with a healthy dose of sensuous curves inspired by the female deni ens of his native country, Niemeyer!s designs simultaneously spar" controversy. #any of Niemeyer!s pro$ects, including the %rench Communist &arty 'ead(uarters in &aris and the )*+ story ,nited Nations -ecretariat in New .or" City, have become iconic monuments to his style. .et the Catholic Church refused to consecrate/ the &ampulha Church of -ao %rancisco de Assis 0/*123, until nearly a decade after it was built because of its unconventional design, 4n 5rasilia, Niemeyer!s domed and saucer+shaped structures, sna"ing wal"ways and ramps, and seemingly weightless monumental buildings seem to come from the future, but his philosophy is firmly rooted in the present, in the awareness of creating architectural spaces that attempt 6to ma"e this un$ust world a better place in which to live.7 At /0/, age hadn!t even showed this inventive architect8 Niemeyer continues to draft pro$ects for cultural centres, museums, and public spaces throughout the world, always with his distinctive artistic vision, one that embraces function, beauty, and a certain shoc" value. Oscar Niemeyer: Architect Oscar Niemeyer was born8 /*09 :ied8 20/2 'is designs were "nown for their8 free+flowing forms 'e collaborated in the design of 5ra il!s #inistry of ;ducation and 'ealth with <e Corbusier and <ucio Costa. 'is designs trademar"s are the heavy use of concrete, and propensity/ towards curves. =he final ,N building was based primarily on Niemeyer!s design, with significant elements also ta"en from his old collaborator Corbusier. =he highest award in Architecture is the &rit "er

'e once said 6it is important that the architect thin" not only of architecture but of how architecture can solve the problems of the world. =he architect!s role is to fight for a better world, where he can produce an architecture that serves everyone and not $ust a group of privileged people.7 Covered in Clay, Plastic, and Concrete: Alberto Burri's Crac ed Art =hroughout the course of human history, the merciless forces of war, disease, and natural disaster have wiped many communities from the map. -uch is true of the -icilian town of >ibellina, which was abandoned in the /*60s after a massive earth(ua"e. =he inhabitants of the hamlet fled for a different community, leaving behind a ghost town. 4n an existential wor" of apocalyptic proportions,Alberto 5urri covered the entire hamlet with crac"ed white concrete. Other wor"s, while much smaller in scale than the vast expanse of >ibellina, nevertheless evo"e the same arid, desolate loo" of crac"ed mud. =he artist elicited this effect from various materials, including mud, concrete, and a plastic substance "nown as acrovinilico. =here is a corporal feel to 5urri!s creations. 'is wor" was often charred and otherwise punished, creating a crisscross of ig agging scars that exposed the layers beneath the wounded surface. 'aving experienced the horrors of war as a doctor during ?orld ?ar 44, the artist explored themes related to human suffering. =he intimately personal inspiration behind 5urri!s crac"ed sculptures endows them with a timeless, universal relevance.

#ovement
#ovement -heet =riangles @eaching and sprawled figures creating lines that draw the viewer!s eyes across ?aving man at the pea" of the right triangle is the climax of hopeful mood and advancing motion.

#ovement8 =he act or process of moving, especially change of place or position, an effort. =his can either be an actual motion or it can be implied A the arrangement of the parts of an image to create a sense of motion by using lines, shapes, forms, and textures, that cause the eye to move over the wor". A principle of design, it can be a way of combining elements of art to produce the loo" of action. 4n a painting or photograph, for instance, movement refers to a presentation or suggestion of motion. 4n sculpture too, movement can refer to implied motion. 4n the sculpture too, movement can refer to implied motion. On the other hand, mobiles and "inetic sculptures are capable of actual motion as well.

!ovement in Scul"ture :iction to use in application speed force lines

&astels
Chal Pastels =he pigment is bound often with gum Arabic or tragacanth, and then moulded into stic"s, but so lightly that it crumbles onto the sufrance with the minimum of pressure. =his ma"es it both delicate and difficult to wor" with, as a result. =he softness of the pastel re(uires great care from the moment it is first pic"ed up until after the wor" has been framed. =here are hundreds of colours available to the artist 0for instance, there are probably ten "inds of whiteB3. 4t is best to ac(uire an assortment. 5ecause of the powdery, granular nature of the pigment, it cannot attain the same tonal values as, say, an oil panting. Also because of this, try to store pastels carefully. -eparate colours into groups of colour, each with its own box or compartment. Choice of paper8 4f possible, it!s nice to use a paper colour that is already part of the composition!s colour scheme. Areas of the paper can be left untouched, thus contributing to the overall harmony. 4t is important for the paper to have enough 6tooth7 to rasp off the pastel. 4n other words, it should be a bit thic"er and more textured than normal paper that you may be accustomed to. 'ow to remove pastel from the paper!s surfaceC A rag alone is not always ade(uate, but you should always be "ept ready at hand. A good (uality eraser both in typical rectangular format, as well as a finer stic"+form eraser can be (uite helpful. A dry paintbrush with fairly stiff bristles can also be used to brush away the pigment. Deep in mind8 a colour can never be totally obliterated by another. :on!t over smudge. 4t is possible to mix colours to some extent by wor"ing one colour into another which has already been applied to the paper.

5ut there is a danger of the colours losing their brilliance. %or an area which one feels has elements of several different colours, pastel is well suited to a divisionist approach, that is, brea"ing up the area into its different component colours in a minute $uxtaposition without rubbing them all together. =he subse(uent colour will be mixed in the eye rather than on the paper. =his will bring an area to life and give it more visual charm than an area of flat colour. 4t is not a good idea to sharpen a pastel. @ather, if a sharp or finer line is needed, the pastel can be bro"en in two to give a sharp corner to wor" with. =he drawing must be allowed to build up slowly or the powdery colours will mix and become unmanageable. Avoid resting the hand on the paper or the drawing will be smudged. -tumps E =ortillions E =orchons8 =hese are compressed pencils of blotting+paper or a similar substance, used for blending the pastel colours on the paper. =issues and F+tips can also be used for blending. %or a finished wor", it should be handled and displayed carefully to avoid smudging. #ost li"ely you would want it card mounted and framed to protect it. A fixative can be used to host the pastel to the paper. 4t can be applied at various stages, but is most often used once the wor" is done. A fixative is a smelly spray which should be used in a well+ventilated area. 'airspray wor"s too. Soft Chal Pastels chal" and clay, lovely to wor" with on paper, it!s a mix of painting and drawing. #ore pure pigment -oft velvety feel Narrower, great for drawing detail, harder to brea" &ure soft pigment, to smudge. &ressure oriented, variation of strength in the line. <ayering capacity.

Oil Pastels Oil pastels are stic" of pigment held together with an oily binder. =he colours are brighter than wax crayon colours. =hey are stronger and less brittle than soft pastels. =hey can be sharpened to a point with a "nife. 4f you press heavily, you will ma"e a brilliant coloured line. 4f you press lightly you will create a fu y line. .ou can fill in shapes with the brilliant colours. .ou can blend a variety of colour combinations. %or example, you can fill a shape with a soft layer of a huge and then colour over the hue with a heavy layer of white to create a uni(ue tint of that hue. Oil pastels can be used on almost on any surface or type of paper, but thinner paper might not stand up to the pressure and blending of using oil pastels. Deep a paper towel or tissue handy for blending and cleaning offy our fingers. Oil pastels may stain your clothes, so be careful. =ortillons E blending stumps, or F+tips are also good to have handy. A scraping tool such as a palette "nife or a credit card is also good to "eep with you while you wor". #ore difficult for control and detail <ines are prominent little bit more muted Cannot ad$ust the thic"ness of a line to the degree of a soft chal" pastel still utili es pressure, $ust not as great in control in comparison to soft chal" pastel. #ore expensive, easier to brea" because use of pure pigment. 0more vibrant colours3

4mpressionism E 4mpressionists
4mpressionism8 A style of painting in which artists captured an impression of what the eye sees at a given moment and the effect of sunlight on the sub$ect. =he impressionist style of painting is characteri ed chiefly by concentration on the general impression produced by a scene o ob$ect and the use of unmixed primary colours and small stro"es to simulate actual reflected light. 4t was a ma$or movement that developed chiefly in %rance during the late /*th and early 20th centuries. 4mpressionist painting comprises the wor" produced between about /G69 and /GG6. =he most conspicuous characteristic of impressionism was an attempt to record visual reality in terms of transient effects of light and colour. !arry Cassatt #$%&& ' $()*+ American, but she travelledi n ;urope a lot before moving to &aris in /G91. #any of her wor"s are of domestic everyday life and relationships between mother and child. As a painter, it was helpful to do studies and s"etches with pastels first. &astels are cheaper, more portble, and hav easier cleanup. -ome pastel s"etches and studies would be further developed as oil paintings after. =echni(ues -hadows of pastel wor"s are mostly complementary -wiftly applies stro"es of bright colour perhaps in line with capturing a fleeting moment. ;ven on the more finished wor"s, the pastels are not overwor"ed E over smudged. -tro"es of vivid colour are apparent. #ining of colours happens with stro"eso f different colours side by side. ,d-ar De-as #$%.& ' $($/+ Considered a master at drawing the human body in motion. %amous for drawings, paintings, and bron e sculptures of ballerinas and race horses. &astels was his favourite medium. Also li"ed to use unusual vantage points, asymmetrical composition, and unexpected cropping

:egas began by copying 4talian @enaissance paintings at the <ouvre, and trained in the studio of <ouis <amothe, who taught in the traditional academic style, with its emphasis on line and its insistence on the crucial importance of craftsmanship. :egas was also strongly influenced by the paintings and frescoes he saw during several long trips to 4taly in the late /GH0s.'e made many s"etches and drawing of them in his noteboo"s. 'e favoured scenes of ballet, dancers, laundresses, singers, and other deni ens of &arisian low life. 'is interests in ballet dancers intensified in the /G90s and eventually he produced approximately /,H00 wor"s on the sub$ect. =hese are not traditional portraits, but studies, that address the movement of the human body, exploring the physicality and discipline of the dancers through use of contorted postures, and unexpected vantage points. :egas also drew race horses. De-as' 01orse and rider2 art3or ?ood, unvarnished panel of wood ?ood colour s"y and distant landscape lots of red compliments convey shadow uneven ground light reflection impressionism

Cabinet of Curiosity
;veryone has been to a museum of some sort8 natural, history, science, fine art, tourist traps, or halls of fame. =he museum which gets its name from the >ree" word mouseion, meaning 6seat of the #uses7 originated as a place to discuss philosophy, mathematics, science, and politics. ;uropean museums of the /9th century developed into fancy houses devoted to collecting and categori ing noblemen!s scientific curiosities, from fossili ed teeth and bones to cultural oddities collected during the explorations of the Age of ;nlightenment. =wenty+first century museums stem from these earlier methods of collecting, preserving, interpreting, and displaying ob$ectsI some cover an encyclopedic range 0the 5ritish #useum in <ondon and the #etropolitan #useum of Art in New .or" City3 while others became highly speciali ed 0#useum of Neon Art in <os Angeles or 5aseball 'all of %ame in Cooperstown, New .or"3. -ince only a fraction of ob$ects in the tens of thousands of museum collections worldwide are on display at any given moment, many institutions devote time and energy to creating a collections and exhibitions database, accessible via the 4nternetI you can ta"e a virtual tour of the museum without leaving your home. =oday, many museums are free and provide an educational and entertaining day trip for families. And museums are not $ust vast depositories for ob$ects A they provide educational programs, guided tours, interactive exhibits, cafes, and at least one museum gift store where you can purchase boo"s or last minute gifts and souvenirs. =here!s always something for everyoneB

=upila"
4f you visit the island of Dalaalit Nunaat 0a"a >reenland3 you will be delighted by the astonishing variety of 4nuit artistry, which includes tupila"s, small grotes(ue figures carved in narwhal or walrus tooth, whale ivory, or reindeer antler, a tupila" can function a a highly charged man+made ob$ect, a spectral being, or a restless soul of the deceased. =upila"s became popular trade items after contact was made between indigenous peoples and ;uropean explorers in the late /*th century. @anging from two to twenty inches tall, tupila"s feature styli ed rendering of mythical animal and humanoid beings, and serve as important talismans. =raditionally, tupila"s were created to attac" and harm an enemy. Creating a tupilar" was not without its ha ardsI if the targeted victim of the spell had greater spiritual powers, the enchantment could reverseupon its creator and his community. =oday tupila"s are popular souvenirs and can be found in gift shops or on the 4nternet. A dent in your wallet is the biggest danger you may face when purchasing a tupila" A most reputable dealers charge upwards of J /,000 for a six inch totemic sculpture.

;lephants 0&ainting &achyderms3

4s that a -ri+siam, or perhaps a ?analeeC =he style is reminiscent of the early elephant masters.... ?hile you most li"ely won!t hear this any time soon, it!s conceivable. ;lephant artists have been creating original art since /**G, unbe"nownst to many people. Although re(uiring some human guidance at first, the elephants with aptitude soon start painting of their own accord A and some go on to produce wor"s that sell at auction for more than J 2,000. =he National ;lephant 4nstitute in =hailand has a cadre of /6 painting elephants, each with his or her own distinctive style that continues to mature over time. >rasping paintbrushes with their agile trun"s, these elephants create paintings that are often colourful, energetic, and surprisingly compositionally balanced. Kust li"e their human counterparts, elephant artists have good days as well as bad days when they literally wal" away from the canvas refusing to paint. =here is even a mar"et for 6fa"e7 elephant art, which A with the help of humans A resembles everyday ob$ect. Aum+#on ?eesatchanam, a former :irector of =he ;lephant Art >allery, believes that 6elephant art is an original painting that is created b an elephant, unaided by human hand,7 and feels that wor"s created with human help are no substitute for the real thing. <oo" through the hundreds of images out there, and you!ll find it hard to disagree. ?hat elephants do on their own is far more interesting than what they do with human intervention. Although these pachyderms have their share of critics, you can!t help but wonder if a human artist will one day crediting an elephant as an influence.