What Makes a good portfolio website?

April 9th, 2010 by szenner

http://www.nickdanilov.com/

This website was extremely pleasing to walk through. Even though I didn’t particularly like his work I enjoyed his website. The music created a welcoming atmosphere that blended with the colors as well. It wasn’t like I was just going in to see art. It was like I was entering a gallery or some sort of cozy room with musicians and it made me feel at home. Even if I couldn’t find what i was looking for i wasn’t frustrated with it.

Plus the color gives it a greek feel, which goes well with the type of art that he does. Sort of like a rustic Greek street or something of the like. Everything blended well.

http://www.yukoart.com/index.html

This website wasn’t nearly as good. No music, and it seemed much more commercial, which destroyed a sense of intimacy with the art. However it was very easy to navigate, and organized.

http://www.tanyamerone.com/

This website looked almost like a blog, which I didn’t like the lack of formality. Plus the links at the top weren’t really needed, because you could just scroll down (I didn’t like that). The colors were nice, but they weren’t very original. The colors looked like they were from some sort of stock, and that says something about her work indirectly.

Video Art Quiz

March 26th, 2010 by szenner

Name an Early artist mentioned in the article for CONCEPTUAL WORK performing in front of the camera. Describe a work. (2 points)

Vito Acconci did a few conceptual works that were mentioned in the article. All of them revolved around confronting the viewer. Barraging the viewer with sexual invitations, word games, statements and questions he makes it apparent that video is only a medium not reality.

Name an artist mentioned who deals with PERSONAL NARRATIVE. Describe a work. (2 points)

Seoung Cho did a personal narrative doing activities that showcased his loneliness and longing in spirit. The regularity of life shows his emptiness and longing.

Describe the piece you were most interested in viewing after reading this article. Look the work up on the links, and expand on Rush’s comments. (2 points)

Many of the works intrigued me, but the upbeat charm of William Wegman’s dogs work its way over me. This video was much better than it worked its way out in my mind. Imagining dogs following something with such concentration comes nowhere close to actually seeing it. Each point he was addressing with this illustration was easily accepted, because of the humor that was evident in it.

What do you better understand now about Video Art? (2 points)

Originally I could correlate to it, because I had done a few similar things that involved video art (without knowing it). Yet I felt that the medium was somewhat limited, because the videos were not necessarily entertaining. They may have been fascinating or interesting videos, but they were at times longwinded and tiresome. Now I see the art and the purpose of such videos in our culture, as well as the ability to make them entertaining while retaining their message.

Based on Rush and this article, what makes Video Art vs. an “artful video”? (2 points)

Video Art is more distinctly alternative and against mainstream video like TV. It takes video and uses it as an end in itself rather than a medium to translate a story, image or sound. Because Video Art is seen as an end in itself the artists who use it generally know the electronics of the system, and exploit them to create experiences that are in themselves distinctly video (they do not mimic real life).

Artful Video is professional video as it has always been done. Things like sitcoms or television would fit under this category. Documentaries, the news or anything that is done for television is artful video, in that it showcases talent in using the video camera. However, the camera itself is merely a tool for them to express a story, event, etc.

Video Ideas

March 26th, 2010 by szenner

Everything in quotations starting with the “Not quite sure” and ending in the “am editing it” I posted a few days ago as a replied comment to Heather (I’m quite sure she saw it), yet I’m still not sure I want to do what I have planned in quotations.

To be completely honest over the past week much thought has gone into this movie, yet movie as a self-portrait still baffles me. If weened down to one thing that describes me I would pick Jesus (God). There is no debating that, but explanation of God is considerably difficult. Time and time again, as a Christian artist, forcing Him into my projects ends in failure. His word has taught me to rely on Him for such things, and allow Him to show Himself.

This leaves me in a bit of a predicament, as the project edges forward. Instead of planning this movie to be about anything, simply letting it be would be much more natural. Letting me be my unrestrained self in front of the camera would work better at articulating myself. Ideas may come to me and a few have, and not utilizing them would be stupid (and not to mention against my own character). Ultimately, I’m not against planning the video, yet not much has come to me except this unfettered idea of “natural me”.

Expansion on this idea involves hours of film, talking/reacting to cameras and acting plainly as if no one was watching.  Filming myself in the most mundane activities, like practicing an instrument, drawing, ect. would be one tactic used int eh film. Another tactic would be sudden outburst of things that happened to pop into my head (puns and such). Also explanations of myself that would be detailed and well thought out. Through this video I hope to lay all my cards on the table, and hopefully make some sort of point by the end of it.

Because of the manner of the video there won’t be many, if any, transitions (those are my thoughts at this point in the process). Many of the shots will be close-ups, because many of the surroundings of BG I don’t find particularly aesthetically pleasing. Yet many of the shots will be mid-ranged to show scenes with multiple people or an activity that I am participating in.  Ground shots I predict to be fairly common as well. Thinking ahead to process overwhelms my mind, because I’m still struggling with subject like I stated earlier. All that I can truly say is that the footage I take will be raw, and I wish to crop and show highlights to illustrate who I am.

“Not quite sure I want to do any of that. Thank you for your reply though. Truly I was just trying to get something moving in my head. My mind wasn’t working at all in the way of movies.

Now I know what I need to do.

If I’m going to do a self portrait movie it would have to revolve around God. There’s no getting around that fact. Art does nothing for me. Away from Jesus there is no purpose, joy or Love in my life. Don’t get me wrong, there are wonderful friends, family, etc in my life, but none of that can compare to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one who can pick my true self out brush me off and set me rolling again and that is my Savior. Art is only a part of my life to express how great he is and what he has done for me.
This movie needs to be candid. As far as monologue or dialogue I’m not sure what it will be, but it needs to be guttural and true. I’m positive I’ll do a voice over. There will probably be many frontal close up shots and profile ones. I want to interview people’s thoughts on God. I want to ask people questions and give testimonies.
My audience is college kids, so anywhere I go they’ll be able to I.D. it off the bat, since they live in the same environment. I want to use this fact to my advantage by cropping things out or putting a new spin on familiar things. God is the real subject of the film, so ultimately I’m trying to show him not a bunch of pretty backgrounds (so location doesn’t matter).
As far as the music goes I want to use some of my own if possible, but it doesn’t matter much to me. I may use some of my friends’ music or maybe write something for this project.
There will be a fast paced part of this movie, but there will also be an incredibly personal part of this movie. What people believe and my own conviction will be juxtaposed, but I’m still not 100% sure how this is going to come out until I have a ton of footage and am editing it.”

Movie Ideas

March 21st, 2010 by szenner

To be honest doing all these self-portraits gets wearisome, yet strangely the video self-portrait excites me. I’m not sure what I’d want to do for it, but things generally fall together when I start filming.

My ideas were sorta’ centered around faces. I was thinking I’d want to piece together a lot of faces or film many faces and play them back one after another intensely fast to the point where they begin to merge.

I was also thinking about doing some lip syncing with all the faces. That’d be a challenge, but that’s why I’m thinking in that way.

I definitely want some monologue/dialogue/trialogue?…

Some words…and most likely a good amount of music that I would compose.

Also thinking about lights…I want to do something with lights….not sure what yet…but i’m feeling it coming together slowly but surely.

Abstract Sketches

February 26th, 2010 by szenner

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Barbara Hepworth

February 18th, 2010 by szenner

Barbara Hepworth was a British artist who did much for the abstract sculptural movements in Britain. I am attracted to her work, because it is very organic looking, but still has hints of formal structure and geometric form. Much of what she does turns out looking like a fruit or a part of a plant or a cross-section of a living thing. Her work interests me, because it has this sort of creepy alien feel to it. There is structure to it that is distinct of something that has been formed deliberately outside of nature, but it seems as if it is from a completely different, out of this world type of culture. Almost as if aliens had left what primitive art they had left on our planet. That primitive art would be Barbara Hepworth’s collection.

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Vladimir Tatlin

February 17th, 2010 by szenner

Vladimir Tatlin was an artist who lived in soviet Russia. Unfortunately for him Soviet Russia was particularly interested in his work. He left behind a workshop of work, but little of it was actualized. He painted, sculpted and invented. However he most notably known for his design for a tower that was supposed to stand in St. Petersburg

tatlin-photomontageOther works of his are avante Garde sculptures and reliefs.

Vladimir Tatlin, corner Counter-reliefTatlin_Relief_2_1914tatlin-20

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Tatlin’s work looks like modern architecture, yet he was doing this in the 1900’s. His innovative style employing geometric forms and curves appealed to me greatly. Not only looking aesthetically pleasing, but also as if they could perform some sort of industrial function.

Alexander Archipenko

February 17th, 2010 by szenner

A Ukrainian artist who found himself in cubism Alexander Archipenko soon became a leading cubist sculptor in the movement.

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1968.6_1a1982.0007_lgWhat attracts me to Archipenko’s work is that it is a synthesis of geometric and figural forms. His work seems extremely neat and tidy. Also he is very minimalistic in form. Yet when compared with Eva Hesse and David Smith Archipenko definitely has much more polish to his work. It looks like a finished product instead of something that somebody found and welded together. The main reason for this is the humanity in his work. Human figures lone themselves to his work and make it much more interesting. Instead of looking at a clump of geometric forms and wondering what they mean we look at his and see simplified humans, and understand them simply.

David Smith

February 17th, 2010 by szenner

David Smith reigned in minimalism in the years following WWII. Most of his works were composed of welded materials, a skill he honed from previously working as an automobile welder. After seeing some of Picasso’s work Smith was inspired to continue with his own ideas.  Despite his climbing success David Smith’s style had still not completely been flushed out allowing for a great diversity in his work.

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THE REAL DAVID SMITH

iron-on-fire-50 SMithsculpture_group1956_57smithThere is much to be said about David Smith’s work, because of his range of styles it is hard to evaluate him. More pleasing to me are his geometric works that are similar to the top sculpture. Even though I am partial to some of his work there is an underlying style that encompasses all the different genres of his work. This underlying skeleton is the elegance that he works the metal of his sculptures. While at times he leans towards this movement or that movement in art ultimately he has defined that attempt at this or that as “his”. This property is what attracts me to his work. Seeing a diverse group of aesthetics linked together by common ground.

Eva Hesse

February 17th, 2010 by szenner

Born 1936 in Germany and dying a short 34 years later of Cancer Eva lived a vibrant life. Though her time with us was brief she left an impressive body of work that we might know her by.

Eva Hesse

As sculpture took its plunge into the modern world Eva Hesse was not far behind. She, a pioneer of minimalism, was a leader in pushing the definition of sculpture. Repeated, simplistic designs and new materials are her trademark.

Tapestries of Eva Hesse

Grand sculptures had the stereotypes connected with that of edifices. Large, impending, masculine forms defined the great sculptures of the past, but Eva turned that on its head.

Much of her work is composed of newly engineered materials, plastics, such as latex. Also Eva utilized string quite a bit in her work. Her unique materials allowed her to create sculpture that stretched, and encompassed much more than previous sculpture. It was quite possible for her to use a small amount of material and fill a large space.

StringParticularly, the originality that she displays in her work is why she is remembered. Never before had a sculpture looked so light yet monstrous, or simple in design.

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The shape and design of her sculpture forces us to redefine what sculpture is.

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