Scandinavian-art

Scandinavian art

Scandinavian art is coming from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. All these places are all rich of artifacts. All the Scandinavian countries have a lot of objects coming from Bronze Age, The Celtic and Germanic Iron Ages and also the famous Viking period.

Some information about Viking Period:

The Vikings were mostly  explorers, traders and warriors who stolen, bought and traffic goods, analysed and lived across huge parts of Europe, Asia and also the North Atlantic Islands  which started to do so in from the 8th century till mid 11th century.

Beliefs:

The used to believed in a family of gods which were named Odin, Thor , Loki and Frey. The god of Elements like lightning wind, etc was Thor. Thor was also the protector of the human kind. Loki was the god of evil. Frey was the god of productiveness of human.

Early influences on Scandinavian:

The Scream made by Edvard Munch, made in 1893

The painting was painted after the photographic Realist era and before Expressionists.

The artist used oil, tempera and pastels on cardboard.

Now is situated in the national Museum in Oslo.

What i can observe:

I can see a boy creaming with exaggerate face expression. The background is with fence and two people walking at the back of the boy. The sky and sea is curved. The colours of the sky are bright red and orange with a touch of blue. Both the sky and sea are formed with lines of pastel colours and tempera. There is also straight lines on the bridge section.  It gives feeling of loneliness and madness. I think it is influences from" the Starry night" by Van Gogh which was painted in 1889 so it is also influenced from post- impressionism period. 

The starry nights by Van Gogh

It was made with oil painting.

Common facts:

 The scream and the starry nights have the curvy lines and colour used in common

How artists got influenced from "the Scream":

The character the Simpsons 

Differences between the original version and the Simpsons version:

 Lines here are softer and blended with each other both the curved and the straight areas. The artist here made the fence more realistic that the original one. The artist choose to add the Simpsons character to create humour and even the black 3 characters walking at the back are coming from the same cartoons called The Simpsons.

humoristic painting from the scream by an artist named Ron.

The colours here appear brighter than the original one. The lines are still showing. The face has an illusion of three faces in one. The two people walking at the back are more recognized that the original one. 

References:

Andre Handley (2013).Listverse. 10 pop culture versions of famouse paintings. [online]/ Available on: http://listverse.com/2013/03/02/10-pop-culture-versions-of-famous-paintings/Accessed on 28th March,2014

Art and critique (2011).Edvard Munch: The scream. [online]. Availableon: http://artandcritique.com/edvard-munch-the-scream/ Accessed on: 28th March, 2014

Monica hon(2009). Youtube. Art in a hurry. [online]. Available on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEqxZGY8VOk Accessed on: 28th March, 2014

Symbolism- Art

Symbolism- Late 19th century movement

Symbolism is a period that was much older than Post-impressionism which was in 1850. The movement arose in France. Symbolism was a movement full of literature and visually symbolic paintings. It was also and was an international and global movement.  Symbolism way expressed by form, image which means something or associated with something special for the individual.  Symbolism was full of expressions which were sensitive to be expressed.  It was a time that government services did not exist so people had to look from where they can make money, get education and also invent solutions for medical care.  In their painting the artists used to add heroes, women, animals and also landscapes which were symbolizing love, death, sin, religion and disease. Sometimes the artists of that time used to add symbols instead of real life scenes or things to represent a thing.  Symbolism was a movement against the poorly visual art of realism and impressionism period and the movement wanted to start represent drawing with symbols.  It was influenced from Pre-Raphaelite and Romanticism art.

"The poor fisherman" going back in 1881.

• It was made by Piere Puvis De Chavannes.
• Used Oil colours
• Infleunced Picasso

My opinion: 

the artist tried to express that the man is trying his best to catch some fish to be able to feed the baby behind him.  The face expression on the man`s face looks speechless and sad. The picture is showing that the time was hard to be lived easily.

The woman at the back is picking some flowers and supposed to take care of the baby. The colours used are dull maybe because that the pictures bring sad feelings to the audience.  I can observe reflections og the boat on the water. In my opinion the artist tried to make it realistically but does not manage to do so. Although there are some shades and tones to become realistic it is not realistic enough. 

"The fisherman" by George Bellows

• It was made in 1917 and It is clearly inspired from 'The Poor fisherman' By Piere Puvis De Chavannes.
• I can see a man struggle to catch fish on a rock.
•  The sea is wavy and the weather looks dull. The colours are bright. 
• There is a part dull and a part bright so there is a contrast. 

Differences:

 'The Poor fisherman' has dull colours and the man is standing straight from front view without an expression. He is standing on a boat and the sea is calm while the other painting from George bellow shows a contrast of brightness and dull colours. The man looks a bit anxious from the back trying to catch the fish. The sea is wavy. 

References:

Brunodilen (2014).Artinthepicture.what is symbolism.[online] Available on: http://www.artinthepicture.com/styles/Symbolism/ Accessed on:28th March,2014

Ducksters (2014). Art history and artists. Symbolism.[Online]. Available on: http://www.ducksters.com/history/art/symbolism.php Accessed on:28th March 2014

Dr. JeanneS.M Willette (2009). Symbolism art and poetry. Symbolism. [online]. Available on: http://www.arthistoryunstuffed.com/tag/symbolism/ Accessed on: 28th March. 2014

Gothic revival- design

Gothic revival

The Gothic revival started in the 19th century which was an architectural movement. The movement began in England in 1740. It was developed when the Neo-classical style was at its best and people were desperate for something different. It is inspired from Romantic movement in Architecture of Houses, churches and also schools. They used to design by getting inspired from medieval designs.  The forms were a comeback of inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome.

Gothic period is often associated  by a group of people with white skin and  wears dark, ghosts, suspected houses  but the truth is that Gothic period was developed for a better live and mostly into the churches. Gothic style was there to be applied mostly on architecture designs such as houses, churches and even schools. In Gothic period allot of historical cathedrals and churches were built mostly in Europe in England and also in France. The Gothic style we see allot of pointed arches which were inspired from Islamic cultural architecture that were located in Spain. The Pointed arches were there to be able to reduce the lengths of the columns or piers that were there to support the arch. The columns became part of the design of the pointed arches because they complete with each other.

Westminster Abbey In London 

• It was one of the very beginning of the Gothic architecture. 

Westminster Abbey from the inside

Westminster Abbey information:

This cathedral was built in the 13th century it is now named The Collegiate church of St Peter. The Cathedral is located in London. It is a place where funerals of Edward the Confessor, Henry Purcel and more famous people took place. They were a group of architects that took part to build this cathedral. 

Notre dame De Chartres:

Notre Dame De chartres situated in France

Notre dame De Chartres from the inside

• The church started to built in 1193 and was ready in 1250.

Gothic Architecture Spreading trough America:

Trinity Church, New York,

• It started to built in1839 and was ready 1846.

  

  Trinity Church, New York and the art from the inside

• How it looks from the inside but several changed were there from that time till now. It is adored not only for the architectural design but also for the stained glass in it today.

• The architect was Richard Upjohn. 

How The architecture completed to be inspired from the Gothic revival Period:

This House was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1844

• The pointed arches completed to be seen in architectural design but as we can see here the arches are even more pointed than the cathedrals of long time ago.  

Some more Gothic inspired architecture designs:

• As we can see in these pictures the dark colours completed to be associated with Gothic style.

• The dark colours and the way the textiles are folded to look the like the cathedral arches are clearly showing that this is inspired from Gothic revival period.

  

  Cathedral side table by Nabu Miake

• It is a Contemporary table coming from Gothic inspirations. The legs of the table are inspired from Gothic cathedrals

References:

Freshhome (2007). Fascinated Design Combining Gothic Inspirations and modern techniques. [Online]. Available on: http://freshome.com/2011/11/21/fascinating-design-combining-gothic-inspiration-and-modern-techniques/ Accessed on: 27th March, 2014

Emporis (2000). Motre dame de Chartres. Facts. [Online]. Available on: 

http://www.emporis.com/building/notredamedechartres-chartres-france Accessed on: 27th March, 2014

Westminster abbey (2013).History.[Online]. Available on: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history Accessed on: 27th March, 2014

V and A (2014). Gothic Architecture. [Online]. Available on: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/g/gothic-architecture/ Accessed on: 27th March 2014

 Architecture , landscape, and Urban Design. Gothiv Revival. [Online]. Available on: http://architecturestyles.org/gothic-revival/ Accessed on: 27th March, 2014

Pennsylvania historical and museum commission (2014). Gothic Revival style 1830-1860.[Online] Available on: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/mid-19th_century_period/2386/gothic_revival_style/293443 Accessed on 27th March, 2014

History of Design -Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution

This period began in th 18th century and ended in 19 th century. It was a period that made huge differences in Agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport, and technology which effected how people look in socio economics and started to analyse how to progress the society. It was a period that started the cultures from United Kingdom and then went through Europe, North America and all over the world. The Industrial Revolution was influenced in daily life because of transformation in economy.

Before the industrial revolution every little thing had to be by hand but now there is a huge variety of technology and machinery to make something you want possible in less time. Farmers also started to leave their work to join a factory. The first innovation for textile industry was the flying shuttle in 1733 made by John Jay that made it easy to weave and from there different inventors completed to invent more inventions. Industrial revolution even started to transform how to make other items such as furniture made by wood and other useful items made of both resistant and non resistant materials.

Picture from the industrial revolution

Flying shuttle invented in 1733 by John Kay

Modern Factory started in England

Today we live with al lot of products that we can`t imagine our lives without them. Before the industrial revolutions every thin was different in a way that someone who had two shirts were considered richer than the one who had 1 shirt. Until Sir Richard Arkwright designed new spinning mills which were capable to turn threads and yarn into weaved fabric.

 Sir Richard Arkwright had the pride to say that he began the modern factory with good designed spinning machine. England started to export the ready weaved fabric to other countries.  Spinning Machine and the modern Factory was a door for al lot of jobs and some people started to move to England to be able to find a job.  Industrial revolution gained some health benefits due to almost everyone was exposed to wear something to cover their body and be protected from infections of any other health conditions.

The disadvantages of that time were not aware of safety in factories and were leaving dust all over the factory but by time everything settles and became more hygienic and safe to work in.

Sir Richard Arkwright 

The factory in England

The spinning Jenny Invented by James Hargreaves in  1764

The spinning Jenny made it easier to produce a yarn or thread from fibres.  People stories say that It was introduced from a carpenter and a weaver when his daughter Named Jenny taped on a spinning wheel and as James Hargreaves observed closely how the spindle  across the floor  the idea popped in his mind to create the spinning Jenny. Before the introduction of the spinning Jenny there was already an invention with the same function  but was not improved enough  but no one know who was the person behind the spinning wheel of the 13th century.

The spinning Jenny

Samuel Slater

Samuel was the one who introduced the industrial revolution to America. Samuel Slater was a manufacturer. He loved machinery and made variety of textiles technology to make the industry easier for professionals and for people who had a hobby doing these things in America. He has designed the textiles mills and managed to build up a cotton spinning machine.

Samuel Slater who introduced the industrial revolution to America

Textile Mill Samuel Slater designed

Assembly line

The Assembly line was an important part in industrial revolution. Assembly line is an order of workers and machines in a work place or factory which are assemble products. Every individual had there own responsibilities to make certain work in certain time to make the products done. The factory started to have sections of specific process. Assembly line was the beginning of faster production and because of that prices were cheaper so all the people can effort to buy the items. Employments completed to become easier to enter the company. It began in 1908 and completed to develop till 1915 from ford Motor company. Behind the assembly line there was Henry Ford who had a mind of a genius in fast production. Although women workers was happy that they got a workplace they still were treated bad abused mentally and sometimes physically.  In the 19th and 20th century started to protest and making strikes to bring workers rights.

Progressive era

On the 20th century started the progressive era and here when the labor quality improved. They tried their best to improve the rights of the employees and women rights both if they are working as housekeepers and in a production industry.  The children who were working at that time started to work without a lot of harsh rules and government bring minimum working age and maximum allocated hours realistically enough to be worked without feeling too much stress.

women on strikes

working in Assembly line

in time they completed to make changes for women house wife's and employees rights. Now a days they have the right to take leave, a lot of companies have good salaries and have labor to fight for worker rights. The Progressive era was just the beginning to remove harsh rules in work places. 

Thomas Savery- steam engine

There were other useful inventions in Industrial revolution on of them is the steam engin by Thomas savery who were an English Military engineer.  The steam engline was introduced in 19th century

Steam engine

Thomas Savery who invented the steam engine.

References:

CC-BY-SA (2003).Industrial revolution[internet].[online] Available on 

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Industrial_Revolution.html Accesed on 14 th March, 2014

Mary Bellis (2014). about.com .Inventors. Industrial revolution-timeline of textiles machinery. Available on: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blindustrialrevolutiontextiles.htm Accessed on: 14th March, 2014

Mary Bellis (2014). About.com. inventors. Industrial revolution-Pictures from the industrial revolution. [online]. Available on: http://inventors.about.com/od/indrevolution/ss/Industrial_Revo_2.htm Accessed on: 14th March. 2014

Mary Bellis (2014). About.com. Inventors.The spinning wheel. [Online]. Available on: http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/Spinning-Wheel.htm Accessed on 14th March,2014

Mary Bellis (2014). About.com. Inventors. spinning frame- water frame. [Online]. Available on: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blspinningframe.htm#slater Accessed on: 14th March, 2014

History (2014).History. Industrial Revolution. [Online]. Available on: http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution Accessed on: 14th March, 2014

GreenNet. 19TH and early 20th century. [Online]. Available on: http://www.striking-women.org/module/women-and-work/19th-and-early-20th-century Accessed on: 14th March,2014

PBS online (1998).A science odessey. People and discoveries.[online]. Available on : http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dt13as.html Accessed on: 14th March, 2014

Mary Bellis (2014). Abot.com. Inventors. The history of steam engines. [Online]. Available on: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsteamengine.htm Accessed on: 14th March,2014

St James Cavallier 1st visit

St James Cavalier visits-3/5/14

Moira  Zahra Exhibition

Moira Zahra is a free agent of illustrator, graphic design and movement digital artist and I teach Graphics, interactive Media and Digital art. She studied at Arts London specializing in digital arts.Moira is now a lecturer In Mcast Art and Design. The exhibition she exhibited in is called "Xebgha nies".

The name of the illustration is Downtown and its media are Indian ink, watercolours and pencil. I can see a red clothed woman holding red umbrella with a pointed shoes and red lipstick. There is also an insect besides her. The background is typically Maltese streets because the style of the balconies. The woman has some tones of the same colour and it looks cartoonish because of the really thin legs and neck, rotated face and unrealistic figure. Everything is full of fine contours of pencil and Indian ink. The insect is unrealistic because its proportion and again looks cartoonish. The background looks more realistic than the woman because the artist wanted the women to stand out. Moira used the red on the woman to give importance. She left the background on gray scale to focus on the woman. I observe some shades of gray and left some parts white. The black areas are giving some contrasts. The illustration feels smooth.  The woman looks elegant and over powered because of the pose and the way she is wearing. Red dressed women often symbolize sexuality because the colour draws the eye. I can see straight and curved lines which are giving movement.

Although I like the illustration I would not consider hanging it at my house because it is too simple to be done. It is more like a sketch that a finished drawing.  I would add a soft colour to the sky so I would recognize the weather. Overall the painting is still reflecting the talent of the artist because it is original.

Its name is Encounters and the medium used are pencil and Indian ink. It is another illustration from Moira Zahra. I can see 5 people waiting to cross the road which one of them holding an insect like a pet. The people are cartoonish because of the thin body and unrealistic faces. The legs are exaggerated in proportion.  All face are tall and with serious look. The artist used only black on with. The figures are all contoured with black. There are both thin and thick lines. I can see free flowing lines which are creating movement. There are also stiff lines. I can also see geometrical shapes like rectangles, circles and triangles. There is a lot of negative space around, between legs and between each other.  The surface feels smooth.

The artists managed to create a feeling of fed up of waiting with just contours and some black fillings. The characters she created are original. I like the simplicity in the illustration.

This is another illustration from Moira Zahra. It name is Spots and she used Pencil and Indian ink. I can see a woman with insect look riding a bicycle. It is full of spots on the clothes, backpack, and scarf and also on the bicycle. The woman has facials of insects. In the pack she is carrying an insect which is taking care of him like it was her toddler. The scene is cartoonish because the thin body, unrealistic faces and bicycle.  It is full of contours both thin and thick. I can see geometric shapes which are the circles. There are also straight lines. The curved lines are giving movement. I can observe a lot of negative space around and in the bicycle.

In my opinion it is giving me a message of caring for others because she is taking care of insect like its her baby. I like the simplicity and the original fantasy character.

My thoughts and ideas for future projects:
She gave me a lot of ideas  for future projects one of them is that I can experiment with faces by adding insects of animal facial features. To create a character it is important to research about animal and insects facial expression and pay attention to detail to be able to add into character`s face. The artist also gave me ideas from the repetition f pattern she used on cloths and also on the bicycle wheels. The way she experimented with the scale of shapes inspired me  for future designs. The artist also added a story in her illustrations so it would be nice to think of a story before starting my future projects to be even more interesting to the audience.

Saviour Baldacchino

He emphasis on facial expressions, it is something that attracts him. Baldacchino likes to confront others facial expressions, emotions and state of mind to add them to his paintings. To be able to create these emotions a facial expressions he use a variety of colours , light , curves and even spaces.

It is called Last dinner which is cartoonish of last supper. He used oil on canvas. I can see vaiety of facial expressions. The focal point is the middle person which is with a serious expression. There is free flowing lined which are implied. Some lines are thin and some are tick. The colour scheme is monochrome because of the different shades and tone of black. It is a grayscale painting. some are scared , angry shocked and scandalised. It is like some are against the middle person and only the woman behind him is with him. I can observe a bit of brown colour on the clothes of the two on the left. It is like a violence going to happen because the way he is holding the knife. The middle person is worried maybe because what's going on on the world. The middle person in my opinion is symbolizing god.  The people looks cartoonish because if the ultra curviness on the faces. The painting feels smooth and straight.

In my opinion it is a very detailed painting which gives a message of god worrying about us. I would not change a lot in it. I would add some shades on the back ground.

Its name is breast of Agatha with oil painting on canvas. It is symbolising the story of Agatha tortured with finally her breast cut off.  It is cartoonish and created in humorist way. I can see one with mischievous facial expression holding the woman from the back to be able to cut off her breast. The three of them have a mischievous and suspicious facial expression. Her expression is scared. The Suspicious ones are wearing black like thieves. It is full of curved lines.  The background is Technicolor with tint of red and blue and some with for light. The focal point is the woman because it is the bigger figure. It is a detailed painting with a lot of shades and tones for realistic cartoonish look.

In my opinion it is very talented painting focusing on the facial expressions. I would change her facial expression and make it look scarier. Over all the painting is very well painted.

My own thoughts and ideas for future projects:
This is another humour collection of art works. For future work the artist showed me how important to add humour in some art works and even in 3d designs to transfer a laugh on people`s face. When observing these paintings I noticed a detail scene with not so attractive characters but still interesting to look at because they are artistically painted. I learned that you have to think wisely before starting a project and try your best to  interest people to look at.  In my future projects I will surely be looking at people facial expressions before starting a project. I will also look at other religious/political items and transform them originally with different face expressions. I learned that in the future it will be interesting to experiment with faces shapes.

References:
Moira Zahra (2011). Behance.Malta. [online] Available on:  http://www.behance.net/moirazahra

 Accessed on: 15th March. 2014

Saviour Baldacchino (2004). Gallery last touch. [online]. Available on: http://www.gallerylasttouch.com/Artists/ArtistPage.aspx?Artist=Saviour%20Baldacchino Accessed on: 15th March, 2015