Friday, December 4, 2009

Lego Art



The Block Art

When I first saw this picture I just couldn't believe it was made entirely out of legos, or small plastic building blocks that children play with. The planning and design aspect is enormous, because the artist had to have carefully planned out were each piece had to go before he built it. And also, make sure that it looked symmetrical, as shown by the yellow man ripping himself open to reveal what he's made of: legos.





In fact, Nathan Sawaya, the artist responsible for these lego creations has an exhibit of lego people shown in yellow, blue, and red. I think it is really spectacular to see the amount of emotion in these "brick people", and how not any of the lego sculptures are fully constructed. By leaving parts out it seems to me he is saying that all people can fall apart.







I also found this lego video for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmWWfnKVbYY

Chalk, Street Art (cont.)



The street art i was looking at in my last blog dealt with 3-D imagery, and trying to get the picture to pop out. In this type of street art, the artist uses chalk and Michelangelo's "God Creates Man" painting from the Sistine Chapel ceiling as a reference to create his own copy of the masterpiece. Personally, I thought the artist did a great rendition of the original piece, spending countless hours and getting all of the details to match up. I wondered though, how was it different using chalk to copy a fresco painting. Did the difference in materials make it harder or easier? It was painstaking either way, because in the video of the artist making this modern copy, it took him 3 solid days of intense work to complete it.

Here is the video link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRmbhCs3A2k

I just think that this re-do of this Michelangelo piece shows just how popular Renassiance art is even today, and that it is easily recognizable and shows up countless times in our lives.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sidewalk Art

I have always wondered how artists have been able to use perspective and original designs to create street art. I have seen some of these designs and I am amazed at how realistic and complicated they are. They are usually made with chalk, and take hours upon hours to complete. Sometimes even using the surrounding buidings and objects to complete the design.






This amazing piece is by Edgar Muller and is a "Lava Burst [that] transformed a typical German street into a scene from the apocalypse for the 30th anniversary of the international competition of street painters in Geldern". When I first saw this picture I thought it had to be a digtal design, because the level of detail and pure scale of this project seemed so immense. I also though how he used the cars parked on the strret and the manhole cover integrated into the desgin was brilliant.




This large canyon picture was another amazing piece by Muller. I looked into it more online and found a video of him actually making it, and thought the process was very intricate.

Here is the link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SNYtd0Ayt0

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Most Expensive Paintings

How Much Would You Pay?





This painting was reportedly sold for $140,000,000 dollars. It is by Jackson Pollock, and is an example of his famous "drip" method. This is the most money a painting has ever sold for at an auction.


When I look at this painting I can think of thousands upon thousands of paintings that are of a higher quality, in my opinion. It just baffles me that a painting like this, and paintings in general can be sold for such unbelievable amounts of money.


It is true that the art collecting world is a rich man's game, and that if you want a painting by a famous artist, you will have to pay...by the millions.






This next painting is by Pablo Picasso, entitled "Garçon à la Pipe". This painting was sold for $104,100,00 in 2004. Even though this price for a Picasso was not out of the question, it was seen as surprising since it was not an example of his famous cubist technique.















Vincent Van Gogh makes the "top 10 most expensive paintings of all time" list 3 times. With this painting, "Portrait of Dr. Gachet", being sold for the most out of his works. Sold for $82,500,000, the purchaser wanted to be creamated with the painting when he died, although the painting was never burned after his death. But I can't blame the guy for trying to take it to his grave after paying that much money for it.




After all of my research I found out that only one painting, out of the top 10 most expensive, was out of the 19th or 20th century, whcih could mean that people value modern art more now...or perhaps only because all of the ancient art is in museums these days.

Our Very Own Architecture


Close to Home

I have been interested in the architecture of the Denver Art Museum ever since I went there for the very first time. I am a big fan of old Renaissance architecture, which is usually very symmetrical and orderly, so this building was quite a shock to me. It was so different than what I was used to seeing that it made me looked at architecture differently.






I really liked how the building seemed to be shooting out in all directions, with no real rhyme or reason to it. It was random. Yet with a real plan to it.




All of the angles and movement of the strcuture made it look completely unique from different viewpoints....inside and out. This picture suggests that some people might fall off the ledge!


The Denver Art Museum really is a one-of-a-kind building, and I am really proud to be able to say that it is located in my home town.

3-D Tattoos

Skin Art
One of my friends recently got a tattoo, so I became interested in some of the extreme extents that tattoo artistry can go. These are a few of the pictures that I thought were very eye-opening. The first picture looks incredibly realistic; it seems like it is actually ripping through the skin. I liked it because it seemlessly was one with the person and didn't look like it was just pasted on them.



This next tattoo also looked very realistic, and I felt as though the spider was just standing on the person's shoulder. I think the artist did a great job of shading to portray a sense of three dimensions around the subject. I also liked the placement of this tattoo. Any other place on the body might have looked akward, but having the spider on his shoulder made it that more believable. I know I did a double-take when I first looked at this.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Modern Car Design

Customization: color, shape, and vinyls

Car customization has been alive and well since the inception of the automobile. However, more recently, aftermarket car parts have taken off, and many car owners are looking to the almost unlimited amount of options to make their car their own expression. Beginning with the car itself, including it's unique shape and design, is like the pallete for which a driver can begin to apply his or her artwork.

The first thing somebody notices about a car is it's color. From vibrant oranges to lime greens, the color decides how the rest of the customization will be. For example, the second picture deals with a green car, and a blue vinyl (sticker) on it. This combination looks quite natural because both of the colors are cool colors, and blend together easily.



Some cars have extravagent designs on them, ranging from the actual of the body to the car to even the windows themselves. I really like this design on a Lamborghini, it realy fills out the car; however i thought it was interesting because this is such a fast car, it perplexed me to have such intricate artowrk on something that wont be seen on the road.

Skateboard Deck Design

The Possibilities are Endless



Take a guess at who desinged these skateboard decks...it is not a leading skateboard company, or not even somebody who is associated with skateboarding at all. It is none other than British artist Damien Hirst, who came together with 'Supreme' to release a series of 3 Skateboard decks. Hirst, who is known for spin paintings and graphic spot paintings, has added this to all decks. I know Hirst is not known for his paintings, as we plainly witnessed for oursleves in class; but I thought this spin desing of paint worked marvelously with the theme of skateboarding.





How all of the colors interact with one another and look as though they have just been thrown onto the piece of wood. It may not be a usual approach to deck design, but I think it represents skateboarding as a sport almost perfectly. The combination of tricks, fast movements, and the spinning sensation the rider gets when flying through the air....it is all represented on the bottom of the deck. I really like Damien Hirst's design here, and although I dont really like much of his other works, I found these to be quite intriguing and appropriate for this medium.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Impermanent Art

Car Window Art


Scott Wade is a very unique artist. His medium is dirt and dust...on the back of car windows. When I first saw his work I had to do a double take, because I didn't quite believe what I was seeing. His artwork is incredible. To be able to create such detailed shading and realsim out of a thin layer of dirt, it perplexed me. He uses many painting tools, and he says it is similiar to working with charcoal, taking the dirt off to show the image within.

I thought Wade's work is similiar to Goldsworthy's, in that, they both create artwork that they know is not permanent, and will be literally washed away in the near future. However, both artist's feel that the impermanence is a good thing, and makes them appreciate their work that much more.


He has replicated many famous paintings, to show just how incredible this form of art really can be. The first picture was of "The Girl With a Pearl Earing" and the last picture contains Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" overlapping Van Gogh's "Starry Night". I think to be able to do this is a testament to Wade's skill and passion for this form of artwork, and trying to show people that beauty can come from anything.

I am including a link to a video that shows just how Wade paints these car window masterpieces:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1wfWPtjxMA

Thursday, October 15, 2009

New Means of Artwork


More Public Art


I was looking around online for more forms of public artwork, for which I did one of my earlier blogs on, and I found an interesting video. It was similiar to a motion flip-book, where a person turns the pages and a series of images create the image of movement. This was different however, because the video showed the same flip art perspective, but with using stickers on the part of an escalator where people put their hands to hold on. It really intrigued me because I had never thought about anything like that, and I though it was an ingenious, if somewhat time consuming, way of expression.


I posted the link to the video:



I liked the imagery that the person used in this video, because it showed transforming objects and shapes, which would be perfect for such a medium.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Graffiti POV


Whenever I make my way into the heart of the city, graffiti is plastered on the walls. It is all around, covering the sides of buildings, trains cars, local businesses. Many people consider it a nuisance since it is viewed as vandalism and/or gang related. This may be true, and I do not support that reason for it’s use, but I have also been a witness to some incredible graffiti art that can be seen in a positive light.



Personally, I think graffiti looks ridiculously hard to create from just a can of spray paint. The precision and control it must take is really something to admire. Now what someone will do with the gift of a steady hand and a can of paint is up to them. If more people created influential works then this form of art work may start to be re-evaluated and seen as a viable option to express oneself.



I think most people would consider the following pictures as true, amazing, and inspirational works of art. The word graffiti has a negative connotation, but if more images of this nature starting appearing in the cities, people might have second thoughts about the power of spray paint and an open mind.



Logos: Marketing or Artwork?


I was recently watching a professional hockey game on television, and I noticed how intricate and laid out the players jerseys were. How their gigantic crest, showing what team they played for, took up their whole chest. How the color combinations on the uniforms flowed and made them appealing to the eye. I usually don’t pay any attention to these details, but I started to wonder: how are creating logos and jerseys for teams decided upon? And if the players were living, breathing artwork?


I started thinking in depth even more; a professional sports logo has to be meaningful and it has to be an easily recognized symbol that people can associate with, while making sure it looks good. I went to some of today’s modern sports teams for comparison. For example, the Colorado Avalanche hockey team has a picture of a big letter “A” with a swirling avalanche coming through it, which fit’s the criteria of being artistic, recognizable, and meaningful since actual avalanches take place in the state of Colorado.



Another example would be our local baseball team, the Colorado Rockies, whose logo may not be as artistic as some, but is meaningful because of the real-life Rocky Mountains, and is very recognizable.



In the end, I think logos are made for association and fan connection more than for art’s sake, but fortunately many sports logos are very artistic in their own right.

How Art is Influencing us Today



Artwork from times in humanities past has a way of influencing people today, and forever into the future. Either it be a direct correlation or a sense of inspiration to think about thinks differently, even possibly creating new art from it. I know in the Renaissance time period artists directly gained inspiration from their peers of the time, and looked to change their own work using new found techniques or styles being created. Today I think people continue to look into the past, even if it is to just completely go in the opposite direction with their art; because the past is vital in decoding the future. The only way to find out what is new is to first know what is old. It gives us perspective about the world around us.


Having taken several art classes during my time as a student, without a doubt many artists have influenced my thought process about pieces of art, and art as a whole. Different art gives me different emotions, and all art makes me stop and think, even if I don’t necessarily like what I am looking at. I’ve learned my thought process is continually shifting, changing every day, and how I view the world can change through art work.






These two pictures are just another example of how art can be a direct influence throughout time.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Street Art


Joshua Allen Harris


I found this video on youtube about street art that reminded me of the video we watched earlier this semester in class about Andy Goldsworthy's work. I saw a connection because Goldsworthy used the materials around him to create art out of everyday objects, and the artist in this video did the same. However, the difference is Goldsworthy used natural materials and Joshua Allen Harris used man-made objects in the city setting to create his artwork.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH6xCT2aTSo



I especially found it interesting how the creations that Harris made were directly influenced by their environment, having the air from the underground subways inflating or deflating them at different lengths of time.



Monday, October 5, 2009

The Importance of Setting

Video Game Level Design




Video games, like movies, and books, and other forms of artwork are apreciated because they sometimes bring an audience into a far away world, where the imagination can run wild. Where the senses become overwhelmed with color and vibrance and realism. However, video games somewhat differ in this experience because instead of just watching the action unfold, the audience controls the action right in front of them, with a push of several buttons.


The idea is to combine exploration and functionality with entertainment. For example, the first two pictures show very different settings; consisting of a possibley abandoned artic station to an Earthy romantic tone in the second image, with nature starting to overwhelm the man-made structures. Both are intriguing in their own way, drawing in the audience with a unique sense of wonderment and curiosity, while at the same time knowing they are no the first to step foot there.


This third picture adds a sense of depth to the environment, really provoking the audience and opening their imagination to interpretation of what and where this place is. I know when I was looking at these level designs I started to ask myslef these questions: What is this place? Why is it important? Does it serve a function? And why am I here?

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Camera Capturing Movement

The Rave Scene


Click on this box above to view video

Above I put a link of a video I made of my friend using colored lights to create amazing visual effects. He is very into the rave lifestyle, and is extremely talented at making designs and shapes with several lights and/or glowsticks. Personally, I think it is mesmerizing watching him do this, so I decided to film him and add some music to enhance the experience. I think it turned out great.











Here are also a couple of pictures of my friend using colored lights, and glowsticks attached to strings, while swirling them across his body. The trail of light effect was created by exposing the digital camera longer to the subject, thus having more light being exposed to the lens.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Role of Concept Art























Beginning to End...

In the video game community, artwork is a gigantic piece to the development of characters, backgrounds, and the overall finished product. The starting process relies heavily on visual ideas and initial concepts as a buliding block for the game. Above are two pictures; first on the left, a drawing of a regular soldier in the popular game Halo: ODST. Second, on the right is the finished soldier, with graphics completed to bring the drawing to life. There are many similiarites between the two, having the artist use the original sketch as a true guideline for the computerized desgin.


Above is another example of concept art from the 'Halo' gaming universe. This is a live-action drawing, that shows a real example of action in the game; including the soldiers in combat against their purple foe. It also brings more of the background, or setting into play. This helps further realize the potential product or experience that finished game will recreate in motion.



This is another interesting piece of concept art that I found online. I thought this one, better than any of the other ones, showed exactly what kind of environment the game wanted to compose of, along with creating a sense of emotional loneliness....which is interesting because most people wouldn't associate concept art as true finished art, when in reality, it may be the biggest piece of the puzzle.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Impact of the Artwork



The Rebirth of Art



The Renaissance is my favorite period of artwork, because of the entire re-birth of culture and education throughout Europe. Much of the artwork is symbolic and meaningful, having the artist taking great detail in his work. A lot of the paintings were either religous, or based on the important subjects of the time. This was due to how artwork was commisioned, or how the artist was paid for their work. The Church was responsible for spending a lot of it's money to produce masterpieces of art, in order to show the people who attended Church just how awe-inspiring these religious images, and sculptures actually were.



To me, this painting above: "The school of Athens" by Raphael, is a prime example that embodies the whole Renaissance movement, because it contains many historical figures throughout time in one place, representing philosophy, mathmatics, astronomy, painting, sculpting, literature, etc. showing just how powerful knowledge can be. I think it is very interesting how paintings reflect this time period, and how people went out of their way for the sake of learning.