Podcast #5: The Book: The Codex and the Illuminated Manuscript | 1st century AD

Post an example of a scroll.
What were the drawbacks of the scroll?
-the only allowed the reader to read the text in the order it was written

Post an example of a codex.
What is a codex?
-covered and bound collection of handwritten pages

"Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why?
-because it is made from all wood

What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"?
-sequential access means one must go through the whole scroll to find information, rather than turning to any point

What were the advantages of using the codex?
-one could go to any point in the book to find information (random access)-more portable

What helped spread the use of the codex?
-the rise of christianity

What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it?-parchment paper; substrate made from animal skin such as sheep, goats, and cows

What is vellum?
-finer qualities of parchment which were made from skins of young calves

Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex?
-digital books such as the kindle and the Ipad

What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration?
-the decline of the roman empire










Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.

Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?
-monks

What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?
-the borders, illustrations, and ornamentation added to each page of text
-initials of chapters and paragraphs, paintings of borders and around text


What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?
-natural quill pens made from plucking turkeys

Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?
-because the work was laborious illuminated

What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?
-skill in an occupation or trade

Podcast #4: The Roman Alphabet | 7th century BC

What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
-the varient of the greek alphabet


What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
-a rigid, formal script was used for important mauscripts and official documents
-a quicker, more informal style was used for letters and routine types of writing

Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?
-serifs, institution of the baseline, type asthetics

From where did serifs originate?-serifs originated with the carving of words into stone

When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?
-middle ages from the new romans

What is a ligature and why were they utilized?
-a thing used for tying or binding something tightly







Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form. 

Podcast #4: The Phoenician Alphabet-800 BC

How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
-phoenicians regularly traveled to greece

How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?
-it represented only consonants

Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?
-it has given rise to many other alphabets in the middle east

Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?

-consonants and vowels
-some letters have resemblance 
-

Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form. 

Podcast #4: The Phoenician Alphabet-1050 BC

The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle?
-one sign represents one spoken sound

Describe the shape of the letters and what tool created them?-incised with a stylist; angular and straight

What two reasons made the Phoenician alphabet so successful?
-contrasted with other scripts; spread the alphabet in america and europe

What long term effects on the social structures of civilizations did the Phoenicians have with the creation of their alphabet?
-first widespread script
-simplicity
-allowed common people to learn how to write

Post an example of the Phoenician alphabet in visual form.

Photo Composition

Assignment 14 Research and Inspiration

Brainstorming:
-audience is the class and mrs. dayton
-fun
-sporty
-collaged
-sporty colors (blue, red. etc?)
-interesting
-eye catching

Inspiration:

I like the colors used in this poster. I also like the diagonal look that the words give off. I like the text used and how the picture is cut off of the page. It adds interest and mystery to the poster.

The colors work very well together in this design. I like how the words are varied on the sides of the paper. The font fits the subject well. It carries the eye through the design well.

I like how the big face is the whole background of the poster. It is also pink, which makes it interesting. The name is in black font, which adds emphasis to it and makes the eye look there first. The colors work well together.

Visual Organization

-not directing the audience through a design is misdirecting them

eye movement:
-the typical eye moves left to right and top to bottom
-controlling eye movement within a composition is a matter of directing the natural scanning tendency of the viewer's eye
-the eye tends to gravitate towards areas of complexity first
-in pictures of people, the eye is always attracted to the face and particularly the eye
-light areas of a composition attract the eye, especially when adjacent to a dark area
-diagonal lines or edges will guide eye movement

optical center:
-the spot where the human eye tends to enter a page
-slightly above the center and just to the left
-takes a compelling element to pull your eyes away from this spot

z-pattern:
-visual pattern makes a sweep of the page, generally, in the shape of a "z"
-maps a viewer's route through the information

font guidelines:
-use no more than 2 fonts within a page (make sure they complement each other)
-avoid all caps unless it's necessary
-choose the right font (according to theme or tone of composition)
-don't overuse fancy and complicated fonts

www.typography.com/email/2010_032010_03/index.htm

visual hierarchy: establish focal points based on their importance to the message thats being communicated

-what do i want the viewer to see first?

The Grid:
-way of organizing content on a page, using any combination of margins, guidelines, rows, and columns.
-instituted by modernism
-can assist the audience by breaking info into manageable chunks and establishing relationships between text and images
-distinct set of alignment-based relationships that act as guides for distributing elements across a format
-used to help clarify the message and to unify the elements

Podcast: Hieroglyphics: 3,000 B.C.

In the sixth century BC, what three civilizations invaded Egypt?
-Persians, greeks, and romans

Post an example of the inside wall(s) of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
What was discovered on the inside of the temples?
-carved and painted images written in egyptian hieroglyphics

Scholars believe that Ancient Egyptians were inspired and influenced by which written language?
-cuneiform

What is the difference between logographic and alphabetic elements?-logograms: visual symbols representing ideas or objects
                                                      -generally stylized and simplified

The term Hieroglyphic derived from what two Greek words?
-heiro= sacred
-glyphic= engraving or writing

What is a scribe?
-a school where you learned how to read and write

Who else was trained to read and write? Why?

-military leaders so they could communicate while in battle

Post an example of hieroglyphics on papyrus.
What is papyrus and how was it made?
-substrate made from reeds native to egypt; criss cross wet reeds

What is a substrate?
-responsible for writing a set of scrolls

What were the Books of the Dead?


How did Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics become a forgotten language?

-those who could read and write hieroglyphics disappeared

Post an example of the Rosetta Stone.
What is the Rosetta Stone? Where was it discovered?
-french soldiers found it while building a fort in rosetta

What three languages are included on the stone?
-egyptian hieroglyphics, demotic, and greek

Why couldn't the text on the Stone be deciphered?
-a chunk of the stone was missing and none of the texts were complete

Who finally deciphered the text? What was his breakthrough?
-the british; champollion; he was able to match up the symbols with the greek versions of the name egyptian pharoah ramses

Why does the interpretation of the Rosetta Stone have such significance?
-it told us a great deal about the ancient egyptians and hieroglyphics


 

Podcast: Cuneiform: 3.000 B.C.

The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?
-nomadic; they move from place to place

Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?
-it is where cuneiform was created

What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?
-agriculture



Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).
Why was Cuneiform created?-to help track business transactions

What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?
-clay tablets; they would wet the clay and form it into tablets; lay them in the sun allowing them to harden

What did Cuneiform begin as a series of?
-pictographs



Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).
After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into?
-they became wedge-shaped

Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.
After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language?
-the akkadians adopted the sumerian culture

What is a pictograph?
-a pictorial or visual representation of an object

Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?
-pictographs; sumerians became a target for many invading civilizations

Podcast: Cave Paintings; 35,000 Years Ago

What are cave paintings?
-beautiful, detailed and colorful representations found on the inside of cave walls and ceilings

Name several common themes found in cave paintings?
-large animals such as bison, horses, deer, and human hands and abstract paintings

How were these paintings created (tools, pigments)?
-water, plant juice, animal blood, soil, charcoal, and iron oxide

What is the most famous cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?



Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.
-Lascaux: 1940 by 4 teenaged boys.

Why did this cave have to be closed? What was done to satisfy public curiosity?
-damaged by carbon dioxide from tourists; the french government created Lascaux II (a man made replica next to the original)

Post an example of cave painting(s) from Altamira cave.
In Altamira cave, why do most of the paintings have a red hue?
-caused by the red clay in the soil

Who discovered this site? How old are the paintings confirmed to be?
Marceline sanz de sautuola and his daughter maria; 19,000 years ago

What is the oldest known cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?

-chauvet; 1994 by 3 speleogists



Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.


What was different about the painting techniques at this site?
-walls were scraped clear of debris and 3D effect was created by etching around the edges

What is "speleology"?
-

What three reasons do archeologists and historians believe prehistoric man created cave paintings?
1. created to tell a story or account an event that already happened
2.helped to teach about hunting techniques
3. magical or religious reasons