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

Assignment 13 Research and Inspiration

Research:


Found on Wikipedia: Exquisite corpse, also known as exquisite cadaver (from the original French term cadavre exquis) or rotating corpse, is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule.


-Exquisite corpse was created in the 1920's by French surrealists.
-Surrealism is a movement in art and literature that focuses on the creative potential of the mind.


Brainstorming
-fun
-outgoing
-goofy
-collaged
-target audience is the class and myself
-communicating surrealism and good use of exquisite corpse technique.

This is very different. I like how it's not only a human body

I like how fun this drawing is. There are a lots of colors but they all work well together and make it very interesting to look at.

The Creative Process

-a series of steps repeated every time you design something.

Why is this process important?
1. it improves consistency
2. ability to plan and time your work
3. raise the quality of your work
4. communicate more effectively and in a more professional manner

Steps:
1. research
2. brainstorm/inspiration:
-what kind of message am i trying to communicate?
-who is my audience
-what am i trying to tell them
-what kind of color/style will work for this audience0
3. sketching
4. execute
5. critique & revise

Photo Composition

snapshot:
-not planned out
-keeping a memory
-a quick shot, often spontaneous, taken to record a moment in time


photo:
-an image taken with care and thought


rules of composition:

Rule of Thirds- imaginary lines drawn dividing the frame of your camera into thirds, both horizontally and vertically; place important subject where these lines intersect; place horizon line at the top or bottom divider; fill entire frame with close up image.

Leading Lines- use the lines created within the foreground or background of the composition to lead the viewer's eye through the photo; use lines to draw attention to a certain point in the image;

Point of View- change the way your subject is perceived by changing the camera position

Simplicity- keep your background simple and clear of clutter

Semester Reflection

I feel that I have learned a lot this semester! Before taking graphic design, I didn't have any knowledge of the programs Illustrator or Photoshop. Now, I am familiar with them and I hope next semester I can become more comfortable when working with these programs. I have also learned many different color schemes, what colors look good together, and how to arrange different things to make a page more appealing. I really like using clipping masks on Photoshop to erase parts of images, as well as creating images out of text using Illustrator. Next semester, I hope to improve my work and be more creative. I enjoy working on the assignments and challenging myself with new things!

Review Week 17

Have you learned something?
-yes, i have learned that the two main types of serifs are called Andate and Abrupt, which are divided into many other categories.
-serifs are traced back to Rome
-stone carvers started using serifs