Click the above file to download another ppt for your essay on the Christian cross over with Iron Age influence
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prezi.com/kktki0hffrrc/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy BRONZE AGEKnowledge of metalworking gradually spread from Europe to Ireland during the 2nd millenium BC ( 2000 years Before Christ).The Bronze Age was called so after the metal Bronze which was a mixture of copper and tin. Copper was a soft metal which was easy to shape and mould and it was discovered that if a small amount of tin was added to copper that a much stronger metal was formed. This new metal was called Bronze. During the Bronze Age this new metal was used to make functional objects such as cooking pots, axes and shields. Gold was the preferred metal to make jewellery and decorative ornaments from. Unlike modern times, gold was commonly found in Ireland during the Bronze Age. Gold Discs Gold Discs , also called sun Discs were among the very first metal objects made in Ireland. A piece of gold was hammered flat until it became a thin sheet – like gold foil. Then the circular disc shape was cut out using a sharp tool. The decoration was made using a technique called Repoussé. This was where the design was hammered in from behind so that it stood up in relief in the front. In the Gold Disc from teldavnet the cruciform design was hammered in from behind. The edges of the disc were decorated with concentric circles which were made using the repoussé technique. It is believed that these Gold Discs were worn – in the hair or attached to clothes. There are two holes in the centre of the discs ( like a button) where gold wire would have been threaded through to tie the discs to the clothes or the hair. Gold Disc, Teldavnet, Co Monaghan. In this Gold Disc you can see just how thin the gold has become from being hammered- its like gold foil. You can also see the two holes in the centre which were used to fasten the gold disc using gold wire. Pair of gold discs, Tedavnet, Co. Monaghan. Early Bronze Age, 2200 – 2000 bc. Discovered in the roots of an old tree, this pair of discs is the largest and most sophisticated of the Early Bronze Age discs known from Ireland. A complex arrangement of raised lines, rows of dots and zig-zags has produced a central cross surrounded by concentric patterns similar to other discs but much more elaborate in composition and, technically, far superior. The combination of the techniques of repoussé, punching and polishing, together with the slight doming of the surfaces, highlights and gives a depth and texture to the discs not seen on other pieces. 1872:34, 35. D. 11.3 and 11.5 cm; Wt. 22.5 and 22.8 g.Armstrong 1920, 84; Cahill 1983, 100objects.ieLunula Blessington Lunula, Co WIcklow ; The British MuseumLunula were worn around the neck. They are cresent shaped and are called after the cresent moon – lunula. They were made by hammering gold flat into a sheet and cutting out the cresent shape using a sharp tool. They were decorated with a technique called “Incision”- this involved cutting or incising into the surface using a sharp tool. Typically the designs that were incised into a Lunula were chevrons (zig- zags) and Lozenges ( diamond shapes). Lunula were among the first gold objects to be made in Ireland and they date to the Early Bronze Age. Chevrons and Lozenges incised into the Blessington Lunula.Torcs Torcs are twisted bands of gold which were made in various sizes to be worn around the neck, arms,around the waist like a belt or even small ones to be worn as earrings. Torcs date from the middle Bronze Age. They use much more gold than the earlier Bronze Age objects such as the Gold Discs or Lunula and are a much heavier piece of jewellery. . A gold bar or band was twisted to form a rope like pattern. Often the gold bar was beaten thin at the edges to form a flange before being twisted. This is called flange twisting. It produces a much more delicate twisted edge than without flanging. Two gold torcs, Tara, Co. Meath. Middle Bronze Age, 1200 – 1000 bc. Found at the Rath of the Synods, Tara, Co. Meath, in 1810, these magnificent torcs which, between them, contain over a kilogram of gold, are the finest of their class from Ireland. They are of exceptionally large size and are further elaborated by the addition of extensions to the terminals, a feature which is not recorded elsewhere. Torcs of this type are made from bars of square or rectangular section, the angles of which have been hammered up to produce flanges. The even twisting of such a long bar requires considerable expertise and understanding of the working properties of the metal. W192, W173. D. 43.0 and 37.3 cm; Wt. 852.0 and 385.1 g. Armstrong 1920 159; Eogan 1967, 132–3, 139, 164; Cahill 1983, no. 9. 100 Objects.ie Gold Ribbon Torc . Found near Belfast. 3rd Century BC. National Museum of Ireland. In this Torc you can see that the edges of the gold band were beaten very thin before being twisted. This produces a very delicate appearance like a ribbon giving the name Ribbon Torc . Photo by Reena Ahluwalia. Flanged Gold Earrings, Castlerea, Co Roscommon Dress Fasteners Dress Fasteners of all sizes were made during the middle Bronze Age. This Fastener below is very large and heavy weighing over one kilo. It probably was used only for ceremonial purposes. It is decorated with engraved concentric circles. Gold Dress Fastner from Clones, Co Monaghan . Photo by Reena AhluwaliaGorget A Gorget is a type of gold collar to be worn around the neck. Gorgets were made during the Late Bronze Age and they display the range of artistry metalworking techniques that were developed during the Bronze Age. A Gorget is made in three sections. A collar and two Terminal Discs. The collar is decorated with rope pattern designs using the teacnique of Repoussé which involved hammering in the design from behind so that it stood out in relief. The terminal discs show a range of designs and techniques. In the centre a conical shaped boss stands out very prominently from the surface. Covering the surface of each disc is an elaborate design of rings of dots made in Repoussé and rings of incised concentric circles. [3:21] Gorget,, Gleninsheen, Co. Clare. Late Bronze Age, 800-700 bc. Found in a rock cleft in 1932 at Gleninsheen, Co. Clare, this collar is an exceptional example of the highly developed goldsmithing skills displayed by Irish craftsmen in the Late Bronze Age. While conforming closely to the pattern of ornamentation prescribed for such collars, the smith, by varying the detail of the motifs, has achieved a tour de force. In particular, the frontal terminal discs are of superb craftsmanship. The layout and execution of the designs incorporating concentric circles, rope patterns and conical and round bosses, have been expertly achieved. Gleeson 1934, 138–9; Cahill 1983, no. 21. 100 Objects.ie Detail of Gorget. This is a close up view of one of the Terminal Discs. You can see in the very centre there is a large cone shaped Boss. Decorating the surface of the Terminal Disc are rings of raised dots made using the Repoussé technique and also rings of concentric circles which have been engraved into the surface.
The Iron Age (c.1100-200 BCE) was marked by the smelting of iron ore into the metal iron. Far stronger and durable than bronze, whose introduction had characterized the previous Bronze Age. Metalwork Techniques: Repousse- hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. low relief is a projecting image with a shallow overall depth, for example used on coins, on which all images are in low relief Chasing- metalwork technique used to define or refine the forms of a surface design and to bring them to the height of relief required. The metal is worked from the front by hammering with various tools that raise, depress, or push aside the metal without removing any from the surface (except when the term chasing, instead of the more appropriate term chiselling, is used to describe the removal of surplus metal from objects after casting). Chasing is the opposite of embossing, or repoussé, in which the metal is worked from the back to give a higher relief. A particular form of chasing, called flat chasing, which involves hammering with small, blunt tools to give a low-relief ornamentation, was popular for silver decoration in Europe Enamelling - It is in fact a type of glass applied by cutting pieces to shape; the pieces were then carefully heat softened and finally pressed into the metal-work. Soldering is a joining process. A rivet is essentially a two-headed and unthreaded bolt which holds two other pieces of metal together. Holes are drilled or punched through the two pieces of metal to be joined. Ironwork began in the Middle East about 1300 B.C. and gradually spread westwards over the following centuries. The Celtic peoples of Europe were using iron before the seventh century B.C. Knowledge of iron work arrived in Britain with the Hallstatt Celts by the sixth century B.C. Some vague influences of this immigration into England were found in Irish bronze weapons, but nothing substantial is known. The establishment of iron, as the superior metal for weapon and tool making, must have destroyed the Irish export industry in bronze. There is evidence that Irish society had reached a low ebb by the fourth century B.C. with only subsistence farming being carried out. In Switzerland in about 400 B.C. a new powerful group developed. The La Tene Celts named after the site near Lake Neuchatel where large quantities of their products were found. Luxury goods imported from Mediterranean countries brought these people in contact with classical art, which they adapted into a sinuous, abstract style of their own. By 300 B.C. some La Tene Celts were in Ireland. [7,26] it is unlikely that they met with much resistance from the poor native population. These Celtic invaders seem to have been a warlike people because most of the artifacts found from the first few hundred years of their occupation were weapons or the neck collars worn by Celtic warriors who fought the Romans in Europe. It was probably these same conflicts with the Romans and the Germanic people in Europe that drove the Celts to the extreme west of Europe. The fact that they were left in peace here for the next 1,000 years allowed a distinctly Celtic society to develop, unparalleled elsewhere in the world. Much of our knowledge of the Stone and Bronze Ages is based on the tombs and burial rites or tombs of the Iron Age, but habitation sites and ring forts in earth and stone are common throughout the country. Some forts were built for defence; others for rituals and most smaller ones were simply homesteads. Ring forts were still in use in Ireland after the Norman invasion in the twelfth century. Crannogs (artificial islands built in shallow lakes) were less common forms of dwelling but because they were man- made and less accessible they have often yielded many artefacts excavation. SCULPTURE A strange collection of sculptural objects in stone survives from the Iron Age. These are large boulders decorated with La Tene designs and a few small figure carvings, probably idols. Large dressed stones have been found at Turoe (Co. Galway), and Castlestrange (Co. Roscommon). These stones may have been boundary markers, or could have been used in some ancient ritual. The style however is La Tene (Celtic) and they are carved from native stone. The Le Tene style which dominates the Iron Age is a much more natural design than that of the Bronze Age. Gone are the tight geometric patterns (concentric circles, zig- zags etc.) and abstract shapes. In the Iron Age the artwork appears more realistic and based on nature. The pattern on the Turoe Stone takes the form of abstract leaf and vine shapes, trumpet ends and spirals all flowing in a more natural symmetry. Most of the stones are decorated with lines carved into the surface (“or incised carving”) but the Turoe Stone is sculpted in “low relief”.(The background is removed) This move away from “abstract” art towards a more natural realistic approach can also be seen in a series of statues which date from the Iron Age. They are crude and childlike and are probably totem figures used in rituals METALWORK While the Celts brought knowledge of iron they tended to use it for weapons and tools. Bronze and gold were widely used, but for more decorative objects. Gold in particular was used in the making of jewellery and symbolic pieces. These pieces are known as “status symbols”, for example The Broighter Collar and were only worn by the most powerful members of the group. Q.2 2004 La Tène culture influenced the art of metalwork and stonework in Ireland during the Iron Age. (a) Explain what you understand by the term La Tène. and (b) Describe and discuss two pieces of metalwork and one piece of stonework where this influence can be seen. Illustrate your answer A (a) Origin and Meaning • Celtic Society • Switzerland – Lake Neuchâtel • Introduction of Iron • Definition of La Tene design – foliage, plant and honeysuckle design • Mediterranean influence 10 B (b) Metalwork Example • Form – shape, size, material • Decoration of surface/design • Techniques used in construction • Function 15 C Stonework Example • Form • Decoration/Design • Techniques used in decoration • Possible function 15 D Sketches 10 Total 50 prezi.com/0am0aybdhb1r/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Below are some videos to help revise Impressionism. The first 3 are dramas but the last one is a very strong documentary.
tonkaapsa.weebly.com/sketchbook-assignments.htmlClick the following link to view some sketchbook inspiration .
Don't be too hard on yourselves. Accept failures, challenge yourself and enjoy the process of creating. You are truly a gifted group of students. Step back from the art. Show off your work to friends and family. Accept the genuine awe and amazement of those who respond. I see such unique and individual expression in all of you. Confidence is key! prezi.com/gsngyqiidhwi/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy . Click this link to access my online PREZI
Find this on Instagram www.instagram.com/p/BqIbS0VF8J8/?fbclid=IwAR27T7YTp8XSlSTT26xTOWwTsOJEfTQdPeiEHj0bkujce510pxFr3fkxTtchttps://www.instagra BRONZE AGE Knowledge of metalworking gradually spread from Europe to Ireland during the 2nd millenium BC ( 2000 years Before Christ).The Bronze Age was called so after the metal Bronze which was a mixture of copper and tin. Copper was a soft metal which was easy to shape and mould and it was discovered that if a small amount of tin was added to copper that a much stronger metal was formed. This new metal was called Bronze. During the Bronze Age this new metal was used to make functional objects such as cooking pots, axes and shields. Gold was the preferred metal to make jewellery and decorative ornaments from. Unlike modern times, gold was commonly found in Ireland during the Bronze Age. Gold Discs Gold Discs , also called sun Discs were among the very first metal objects made in Ireland. A piece of gold was hammered flat until it became a thin sheet – like gold foil. Then the circular disc shape was cut out using a sharp tool. The decoration was made using a technique called Repoussé. This was where the design was hammered in from behind so that it stood up in relief in the front. In the Gold Disc from teldavnet the cruciform design was hammered in from behind. The edges of the disc were decorated with concentric circles which were made using the repoussé technique. It is believed that these Gold Discs were worn – in the hair or attached to clothes. There are two holes in the centre of the discs ( like a button) where gold wire would have been threaded through to tie the discs to the clothes or the hair. Gold Disc, Teldavnet, Co Monaghan. In this Gold Disc you can see just how thin the gold has become from being hammered- its like gold foil. You can also see the two holes in the centre which were used to fasten the gold disc using gold wire. Pair of gold discs, Tedavnet, Co. Monaghan. Early Bronze Age, 2200 – 2000 bc. Discovered in the roots of an old tree, this pair of discs is the largest and most sophisticated of the Early Bronze Age discs known from Ireland. A complex arrangement of raised lines, rows of dots and zig-zags has produced a central cross surrounded by concentric patterns similar to other discs but much more elaborate in composition and, technically, far superior. The combination of the techniques of repoussé, punching and polishing, together with the slight doming of the surfaces, highlights and gives a depth and texture to the discs not seen on other pieces. 1872:34, 35. D. 11.3 and 11.5 cm; Wt. 22.5 and 22.8 g.Armstrong 1920, 84; Cahill 1983, 100objects.ieLunula Blessington Lunula, Co WIcklow ; The British MuseumLunula were worn around the neck. They are cresent shaped and are called after the cresent moon – lunula. They were made by hammering gold flat into a sheet and cutting out the cresent shape using a sharp tool. They were decorated with a technique called “Incision”- this involved cutting or incising into the surface using a sharp tool. Typically the designs that were incised into a Lunula were chevrons (zig- zags) and Lozenges ( diamond shapes). Lunula were among the first gold objects to be made in Ireland and they date to the Early Bronze Age. Chevrons and Lozenges incised into the Blessington Lunula.Torcs Torcs are twisted bands of gold which were made in various sizes to be worn around the neck, arms,around the waist like a belt or even small ones to be worn as earrings. Torcs date from the middle Bronze Age. They use much more gold than the earlier Bronze Age objects such as the Gold Discs or Lunula and are a much heavier piece of jewellery. . A gold bar or band was twisted to form a rope like pattern. Often the gold bar was beaten thin at the edges to form a flange before being twisted. This is called flange twisting. It produces a much more delicate twisted edge than without flanging. Two gold torcs, Tara, Co. Meath. Middle Bronze Age, 1200 – 1000 bc. Found at the Rath of the Synods, Tara, Co. Meath, in 1810, these magnificent torcs which, between them, contain over a kilogram of gold, are the finest of their class from Ireland. They are of exceptionally large size and are further elaborated by the addition of extensions to the terminals, a feature which is not recorded elsewhere. Torcs of this type are made from bars of square or rectangular section, the angles of which have been hammered up to produce flanges. The even twisting of such a long bar requires considerable expertise and understanding of the working properties of the metal. W192, W173. D. 43.0 and 37.3 cm; Wt. 852.0 and 385.1 g. Armstrong 1920 159; Eogan 1967, 132–3, 139, 164; Cahill 1983, no. 9. 100 Objects.ie Gold Ribbon Torc . Found near Belfast. 3rd Century BC. National Museum of Ireland. In this Torc you can see that the edges of the gold band were beaten very thin before being twisted. This produces a very delicate appearance like a ribbon giving the name Ribbon Torc . Photo by Reena Ahluwalia. Flanged Gold Earrings, Castlerea, Co Roscommon Dress Fasteners Dress Fasteners of all sizes were made during the middle Bronze Age. This Fastener below is very large and heavy weighing over one kilo. It probably was used only for ceremonial purposes. It is decorated with engraved concentric circles. Gold Dress Fastner from Clones, Co Monaghan . Photo by Reena AhluwaliaGorget A Gorget is a type of gold collar to be worn around the neck. Gorgets were made during the Late Bronze Age and they display the range of artistry metalworking techniques that were developed during the Bronze Age. A Gorget is made in three sections. A collar and two Terminal Discs. The collar is decorated with rope pattern designs using the teacnique of Repoussé which involved hammering in the design from behind so that it stood out in relief. The terminal discs show a range of designs and techniques. In the centre a conical shaped boss stands out very prominently from the surface. Covering the surface of each disc is an elaborate design of rings of dots made in Repoussé and rings of incised concentric circles. [3:21] Gorget,, Gleninsheen, Co. Clare. Late Bronze Age, 800-700 bc. Found in a rock cleft in 1932 at Gleninsheen, Co. Clare, this collar is an exceptional example of the highly developed goldsmithing skills displayed by Irish craftsmen in the Late Bronze Age. While conforming closely to the pattern of ornamentation prescribed for such collars, the smith, by varying the detail of the motifs, has achieved a tour de force. In particular, the frontal terminal discs are of superb craftsmanship. The layout and execution of the designs incorporating concentric circles, rope patterns and conical and round bosses, have been expertly achieved. Gleeson 1934, 138–9; Cahill 1983, no. 21. 100 Objects.ie Detail of Gorget. This is a close up view of one of the Terminal Discs. You can see in the very centre there is a large cone shaped Boss. Decorating the surface of the Terminal Disc are rings of raised dots made using the Repoussé technique and also rings of concentric circles which have been engraved into the surface. This article was written by Deirdre Morgan except where credited otherwise.
Click the above link to download my powerpoint on the Stone Age.
Pre-Christian Ireland- Stone age Neolithic Age 3700-2000 B.C. Around 3700 B.C. the hunter gatherers and fishermen were replaced with people from central Europe, who travelled to Ireland through England or Scotland. What we know about these farmers comes from their stone graves called megalithic tombs. They placed importance on life after death by building imposing resting placed for the dead rather than for the living. These people were organised farmers with complex social groups. They brought livestock with them, they cleared forests and the whole island had regular contact with land overseas. The people who made Newgrange were intelligent and organised, farmers and had a good knowledge of astronomy. They set a lot of importance on ritual symbolism. They used the river to transport materials, therefore had good knowledge of engineering. They lived in wattle and daub huts. Megalithic (large stone) Burial Monuments
Ardara, Co. Donegal 170 in total around Ireland Between 3 and 7 standing stones supporting 1 or 2 capstones Single slabs rested against back to form the chamber.
Has a rectangular or circular burial chamber, with a corbelled roof. The chamber would serves as the tomb and the court would hold the rituals
Newgrange Located in the Boyne Valley Co. Meath Constructed around 3000-2000
The passage is 21m long, it is lines and roofed with large stones and slopes gently upwards. There is one main chamber and 3 niches, with stone basins Roof of chamber is corbelled, layers of flattish stone in circles, each layer moving further inwards than the one below, until closed by single stone at the top. Stones tilted downwards to stop water entering the chamber Once there stood 32 standing stones (monoliths) now there are only 12, believed to be used for astronomical observations. Now believed not to be contemporary with the mound. 97 kerbstones form the perimeter of the mound and a wall of white quartz stone stands on top.
Used for ceremonies and rituals Burial chamber lights upon the 21st of December, which also helped it function as a calendar to the people. Number of cremated remains found is relatively small compare to the size of the community and the length of time for which the mounds were used. This suggests that only important members of the community were buried there or that they were ritual or sacrificial burials. Some believe tat the designs on the stones relate to the movements of sun, moon and planets, which would have been a way to keep track of the seasons and important community events
The Stone Age people obviously from there amazing commitment had a very deep belief in the meaning and function of these tombs, as they were not even used for their own benefit of shelter. It also suggests that the society was well established and they had time to make wondrously huge tombs. Construction probably began with the layout of the passages as their orientation to the sun was an essential part of the purpose. The line kerb would have been laid out early on as it was the retaining structure for the body of the mound.
Entrance stone Carved with pointed flint stone and hammer, the channels on this are 4cm wide. On the far left there are lozenges, and as we move right we can see a triple spiral, then two double spirals surrounded by waves, curves and zig zags. Kerbstone 52 Situated opposite the entrance stone. Highly decorated but less harmoniously than the entrance stone. Consists of 3 sections. Diamonds on the bottom left, spirals on the top left and group of concentric circles with dots and rectangles Above the entrance to the passage there is a roof box, the lintel above this is decorated with radiating triangle carvings. www.studentartguide.com/featured/personal-investigation-portraiture-age Portrait project based on Lucian Freud and Jenny Saville Identity and self esteem are closely related and developing self esteem and a strong sense of identity are very important to good mental health. Your sense of identity has to do with who you think you are and how you perceive yourself. ... Self esteem is how you value yourself. It has to do with your sense of self-worth. Identity is the way we perceive and express ourselves. Factors and conditions that an individual is born with—such as ethnic heritage, sex, or one's body—often play a role in defining one's identity. However, many aspects of a person's identity change throughout his or her life. Just some sample sketchbook work to hopefully inspire you all!www.studentartguide.com/articles/art-sketchbook-ideas
Key IdeasUnsatisfied with the Impressionist dictum that painting is primarily a reflection of visual perception, Cézanne sought to make of his artistic practice a new kind of analytical discipline. In his hands, the canvas itself takes on the role of a screen where an artist's visual sensations are registered as he gazes intensely, and often repeatedly, at a given subject.
Cézanne applied his pigments to the canvas in a series of discrete, methodical brushstrokes as though he were "constructing" a picture rather than "painting" it. Thus, his work remains true to an underlying architectural ideal: every portion of the canvas should contribute to its overall structural integrity. In Cézanne's mature pictures, even a simple apple might display a distinctly sculptural dimension. It is as if each item of still life, landscape, or portrait had been examined not from one but several angles, its material properties then recombined by the artist as no mere copy, but as what Cézanne called "a harmony parallel to nature." It was this aspect of Cézanne's analytical, time-based practice that led the future Cubists to regard him as their true mentor. vimeo.com/100156306 Above is a link to the documentary. At the end of this lesson is the powerpoint on Vincent Van Gogh Below is a link to Khan Academy. Included are short videos and info on paintings www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/post-impressionism/a/van-gogh-self-portrait-with-bandaged-ear A lesson from Vincent What would you think of someone who said, “I would like to have a cat provided it barked”? The common desire to achieve or create great things provided it’s something that can be easily willed or wished is precisely equivalent. The principles of behavior that lead to great accomplishments are no less rigid than the biological principles that determine the characteristics of cats. Consider, for example, the life of Vincent Willem van Gogh. He is generally considered to be one of history’s greatest artists and had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. His artistic accomplishments are not an accident, not a result of some easily magic trick or secret, but a consequence of his nature to work persistently on his art every day. He revered “the doing” in art. He wrote about his hard work many times to his brother Theo. In a letter he sent Theo in 1885 he stated that one can only improve by working on your art, and many people are more remarkably clever and talented than him, but what use is it if they do not work at it. He did not begin painting until his late twenties, completing many of his best-known works during the last two years of his life. In the first years of his career, van Gogh displayed no natural talent. David Sweetman’s biography “Van Gogh: His Life and His Art” gives a detailed description of his intention to be an artist and his insatiable capacity for hard work to become one. He turned himself into an artist by acting like an artist and going through the motions by turning out mostly bad innumerable rough sketches, day and night. In Van Gogh’s own words he said, “In spite of everything I shall rise again and take up my pencil and draw and draw.” He received mild encouragementfrom his cousin, Anton Mauve, who supplied him with his first set of watercolors. Mauve was a successful artist and gave Vincent some basic instructions in painting. Their relationship was short-lived, however, as Vincent was incapable of receiving criticism of his art from Mauve. Mauve even went to Vincent’s father and told him it would be better for Vincent to stop attempting to be an artist and find another occupation that better suited his talent. It was then that Vincent unveiled what art critics label as his first “masterpiece,” The Potato Eaters. He turned himself into an artist by acting like an artist and going through the motions by turning out mostly bad innumerable rough sketches, day and night. LESSON #1 STOP WAITING AND TAKE ACTION The lesson about creative thinking I learned from Van Gogh is action. Just do it. Stop waiting and start working toward what you want. What we think, or what we know, or what we believe something is, in the end, of no consequence. The only consequence is what we actually do. In Van Gogh’s own words “Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile. You don’t know how paralyzing that is, that stare of a blank canvas is, which says to the painter, “You can’t do a thing.” The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerizes some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves. Many painters are afraid in front of the blank canvas, but the blank canvas is afraid of the real, passionate painter who dares and who has broken the spell of ‘you can’t’ once and for all by getting to work and painting.” It was very difficult at times, but he believed nobody can do as he wishes in the beginning when you start but everything will be all right in the end. Each day he made every effort to improve because he knew making beautiful paintings meant painstaking work, disappointment and perseverance. In the end, Van Gogh produced 2000 works of art between 1880 and 1890 (1100 paintings and 900 sketches). That’s 4 works of art a week for a decade, and he didn’t start making art until his mid twenties. LESSON #2 COMMIT AND GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS Van Gogh taught me to commit myself to a desire and go through the motions of working toward accomplishing it. His advice was if you do nothing, you are nothing. You must keep working and keep working come what may. Even when your final goal is not clear, the goal will become clearer and will emerge slowly but surely, much as the rough drawing turns into a sketch, and the sketch into a painting through the serious work done on it and through the elaboration of the original vague idea and through the consolidation of your fleeting and passing thoughts on it as you work. Think of the first airplane. On December 8, 1903, Samuel Pierpont Langley, a leading government-funded scientist, launched with much fanfare his flying machine on the Potomac. It plummeted into the river. Nine days later, Orville and Wilbur got the first plane off the ground. Why did these bicycle mechanics succeed when a famous scientist failed? It was because Langley did the mental work and hired other people to build and execute his intellectual design for him. LESSON #3 DO YOUR OWN WORK The Wright brothers did their own work. When they were working and producing creative ideas and products they were replenishing neurotransmitters which are linked to genes that are being turned on and turned off in response to what the brain is doing, which in turn is responding to challenges. When they constantly worked on their idea and learned through trial and error, they were energizing their brains by increasing the number of contacts between neurons. The more times they act, the longer they worked the more active their brains became and the more creative they became. Their creative brains made them aware of the range of many potentials for each adjustment they built into their design. Their personal observations of the many alternative potentials led them to constantly change and modify their ideas that created the airplane.When they constantly worked on their idea and learned through trial and error, they were energizing their brains by increasing the number of contacts between neurons. I like to metaphorically compare working toward a desired goal such the goals of Van Gogh and the Wright brothers to weight lifting. If you want to build muscles you lift weights. If the weight is heavy enough it’s going to damage the muscles. That damage creates a chemical cascade and reaches into the nuclei of your muscle cells, and turns on genes that make proteins and build up muscle fibers. Those genes are only turned on in response to some environmental challenge. That’s why you’ve got to keep lifting heavier and heavier weights. The phrase, “No pain no gain,” is literally true in this case. Interaction with the environment turns on certain genes which otherwise wouldn’t be turned on; in fact, they will be turned off if certain challenges aren’t being faced. LESSON #4 DON’T WAIT FOR PERFECT MOMENTS Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful. We are what we repeatedly do. START NOW To get a feel for how powerful the simple act of just starting something creative and working on it is, try the following thought experiment. THOUGHT EXPERIMENT Take out a sheet of paper and at least ten items, money, credit cards, keys, coins, etc. Your task is to create an assemblage that metaphorically represents you. Here are the guidelines: 1. In your mind, imagine an assemblage that metaphorically represents you. Do not think about the materials you have in hand. Instead think about the shape you would like your assemblage to have. What are the rhythms you want? The texture? Where would you want it to be active? Passive? Where do things overlap and where are they isolated? Think in general and overall pictures, and leave out the details. Do not think about great art; just think about who you are and what how you can represent yourself metaphorically. 2. Now form a more specific idea of the final assemblage. As you look at the paper, imagine the specific assemblage you want to create. Make sure you’ve formed this image before you move to the next step. 3. Place the items on the paper. Since the composing stage is already done, it’s time to bring your creation into physical existence. How closely did it come to your conception? Become a critic for the assemblage. Look at it for its own sake, independent of the fact that you have created it. Take the items off and go through the same procedures. Make the assemblage again. 4. By conceptualizing and using materials you had on hand, you created an artistic assemblage from nothing. 5. If you performed this exercise every day with different objects for five to ten straight days you will find yourself becoming an artist who specializes in rearranging unrelated objects into art. It is the activity that turns on the synaptic transmissions in your brain that turn on the genes that are linked to what you are doing, which is responding to an environmental challenge (i.e., the making of an assemblage).
line-of-action.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/ .
Remember to carefully read the questions and highlight the key points they are asking you to discuss.
Sketches! use colour and labels the drawings. Neo-classicism and realism
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Ms O'ReillyArt teacher Archives
January 2019
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