Ro-co-co-co-co-cococococoooo

Rococo art followed Baroque. It was a bit similar in the way people were painted, but very different in subject matter. Rococo art was extremely risque for its time and showed a lot of partying. I think a lot of the painting techniques were very well done but they could have been put to a better use. The one of the girl on the swing seemed so innocent at first until we discussed it in class. I'm not trying to say that it was wrong to paint such things, but I think it would have been better without so much innuendo. There's a time and place for it, as for many things in life. I guess I just don't understand what it was like to live during that time.

Baroque

The art of the Baroque period had distinct similarities. They all had a very dark background with the main character or object illuminated. They used vivid contrast to draw attention without having anything to distract the viewer from the focal point. Also, the movement in these paintings was very easy to follow and strategically done. Another thing was the emotion in the characters and their obvious facial expression, as well as body language. It was pretty intense. The last thing about Baroque art was that it was ordinary people doing every-day tasks. It was very original and candid, which I liked.

DYING EASTER EGGS... Pysanky Style...

Pysanky has a lot of symbolism in the decorations on their eggs. It's an annual tradition and is taken very seriously. First I chose a saw line, which is representative of the sun or life-giving heat. I love being warm and the feeling of being safe under the covers. Also, laying out in the sun really helps me to relax my mind. Second was the ladder, which is a symbol of searching and rising above the petty problems of life. I believe that I take the high road in most situations and I'm proud of that. Thirdly, I added spirals to symbolize the mystery of life and death; they denote divinity or immortality. I'm always wondering about life and death. Next was the three leaf, which is for immortality and/or eternal love. Eternal love is something I hope for in the future. It's a strong, if not, the strongest force in the world. I didn't choose any of the animals, but I did choose an insect. A butterfly represents the pleasure and frivolity of childhood. It also is said to remind one that things of delicate beauty must take their own course rather than be contained. I totally agree with the second part and it makes sense that a butterfly is the symbol. A butterfly starts its life journey as a caterpillar and then transforms into a gorgeous creature. Also, it has been and will continue to be very hard for me to let go of my childhood. Lastly, I will explain the colors: orange, blue, and purple. Orange shows endurance and also represents the red of passion tempered by the yellow of wisdom. Blue signifies the blue skies or the life-giving air. Purple signifies patience and trust. These are pretty much self-explanatory.

The Renaissance

The Renaissance in art history class went by too quickly because it was such a great unit. We watched a movie about Michelangelo's struggle to paint the ceiling of the sistine chapel. I thought it was really cool and seemed to be accurate because the acting was very well done. Also, I liked how we got in groups and focused on a panel of the ceiling. I wasn't here for the presentation unfortunately, but we all worked together and bounced ideas off of eachother to write our papers. Most of all, the most fun I had was recreating Venus with cat ears and a moustache. I learned a lot about new ways to paint and mix skin tones.