Grid Project

Hello!

I chose a picture to recreate in a grid. The picture is actually from a stationary card. The picture is of a panda laying in grass holding a tennis racket. I thought this would be a cool pixel design because of the major use of black/white. I always thought the stationary was cute and I've never drawn a panda before. I already ran into some difficulties while doing the assignment... I started with sketchbook paper and made a grid using centimeters. After making the grid, I realize that it was not 30 x 30. I still drew the image of the panda on the grid. Later on, I'm going to add lines to get more cubes, in order to reach the requirement. Also, another difficulty I'm having is the scale of the panda. The panda is coming off the page. I'm going to keep this, but not sure if it's going to take away from the final product. If I have to, I'll add extra grid paper. When I finish drawing the image and the extra lines, I'll shade the panda in color pencil. I might use sharpie for the black of the panda, but I'll see how the color pencil looks first. So far, I enjoy the assignment, but it is becoming VERY tedious.

Jenelle

Flip Book

Hello!

This was the first time I've ever made a flip book. I enjoyed making the flip book and coming up ideas for the stop-action animation. I decided to make the animation with ice cream. I'm not sure why it was ice cream, but I also thought of iPhone apps. My animation could be perceived as almost a video game. The ice cream cone moves along the page while catching falling ice cream scoops. The ice cream stacks up so high that it starts to wobble and melt. Soon enough, the ice cream completely melts and fills to the top of the page. I used color as an important aspect in my animation. I feel it would not give a strong impression without the color. The challenges I faced with the flip book was the number of frames to make the animation fluid. I had fun with the project and enjoyed looking at everyone else's flip book!

The link is to the flip book animation. The quality is horrible, but you understand the idea!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Io634tNNYw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Jenelle

Spanish Broadway Plays

Hello,

The videos posted on the Spanish blogs showed plays and musicals that used technology in an interesting way. In the video, The Impossible Dream by Andy Williams, there were pillars dropped down from the ceiling with the use of technology. The pillars may have dropped down from pulleys or even an electronic button. I thought it was really interesting because you could still see the band or orchestra still, but through each of the pillars. I thought it was an effective design because usually the main focus is not on the orchestra, but the performer. Another video clip, Sonho Impossive by Maria Bethania, used technology in a different way. The performance had a spot light on the main actress. This was a great usage of lights because they were used to grasp the audience's attention and guide their focus to the main act. Another use of technology during theater is backdrops. The video, Side by Side from Stephen Sondheim's Company, there was a back drop of a city skyline and a sunset. The skyline looks as though it's popping out off the screen. Also, the variations of color that beamed on the backdrop emphasized the city scenery. This backdrop would not be able to be displayed without technology. There was a video posted of a White Christmas where snow was released from the top of the stage to give more of a wintery-feel. There was another Christmas video, Christmas Carol, where it gave an illusion of depth with the graphic back drop. The fog machine was also another addition to the usage of technology. This was a nice way to give a more of a winter feel to the audience. The Broadway's Lost Treasures also used a backdrop with lights projected on it to created the silhouette of a city skyline. This was a suddle backdrop, yet it was effective way to display a city skyline without distracting it from the performance. Also, creative costumes were used in plays with the help of technology. The outfits are designed on the computer then created through the costume rooms. For example costumes from, Our Favorite Son, might have been designed on the computer before made on the sewing machine. Many of these plays are enhanced by the use of technology. Without technology, it would be difficult to get such a strong impact on the audience.

Jenelle

Madama Butterfly

Hi,

This is the first time that I've seen the youtube video, Madama Butterfly. I also have never seen the opera of it. I really enjoyed the video even though I felt it was dark and a very depressing story line. I thought it was a new and different way of portraying the opera through clay puppets. The way the video portrayed the message, I feel would be just as strong as the opera presented it. The ending of the youtube video, was really sad, yet intricate. There are many ways to portray a suicide, but this was pleasing for the viewer's eye and still got the same emotion.

Jenelle

The Birth and Life of Opera

Hello,


It was really interesting to watch The Birth and Life of Opera and learn a little more about the opera history. It's crazy to think about how much opera had such a big impact on music and art history, even though it's not typically a popular play people would go to today. It's also amazing to me how opera traveled to other countries and cities, which spread its popularity from Florence, Italy to the rest of the world. I found it interesting that politics were also involved with the operas. The French opened an opera called, "The End of the New Order". I had no idea that politics had a big impact in opera, that there would be conveying messages within the operas. When I think of operas, I think the video game, Assassin's Creed. There was one mission that I played where I had to find a person in the audience by climbing all around the building. I don't remember whether if it was a play or an opera in the video game, but it was set up close to how operas were set up back in the day. The arena was filled with people and thought of how amazing it would be to experience it.

Jenelle

Baroque Art Period

Hello!

In class, we discussed the Baroque & Rococo art period. This was familiar to me because I've taken an art history course specifically on the Baroque & Rococo. This period was over-the-top dramatized in every way. It was exaggerated in a way of glorification. I found that it was interesting that opera was first developed during this time era. I haven't learned about the opera in previous courses, just strictly paintings, sculptures, etc. It was shocking to me that young boys would get specific surgeries to keep their high voices before hitting puberty. I couldn't believe that these people would seriously consider alter their child's body for the height of their voice. It shows that many people don't have many "limits".  I can't believe what humans would do to alter their body for appearance or talents. Even today, humans continue to alter their body with tattoos, piercings, and plastic surgery. I find the Baroque period very interesting and always exciting. This art era always kept you on your toes and always passed your expectations.


Jenelle

Baroque Fireworks in Dubai

Hello! My first impression of watching the Baroque Fireworks in Dubai is.... WOW. I really amazed with how much fireworks were used in this show. The techno/dub step music really stood out to me and made me look at the fireworks more over-the-top than the fireworks were itself. I'm not sure if the amount of fireworks were really worth the 30 million dollar price tag attached to it and only for a total of 10 minutes! That's crazy that anyone would believe thats well worth the money. Thats over 3 million dollars per minute! I couldn't imagine being there with a huge crowd of people hearing the fireworks boom and hearing the "Oohs" and "Ahhs" after each firework. Maybe, Dubai could have put that 30 million dollars towards something a little more long-lasting? Perhaps, something that might help their citizens or even charities? Only a suggestion... but, the fireworks were really amazing. I don't think they were necessary, but I could only imagine the experience everyone had who was watching them. I can't wait to hear the class discussion and hearing what they thought of the firework show.

Jenelle