Week 8- Five Finished Drawings (BEST)

MUSEUM MIDTERM

 

The masterpiece I chose is titled "Judith" and it is by Jan Sanders van Hemessen. It was created in the year 1540 in the Netherlands. Some background information on the painting is that Judith was a biblical heroine. She saved the Jewish people from the armies of Assyrian general Holofernes. She was a widow who cut off the head of the drunken general after willingly entering his camp. She was viewed as a model of civic virtue in the Renaissance. I feel like Jan's interpretation of Judith as a powerful woman is the reason why I chose this as my masterpiece.

Craft: This was created using oil on panel.

Concept: This is Judith, a biblical heroine after she beheaded general Holofernes.

Composition: This image was created using bright lights and heavy shadows, basically a big contrast. The first thing you see is Judith because the light is reflecting off of her nude body. It is the brightest part of the entire image. She is also in the center of the image and takes up almost the entire frame. The second thing you notice is the head of the general laying in the lower left hand corner. Due to the shadows, you can only see his head and face. The final thing you see is a very dark black background. Due to the dark background, the viewer is able to focus on Judith inevitably, followed by the general due his position in the lower left corner.

Extra Post- Differences Between Agony & Ecstasy and Michelangelo

I viewed two movies about Michelangelo. One was Marlow's Michelangelo and the other was called Agony & Ecstasy. The two films were very different and the only similarities between them were that their subjects were Michelangelo and they discussed and portrayed his work. In my opinion, Agony & Ecstasy was way more informative and interesting than Marlow's Michelangelo. In Agony & Ecstasy, there was an actual story line of Michelangelo's life and his struggle to fulfill peoples' expectations that were placed upon him. In Marlow's Michelangelo, the audience had to listen to his accent, his own research and his OPINION on Michelangelo. In Agony & Ecstasy, I noted a major difference. It portrayed Michelangelo as painting the Sistine ceiling on his back, whereas Marlow's movie claimed that was a myth. Besides this important difference, I really enjoyed the bickering between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II. Pope Julius II would always we asking Michelangelo when the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel would be completed and all Michelangelo would say is,  "When I am finished." My favorite part was at the very end when Michelangelo had finished the ceiling and wanted to go back to Florence, and Pope Julius II told him he had to complete a painting in the front of the Sistine Chapel on a wall. You could just see the despair and anguish in Michelangelo's face as he dropped to his knee in the center of the Sistine Chapel. Overall, Marlow's Michelangelo was informative, but lacked interest. Agony & Ecstasy was both informative and interesting and made you actually want to learn more about Michelangelo. I also feel that the movie allowed me to formulate my own opinion on Michelangelo and his endeavors instead of just accepting Marlow's opinion.

Week 12- Make a Mess & Then Make Something From It

Picture 1 is the original mess. The following pictures are three difference images I was able to create from the original. I am going to discuss the final image.

Craft: I used the iPad app Brushes and multiple layers to achieve the final product. I used different brushes, different brush strokes, and different brush sizes. At first, I tried to use almost fluorescent colors for the entire image over the black background, but then I added the red, white, and blue American flag over the entire composition.

Concept: It is a big mess with an angled American flag submerged into it.

Composition: First I changed the background from white to black. I used fluorescent colors in the different brushes and brush strokes to stand out against the solid black background. All of the different colors, strokes, and brushes on top of each other created the "messy effect." Lastly, I used pure white, fire engine red, and an almost navy blue with solid strokes to create the American flag and to add interest I turned it off center.

Week 5 (Film 1: The Renaissance)

1. Who is Timothy Marlow? Why should we believe his story?

 -Timothy Marlow is a British narrator and historian. He studied Michelangelo and his works of art. We should believe his story because he has put years of research into who Michelangelo was and each of his works of art. 

2. Which painting do you like most by Michelangelo's why? How was it made? What do you see first, second, third? Why? What is this painting about?

- My favorite painting is of the Sistine Chapel. I am a sucker for churches because I love weddings, so I enjoy looking at their architecture and features.  The Sistine was my favorite painting because it shows the nine scenes in Genesis from chapter one. I originally thought it was Michelangelo alone who painted it on his back. After watching the video, I realized how unlikely this was. It took multiple people. This favorite part of this painting is its portrayal of God as a muscular Greek hero. It is a fresco painting. The first thing I notice is God and his portrayal as a Greek hero. I see this first because of his white cloak. The second thing I notice is the man he is reaching out to (Adam) because of his position in the painting. The final thing I notice is the finger of God almost touching Adam's finger. This is because it is small and you really need to focus to see it. 

A new question to ask would be what your favorite sculpture & why.