2D Foundations

Image Essay 15

2006-12-07T20:29:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to do a piece by Piet Mondrian. I chose to do an image by Piet Mondrian because he was one of the artists we discussed in class, when discussing color, but I have also learned about his art work in all of my other art classes in the past.

In this piece of work, Piet Mondrian had created a simple composition of rectangular and square shapes in an unorganized manner. To add color to the composition, Piet Mondrian decided to use triadic colors to fill in the empty spaces along with black and white. The triadic colors he has chosen to use and uses in most of his images similar to this one, are red, blue, and yellow. Mondrian does not use any hues to alter the three colors, but limits the composition to the single original colors. Therefore the triadic colors are achromatic and do not emphasize any dramatic lighting or create any fore ground, middle ground, or back ground.

All in all, even though Piet Mondrian has created such a simple image with, three basic triadic colors, he has created the composition in such a way that it is still interesting enough for the viewer to look at and to keep their attention.

Image Essay 14

2006-12-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose a piece that was done by the artist Gustav Klimt, who is also an artist we discussed in foundations. In this piece Gustav Klimt has chosen to use one main color throughout the composition, and add different hues to vary the value of the color.

In the piece, Gustav Klimt has chosen to create most of the image and image background in a golden yellow color. Through out the composition he has then chosen to add light hues and dark hues to add variety in the yellow gold color he started out with. In adding such variety Gustav Klimt chose to add many weak hues or grey to neutralize the color and add a variety to the composition. As we have learned color is what enriches and complicates our experience and communication, therefore if Gustav Klimt would have just used the same color throughout the composition with out adding hues, or other small sections of color, he would not have been completing the task that color is supposed to do. By adding such variety he has given the viewer something to look at and given them a reason to move their eye around the composition.

Image Essay 13

2006-12-07T19:45:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to do this composition of the woman, done by Lucian Freud. Lucian Freud was one of the authors we discussed in foundations, and viewed his emphasis on the use of earth tones in the majority of his pieces he created.

The image contains a woman sitting alone in what seems to be an empty room, resting. The woman is obviously naked and Lucian Freud uses nothing but earth tones to create her image. These types of tones often react with other colors in much the same ways as grey, and represent the range of colors in human skin. Lucian Freud also uses dramatic lighting to create the intensity of the woman's size and figure. The image comes across as being very unappealing and appalling, yet the way the woman is positioned and placed, she seems to be quite content and relaxed.

Lucian Frued does a very good job of setting a mood of unpleasantness, but yet creating the image itself as a person of great comfort and happiness. He does this by his use of color and color phenomena that he uses. Therefore in the end, what comes across as an unappealing piece of artwork, turns into a scene of content relaxation.

Image Essay 12

2006-12-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to do an image created by Georgia O'Keefe. I chose this image so I could discuss the O'Keefe's use of color and dramatic lighting. O’Keefe did a very good job of creating one single color scheme and using these colors in a very intense way to portray the image.

In this composition Georgia O'Keefe uses split complimentary colors to create a color scheme for the image. Triadic colors are three colors that are equidistant on the color wheel from each other. The three colors Georgia O'Keefe chose to use in this composition are obviously purple, yellow, and orange/red. These three colors can also be defined as a polychromatic because they are not limited to one single hue, but instead contain both tints and shades.

This composition also relates to the Munsell Color System, in the way that it contains inherent value. The yellow in the composition is inherently lighter then the violet.

Finally this composition also contains a lot of intensity created by what seems to be dramatic lighting. There are not many weak hues that are neutral or contain gray in the composition, yet instead it contains many strong hues, and approaches a bright intensity.

Image Essay 11

2006-12-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to use a composition done by Caravaggio. The composition displays a young man highlighted by light, sitting in front of a dark deep background. It is not known why he is sitting there and or what he is sitting in front of, but it may be assumed that Caravaggio is trying to express a meaning through his use of color and placement.

In the image Caravaggio uses many highlights to emphasize the young mans chest and pull his body forward in the composition. Caravaggio has also chosen to use a bright red for the cloth rapped around the man. This chromatic red advances toward the viewer, calling out for the viewer’s attention. As the viewer’s eye then moves past the man and into the background, Caravaggio has chosen to detail the background of the image in mostly all dark shadows, making it unclear as to what is in the background. Therefore once again, pulling the viewers attention back to the man.

As with many of Caravaggio’s other compositions, he uses color and values to pull the viewer in and create a deeper meaning. He uses the colors to direct the viewer’s eyes around the composition and call attention to the more important parts of the image.

Image Essay 10

2006-12-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I wanted to focus on Chiaroscuro and how it is used in a composition to create light and dark areas to imply depth and volume.

In this particular image the artist chose to use an achromatic color scheme to help intensify the illusion of depth and volume in this particular portrait. The high value contrasted images are being pulled forward in space to be portrayed as being closer to the viewer, while the low contrasted images are meant to look as though they are receding back in the portrait, suggesting distance and depth. For example the boxes to the right and highlights on the bottle in the front of the composition are done in high value contrast, so they are viewed as though they are coming at you or closer to you. The rest of the boxes and bottles behind them, then start to grow darker as they go farther back, which is what the artist wanted. They used the low value contrast to push those bottles and boxes farther back into space. Ultimately then the author then makes the back wall the darkest, pushing it back into space and implying that everything else in the composition is placed in front of the wall.

Image Essay 9

2006-12-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to write about value and value contrast in an image. As we learned value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. I chose the image of the hand to discuss value and how it can be used in a composition.

In the image of the hand the artist uses a lot of value to emphasize certain areas of the hand and wrist. He uses deep dark shades to emphasize the palm of the man's hand and create deep dark detailed lines. He is trying to imply that this is where the least amount of light is hitting the hand. The artist then uses lighter shades of grey and whites to emphasis the ends of the fingers and the wrist, and show that those areas are in fact where the most light is hitting the hand. The artist's use of chiaroscuro does an excellent job of implying depth and volume in the image to make it look real.

All in all, the artist used an achromatic style in creating the hand by simply creating the hand free from color. They used a lot of value contrast to make details recede and look closer in the image, as well as did an excellent job in creating an arrangement and proportioned amount of variation in their light and dark areas to portray the image as being real.

Image Essay 8

2006-12-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

For my next image essay I chose to display and discuss an image done by Kara Walker. Kara Walker was also an artist we discussed and learned about in our foundations class. Kara Walker does silhouettes that represent history and the many controversial moments in history that can easily be portrayed without all of the fine details.

This image was created by Kara Walker as a special piece for a hall in a school of arts. The image portrays individuals in the past that can be related to stereotypes of racism and sexism. This is a very common subject for Kara, simply because all of Kara's pieces are about history and nothing else. She tries to lure the viewer into being a part of the scene, and feeling the emotions she is trying to convey to them. Many of her silhouettes also are created with a story line that consists of someone wanting to be a hero, but killing the heroin at the same time.

As with this image Kara tries to create her silhouettes with an idea of a push and pull in all of her pieces. She wants people to think one thing, but also at the same time consider why that is not right. She wants the viewer to debate whether the image has to do with fiction or reality. All in all, as with the image above Kara does an excellent job creating life size silhouettes that capture the viewer’s attention and imaginations.

Image Essay 7

2006-12-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

For this image essay I chose to write about a photograph done by Sally Mann. In the photograph there is a young girl lying outside in the leaves, carelessly looking up at the camera. I chose to use this photograph for many reasons; starting off with the simple fact that Sally Mann was one of the artists that we studied in our foundations class this semester.

Sally Mann's collection of photographs mainly consists of landscapes and many photographs of her children at a young age. The pictures of her children, such as the one I have chosen are her most well known pieces of work, and draw in the most attention. She positions her children in natural yet beautiful ways among their surroundings that created deeper meanings, rather then just the children outside playing. To Sally her photographs are like her own personal bible, and has continued to take pictures from a very young age. Sally’s first cameras that she started photographing with were ones that she received that were once her fathers.

In the end Sally's photographs have continually amazed the viewers, with the way she has continually been able to photograph her children in the most dynamic ways, along with every other image she has seen through the lens of her cameras.

Blog Entry 5 photos

2006-10-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Blog Entry 5

2006-10-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Milton Glaser is a successful and well know graphic designer. His accomplishments are never ending in the field of graphic design, which is why he was awarded the lifetime achievement award of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in 2004. Milton’s successes stretch from the founding of the New York Magazine with Clay Felker in 1968, to establishing his own Milton Glaser, Inc. in 1974.

What has impressed me personally about Milton Glaser the most is his dedication to his work and his never ending strength to keep working. He does not just created logos and posters but extends his talents to decorating and creating such places as the restaurants that once were in the World Trade Center in New York City. His talents and successes seem to be never ending.

In the first image I have posted of the book cover with a pipe on it, the pipe is the figure of dominance. Milton uses the single image of the pipe to create the message that the book may contain. The single dominant pipe gives the reader an idea of a broad theme the book may be about and creates an image for the reader to start upon.

When looking through Milton Glaser’s images, I noticed that when Milton did create portraits of humans, he created the human form in a realistic manner, yet created most of them in a cartoon or unrealistic color scheme. For example with the picture of the man on the book cover that I posted, the image and general shape of the man is realistic, but he uses an array of shapes and colors to fill in the image.

Finally in the third and forth image I posted of Milton Glaser’s work, Milton is mainly focusing on color in these two pieces of artwork. In the third image Milton uses a wide variety of shades of blue to define and illuminate the image of the liquor bottle and glass. By doing this Milton has created a beauty and interest that would not have been there if he would have just portrayed the bottle and glass in their standard colors. Which then can be compared to the forth image I posted that portrays a solid black image of a face, but contains a rainbow of colors to create the person’s hair. The hair contrasts the figures black head and adds interest and detail to the image that would not have been there if Milton would have just keep the entire image black.

After looking through Milton Glaser’s works I am amazed at the variety of works Milton has done through his career, and all of his successes he has accomplished. This influences me to work hard now so one day I can become a successful graphic designer and be known by others for my hard work and dedication. When I create my artwork I want people to know my name and know that I created that piece of artwork and no one else did.

Blog Entry 4

2006-10-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

1. When asked whether we define a place or a place defines us I personally believe that both statements could be true. Of course when we go somewhere or live somewhere we change that place to define us and our interests and values. We also only go places or preside in places that we like or enjoy. But at the same time that place then in return defines us because we created it and its uniqueness and or decided that was where we wanted to go or be.

2. Richard Sarra I believe is influenced mainly by places from his childhood. For example Richard states in the video that he remembers being at the harbor and watching a large ship leave the harbor and was amused by the beauty of the site of it. As an artist he then produced a sculpture to represent the beauty and figures he saw that day at the harbor as a child.
Sally Mann I believe is influenced mainly by the nature surrounding her home. Most of Sally's pictures are of the nature surrounding her home or of her children or other micallanious objects placed in a nature setting.
Margaret Keligan and Berry Migee are mainly influenced by train yards and the art they can view or create in them on the trains. Margaret and Berry are both influenced by the art work they view in these places and use the art work they see to influence what they put on the trains or in there own personal pieces of artwork they for work or for themselves.
Pepon Osorio I believe is mainly influenced by specific rooms and places that express a deeper meaning to him personally when he views them. Pepon uses these places he sees to recreate them in detail but in a different place. He creates these places in detail and reality but yet in the way that he views them when he sees them, not necessarily how others would view the rooms or places.

3. The program has altered my notion of how art expresses place, because as I watched the video and as each artist was introduced I realized that each place the artists described was defined by what was in the place and what each object meant to that specific place. Of course each place had to be created somehow but the place was defined and created with art and what expressed the meaning of that place.

4. The artist I feel I most connected to is Sally Mann. I feel this way because as I watched the video I noticed Sally took pictures of what most interested and mattered to her and then once the picture was taken she took her time to perfect the picture. She did not just except the first print of each picture that came out, she changed each one until it was perfect. I felt most connected to Sally because I most enjoy creating images or working with subjects I most enjoy and mean the most to me. I also do not except my first version of my artwork when I do it. I change and revise till I can not do anything more with it because I do not like it when I look at it until it is exactly how I want it.

5. Richard Sarra uses steal to create large sculptures that are big enough for people to walk into and around. Richard does not create specific images but instead representative images that create more feeling and emotion then anything. Richard places his sculptures in museums and other public places where they can be easily viewed and walked around.
Sally Mann uses cameras as her media to create images of nature, objects, and people around her. Her images are easily accessible to the viewer for the simple fact that she frames many of her pieces and keeps the rest together so those around her can easily view the images.

Margaret and Berry create images with many forms of media, creating images on trains and or walls around them. They place their art work on the trains and in different buildings on walls so they can be easily viewed by people around the artwork.

Pepon Osorio uses many different types of media to recreate the places he sees. He mainly recreates the rooms to their original life size, or otherwise creates smaller models and replicas of the rooms. The media that all of these artist used really does not effect the viewer being able to see the artist’s work but does effect where the artwork is accessible, especially in Richard Sarra’s case because of the extremely large size of some of them.

6. Home- love
School- imagination
My room- safety
My backyard- adventure
The Ocean- unknown

7. The objects that occupied my room were my bed, my closet, toys, and other miscellaneous objects. My bed had a smooth soft texture that invited me into its large area of security every night. My closet had a smooth outside texture to it but contained a variety of textures inside of it. These textures consisted of silkiness, roughness, softness, and many more. The same went for my toys, all were made and created of different textures some smooth and calming while others rough and rugged. I always kept my room bright so I could see everything and know where everything was, unless I found myself to be in a bad mood then I would try my best to darken my room up so I could just lay around in peace on my own.

1. If I could personally guarantee a single story to be passed down to future generations, it would be the story of 9/11 and the details of that horrific day. I believe it would take on a form of the reality of that day and what it meant not just to those who were there but to our nation as a whole. It will become a story that will hold memories but yet educate everyone that is told about it. I believe this because the memory of those lost in the accident will live on forever through the story but the story will also educate those told about what can and could again happen and how we must always be prepared for what life holds in store for us.

2. Some stories have more of an affect on everyone as a whole and those are the stories that must be shared to everyone and everywhere. Some stories will continue to be told while others will not simply because those stories that will live on have touch so many lives and in such a deep way that they will never be forgotten and each time they are retold the story will mean just as much to that person as it does to the one that told the story.

3. The artists featured in Stories use journals and sketchbooks in their artistic processes to draw or write ideas as they come to them so they do not forget them when they create their art work. The use their journals and sketchbooks to create and recreate their images and ideas until they get them to where they want them and can produce what they want finally in the end.

I do believe a journal and sketchbook are both works of art simply because when someone is writing their thoughts out or drawing images or sketches, they are still creating art even if what they are creating is not their final piece of work or is not what they wanted it to be in the end.

4. A couple of days ago my mom kicked my dad out of the house and filed for a divorce. I have completely felt numb since she has told my brother, sister, and me but then when I think about it, I am more angry then anything. I have spent the last few days wondering why my mom has chose to tear our family apart and even if she was unhappy why she chose to go about letting us know in such a violent way. I have not seen or talked to my dad since the morning my mom kicked him out of the house so right now I don’t care how my mom feels or why she did what she did. I am worried about my dad and angry at my mom for hurting us and my dad so badly that it can never be fixed. Every night I dream my dad was still here with us and everything was back to normal. The worst thing is that I often find myself dreaming and wishing that my mom would have just left. At least then I would know where my father is and if he is okay, and maybe I would still feel the love for my mother I once did, but I don’t. Not anymore, and maybe never.

At that time in my life I was angry and hurt. I did not understand why my mom felt it was okay to tear our family apart and give up my father and us for another man and his kids. I hated my mom and wanted nothing to do with her. Every emotion I had turned into hatred and hurt and I wished everything would just go back to how it once was. I now understand more of what happened but still hold a deep anger in me towards my mother that I feel will never go away for what she did to my brother, sister, and I and my dad. Every part of my parents divorce could have happened in a much smoother and comforting way but it didn’t because what my mom wanted at that time was more important then her children’s thoughts or emotions.

Image Essay 6

2006-10-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

For this image essay I chose an image that I could use to explain some of the principles of gestalt. Not all six principles were created in this image but the ones that were used, were used well.

The first principle of gestalt used in this piece of artwork is obviously repetition. The artist used the same visual element over and over to capture the viewer's attention. To add variety to the composition the artist chose to very the sizes of these objects to create the illusion of space thus making the piece a more successful and interesting piece of artwork to look at.

The second principle of gestalt used in this piece of artwork is proximity. The distance between the elements was created in a way that increases the visual unity. The artist has even used a form of fusion to place the common elements close enough together that they actually look as though they were connected.

A third principle of gestalt used in this piece of artwork is continuity. There is a fluid connection between the compositional elements that the viewer's eyes can follow. This movement creates deliberate visual pathways to direct the viewer's eyes. Finally by connecting and including these principles of gestalt to this piece of artwork the artist used a simple shape and image to create an interesting and amusing piece of artwork.

Blog Entry 3

2006-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

1. Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever kept a journal, diary, or blog?

Yes

2. Before this Blog Assignment, had you ever written about art before?

Extensively

3. Have you ever written for fun (poetry, fiction or non, journalistic, or research)?

Extensively

4. When writing, do you use a dictionary or thesaurus?

Both

5. If given a chance, would you rather discuss art verbally or through written means?

Verbally

6. How would you rate your vocabulary of art terminology?

Average

7. How would you rate your writing abilities?

Average

8. How would you rate your writing abilities when writing about art?

Average

9. How would you rate your ability to use specific vocabulary when writing?

Above Average

Image Essay 5

2006-10-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

This piece of art portrays an unusual but familiar image of Uncle Sam. Robbie Conal, the artist of this image, uses a common symbol but at the same time psychologically influences the viewer’s thoughts with the common image.

Some artists do not just create their own images and symbols to express meanings and thoughts. Many use visual symbols and images that are already known to the public and the public's imagination. For example this artist uses an image of Uncle Sam. Images of Uncle Sam can be found anywhere and those who see it know exactly who the image is of. They tend to think of the past and all of the aspects that Uncle Sam had to do with it. Instead of creating a realistic image of Uncle Sam however Robbie Conal chose to use psychological influence to affect the viewers mind and emotion. He did not want the viewer to think of the exact same thing they would usually think of when seeing his image. Instead he wanted to associate and connect to other thoughts, feelings, and ideas in the viewers mind.

All in all Robbie does an excellent job of using phenomenology, the process of letting things manifest themselves, especially in the viewers mind and ideas.

Image Essay 4

2006-10-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

For this image essay I chose a piece of artwork that was a discussion topic of our class. Damien Hurst's, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” is not just an ordinary painting or drawing. This piece of artwork consists of a shark inside a box that you can move around freely. (sculpture in the round)

When looking at Hurst's sculpture an array of meanings may go through a person's mind, while trying to grasp the message Hurst is trying to get across to the viewer. This meaning may not be apparent to some right away, because Hurst is trying to convey a purpose or intention through symbols and objects, instead of presenting the meaning clearly to the viewer. The circuit of meaning for this piece of artwork tends to be wide open until Hurst presents the title of the sculpture and the circuit then closes a little more to make the meaning generally more clear, yet not too clear.

The meaning in this piece of artwork mainly takes into account iconography, but in a real life form. Iconography is a symbolic visual system and the shark is the visual symbol that is trying to capture the intended viewer’s eye, and make the audience think about the piece of artwork and its meaning.

Image Essay 3

2006-09-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

In this piece of artwork the artist uses the underlying principles and rules of methodology to create a simple yet creative piece of artwork. As a part of these underlying principles the artist uses creativity to research unfamiliar, explore new places, and seek knowledge. Of course no one can say what the artist has taken this picture for, for sure but he/she uses attentiveness in an extraordinary way to realize value, see past the superficial, and see possibilities everyone else has missed. Through the layers in the background the artist can capture people through a wide range of interests. The picture conveys a simple yet beautiful image that explores the viewer’s imagination and state of mind.

To pull everything together into this picture that we have learned recently, the artist does a great job with the elements of design, especially with line and color. Even though most of the implied lines in this composition flow horizontally through the composition, the viewer’s eyes still flow through this piece of artwork because of the author’s use of color and simple detail. Through intuition the artist can imagine the viewer’s eye movement and thoughts towards the picture by the way he/she has created the piece of artwork.

Image Essay #2

2006-09-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

I chose this composition for my second image essay for many reasons. To start off with this portrait is a very well balanced, beautiful piece of art work that represents a lot of the vocabulary we have been discussing in class this week.

First of all, the artist did an excellent job of creating balance and unity in this composition. It is asymmetrically made, yet it still contains enough detail to balance the art work. The artist balances out the composition mainly through color. The top half of the composition contains many dominant shapes while the bottom of the composition contains many colors, that are very bright and eye catching. The river, which is the dominant shape of the composition, is very bright and eye catching and helps the viewer’s eyes flow through the composition from one part of the art work to another. All in all the artist does an excellent job creating balance and dominance in this piece of work.

The artist also uses a lot of juxtapose objects to create dominance and positive shape. For example all of the wild flowers and grasses that occupy the bottom right corner are juxtaposed together creating positive shape. The artist does a very good job separating the subordinate and positive shapes in the composition simply through accent and juxtaposing objects in certain spots on the picture plain.

Image Essay #1

2006-09-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

I chose this image for my first image essay because I feel it is an excellent example of a composition that has been constructed through asymmetrical symmetry. Asymmetrical symmetry is the creation of a composition that has no balance or symmetry. This image contains an elaborate sequence of images that are placed randomly on the picture plane to form a static composition.

Although this image does not contain Triangular Hierarchy or the Fibonacci Sequence, it contains enough dominance, subordinate, and accentual elements to lead the views eyes through out the composition. The shapes not only consist of different sizes and shapes but also add variety in many other ways. For example some shapes are solid while others are hollowed out, and some shapes are darker deeper colors that make them stand out over the rest. It also contains a lot of dominance, subordinate, and accentual negative spaces that catch the views eyes. The background is all one color but is separated into many different sizes because of the positive shapes. The artist has used the basic elements of design (line, shape, value, and color) to create his composition in an interesting and organized manner. All in all the composition is a good representation of the vocabulary we have discussed and what defines the vocabulary.

Blog Entry #2

2006-09-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

In Part III of my homework I tried to relate all of my objects to one general theme. My theme centered around softball and the objects that contribute to the game. As I decided what objects I was going to use and how many of each, I considered their importance in the game. Obviously in softball, a softball is the most important piece of equipment and that is why I chose to repeat the image of a softball the most.

While developing my composition I tried to recognize and form balance in my composition while still forming juxtapose and positive and negative shape. I made my dominant positive shape a large bat that represented power and control, while placing different sizes and shapes of objects around it. The large bat was surrounded by tiny balls and gloves that did not compare in size. I juxtaposed them together to make a statement of their unity in the game and their importance as a whole.

Finally I also tried to form an equal amount of positive shape as well as negative shape. Just as much as I did not want any of my positive shapes the same size, I also did not want any of my negative shapes the same size. I tried to incorporate dominance, subordinate, and accentual spaces and shapes in the composition to create variety and interest in my composition. In the end I did my best to create my composition so it displayed unity and emphasis through things such as juxtaposition, shape, and dominance.

Blog Entry 1

2006-08-27T17:37:00.000-07:00

For the last four years I have been taught that art is the communication of visual images through the creation of visual elements. From there on however it was up to me to find the elements that I preferred and most defined myself. I found I learned the most when I was working with media and subjects that interested me more than others. The sources of my ideas for my work came from my high school art teacher, not because she told me what to do, but because she always gave us a number of projects to choose from each quarter and then we were to choose what we wanted to do from those. In the last four years, I have been able to define what I like and what I do not, but unfortunately have always had to build off another's ideas and projects. The struggle I will have will be knowing whether I can start on my own from nothing and make something intriguing.
I believe my own personal style of art has grown even though I have always had to build off of another's ideas. Each project had to be done in different media, so I was able to explore and learn a lot about different types of media. Considering all of this media and all of their individual qualities they each had, I always came back to a pencil. Pencil drawings are my favorite, so the urge to draw comes to me easily every time I sit down with a piece of paper and pencil in front of me. I do not just see art as a drawing or painting however, even though that may be what I prefer to do. Art is in the music we listen to, the movies we watch, and on the billboards we see everyday. I believe this because it takes an artist to sit down and write the music, build the scenes, and design the billboards we see. Of course this is only my opinion and someone else's may be different, but that is why we all get to decide what we believe is art and what we believe is not. Just because someone may tell me that a pencil drawing is not a piece of art, does not mean I have to believe that also. All artists have their own unique styles and ideas therefore not everyone is going to agree on what they think art is.
Finally I personally chose to pursue art academically for a couple of reasons. Students are always told to chose a career they will enjoy and not dread going to each day. I personally enjoy art and even though I may not always enjoy all of the steps in between the beginning and ending of a project, seeing what I have accomplished in the end is worth it. I also enjoy being creative, even when I may not be the most creative person in the room. If art is what I appreciate then I believe I should try to pursue a career in it.