Nicole's Blog

             In the early 20 th century, artists began to use photography as a new form of art. Many people were quick to reject the idea of photography as an art because it uses a mechanical device to produce “art” and they were unable to comprehend how a photograph can convey the photographer’s vision and feelings when it is just an image of a subject and nothing more. In time, however, people were able to see how the camera can be an instrument for personal expression and symbolic communication. A few decades after the invention of the camera, photographers began to bring public attention to the suffering caused by World War I and The Great Depression. They believed that a photograph can bring about empathetic awareness that no other medium could, which will in turn lead to reform. Ansel Adams was an environmentalist who used his photographs to increase public awareness of the need for conservation of nature. In his photograp...

In 1874, artists began to stray away from romantic ideals and instead painted landscapes and ordinary scenes as they are seen rather than what the mind knows and interprets. This period is called Impressionism. They would take their canvases outdoors and paint quickly, under constantly changing conditions, as if they were sketching. This painting is called “The Dance Class” and is painted by Edgar Degas. In his work, we see some ballerinas and their mothers waiting while a dancer performs for her examination. The mirror in the painting shows a window on the opposite side of the room, depicting that it is midday. The light in the painting is coming from the direction of the window as it would be if you were in the classroom yourself.              Post-Impressionism is the period directly following Impressionism in which the artists believed in a free interpretation of nature, not just how something is seen but something deeper. Post...

“Madonna and Child” was painted by Francesco Granacci around the year 1520. Granacci was born in Villamagna, Italy and later moved to Florence, which is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. He painted this piece during what was known as the High Renaissance, which was when Italian art reached its peak of accomplishment in the cities of Florence, Rome, and Venice. This piece is Renaissance because of Granacci’s strong use of color, the way he creates an illusion of depth of space, the stronger emotions within the piece, and the theme of Christianity. In his painting, Mary is sitting in a room with the Christ child in her arms. There is also an open window with some trees and a mountain in the background. You can see the folds in her dress and veil and the detail of her and the Christ child’s halo. Although there is shading in her dress and behind her that create an illusion of depth and space, Mary and the Christ child appear somewhat flat, like if they are coming out of the p...

             Unity is the appearance or condition of oneness. In art, unity describes the feeling that all the elements of the artwork belong together to make a coherent and harmonious whole. In Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” his use of lines and cool colors creates a sense of unity within his work. He uses the colors black, blue and yellow throughout his painting. He also uses lines to show the stars in the sky.             Asymmetrical balance is when the left and the right halves of an artwork are not the same, but various elements are instead balanced according to their visual weights of colors and forms. In Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam,” there is asymmetrical balance in the art because while Adam is simply lying on a green hill, God is seemingly floating in space surrounded by many figures and a red cloak. The contrast in colors surrounding the two figures of Ad...