Target Audience

My blog is mainly aimed at adults or art students, in my opinion this is because I think that the context of my blog would not be of great intrest to kids as it about the critical analysis of different pieces of art and my own interpretation of them. In my opinion I think this might appeal to other art students because they might like some of the images I have looked at throughout my blog. It could also appea to adults that just do art as a hobby rather than as a career.

What I Have Learnt

In my opinion I have obtained a much higher understanding of how to critically analyze pieces of art whereas before this brief I only had a certain amount of knowledge on analyzing. If I could change anything on my blog it would be to have more responses to the artwork that I found on various sites such as Deviant Art, Google images and Wikipedia. I also feel I could have spent more time on perfecting my blog.

Final Piece-Protection Against Evil

Final Piece-Truth

Final Piece-Peace

Final piece-Death

Witch craft by Eireen

Pandora's box by John William Waterhouse

Context:
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman on earth. Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of craftsmanship, to create her and he did, using water and earth. The gods endowed her with many talents; Aphrodite gave her beauty, Apollo music, Hermes persuasion, and so forth. Hence her name: Pandora, "all-gifted".

When Prometheus stole fire from heaven, Zeus took vengeance by presenting Pandora to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother. With her, Pandora had a jar which she was not to open under any circumstance. Impelled by her natural curiosity, Pandora opened the jar, and all evil contained escaped and spread over the earth. She hastened to close the lid, but the whole contents of the jar had escaped, except for one thing which lay at the bottom, and that was Hope.
http://thanasis.com/modern/pandora.htm
Actual Meaning

This image depicts the Greek myth of Pandora's box in which curiosity gets the better of her and she opens the box and unleashes all evil on the world and the one left in the box was hope.

What the piece means to me:

In my opinion this image shows the moment Pandora opens the box all because of Curiosity but if we didn't have Curiosity then would we be human. Curiousity always gets the better of us no matter how hard we try and avoid temtation.

pandora's box

Actual Meaning:
There is no reference of the actual meaning of this image but it depicts the myth of pandora's box where she opened the box and unleashed various aspects of evil which includes Greed, Vanity, Slander, Envy and Death but once she had closed the box only 1 remained which was hope.

What the piece means to me:
In my opinion this piece is has a dark approach to the myth but shows the myth in a very sinister way.


Materials:
This image was created digitally using programs such as Photoshop or Illustrator and was created by putting a series of images and montaging them together. In my opinion this has worked well to create its meaning because creating it digitally you can dramatize those images and make them more sophisticated.

Overall Judgement:
This image shows the moment when Pandora opens the box that contains all the aspects of evil and that of hope which gets shut in the box before it can get out. In my opinion this images works well to show the myth altough it is very dark and sinister like the things the box contained before pandora unleashed them on the world.

Ankh

Actual Meaning
The Ankh is commonly known to mean life in the language of Ancient Kemet (land of the Blacks) renamed Egypt by the Greeks. It is also a symbol for the power to give and sustain life, the Ankh is typically associated with material things such as water(which was believed by Egyptians to regenerate life), air, sun, as well as with the Gods, who are frequently pictured carrying an Ankh. The Egyptian king is often associated with the Ankh also, either in possession of an Ankh (providing life to his people) or being given an Ankh (or stream of Ankhs) by the Gods. It is usually worn as an amulet to extent the life of living and placed on the mummy to energize the resurrected spirit. It is believed that life energy emanating from the Ankh can be absorbed by anyone within a certain proximity. The amulet is a powerful talisman that provides the wearer with protection from the evil forces of decay and degeneration. The girl in the picture, that lives millions of lightyear away, as her ancestors did, that visited this world hundreds years ago, uses the ankh...

http://tunaferit.deviantart.com/art/Ankh-12363939

What the piece means to me:

In my opinion this piece is about a necklace or amulet that allows the wearer to be protected by decay and degeneration and this is a completly different kind of evil forces that we would generally think about. I was at first drawn to this image because of the womans eyes as they look very evil almost as if she has been possesed.

Materials:

this image was created using pencil and charcoal which helps to show the concept of the image because it gives it a dark feel as it is in black and white which also helps to create a slight depth of field

Overall Judgment:

In my opinion this image has a different concept to the one I would have interpreted at first as i would not have seen decay as evil before now as our interpretations of evil include greed, slander and death which I suppose that decay is apart of death.

Peace and Love

Actual Meaning

The concept of this image is about peace and love.

What the piece means to me

As a piece i find it very simplistic but effective as the peace sign i on a book and the shadow behind it is the shape of a love heart.

Materials

This is photography based with intense lighting which helped to show the meaning because it has created the shadow to show love.

Overall Judgement

As a piece I think it works well although in order to make it more effective I think it should be placed on a book that helps to show the concept like the Bible

Peace is in everyone

Actual Meaning

This image is trying to show how peace is in everyone although in my opinion I do not feel this is completely true if everyone lived in peace would there such a thing as terrorism?

What the piece means to me

In my opinion this does not show its concept well as not every body lives in peace.


Materials

This image was created digitally by using photoshop. I do not feel that the materials show the concept of this image.

Overall judgement

Although I do lik the design elements of this piece I do not seem to understand the concept of this image as I do not see how we all live in peace when acts of Terrorism go on around us.

peace

Actual meaning

This image is about war and peace and difining the relationships between it.

What the piece means to me

I think the artist is trying to get the point of war and peace across by using skull which symbolise death and peace signs to replicate peace.

Materials

This was created digitally using various tools on photoshop. i think the symbolic symbols used replicate the meaning more than the materials that were used do. although the reds and yellows used help to show the concept.

Overall Judgement

In my opinion this image works well because of the symbols used which show war and peace although the colour do help to create this images meaning

Inner Peace

Context:

Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally or spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy (homeostasis) and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.
Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, T'ai Chi Ch'uan or yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, emphasizes the importance of inner peace in the world:
"The question of real, lasting world peace concerns human beings, so basic human feelings are also at its roots. Through inner peace, genuine world peace can be achieved. In this the importance of individual responsibility is quite clear; an atmosphere of peace must first be created within ourselves, then gradually expanded to include our families, our communities, and ultimately the whole planet.


Actual Meaning
I cannot find a reference to the actual meaning of this image


What the pieced means to me:
I feel this image shows innerpeace because the artist has used a bright and vibrant sky with two doves which symbolise peace and purity.


Materials
The artist although I could not find a reference to how this was created I feel it was created
digitally either using Photoshop, Illustrator or a Program very simular. By creating it digitally it helps to convey meaning because the artist has enhanced the colours of the sky within the background giving it a sense of purity because the artist has used calm colours. the artist has also made the center of the image lighter whichs draws you inside the image. also the artist has created the Doves using black lines and has left them very simplistic again i feel this gives a sense of purity as that is what doves symbolise.


Overall judgement
I feel this is a modern piece of art and how the artist has laid the composition out works well it also helps to show the meaning of this image although I do feel that this image may show differents meaning to others than the ones I have interpretated from it.


My Response



Meaning:
I wanted this image to represent inner peace but in a different way to the image I found above so I decided to make the doves face outwards and joint their wings together.

Materials:
I created this image by using photoshop. I decided to make the sky brighter by increasing the contrast of it using the brightness and contrast tool. I also decided to make my design an oval shape and then give it a black border to make it stand out more. The materials I used help to show meaning because it is easier to create calm but effective colours on a computer than by hand.

Overall Judgement:
As a piece in my opinion I think this image works well although in my opinion I think that it sends out a mixed message as the doves are facing outwards instead of inwards but inner peace has many different meanings to it rather than just one.

The International Day Of Peace Logo

Context

Peace is generally the opposite of war. Peace can be a state of harmony or the absence of hostility. "Peace" is used to describe the cessation of violent conflict. Peace can mean a state of quiet or tranquility — an absence of disturbance or agitation. Peace can also describe a relationship between any people characterized by respect, justice, and goodwill. Peace can describe calm, serenity, and silence. This latter understanding of peace can also pertain to an individual's sense of himself or herself, as to be "at peace" with one's own mind.

http://www.wikipedia.org/

Actual Meaning

The International Day of Peace is on September 21st of each year and calls for a full day of peace and ceasefire throughout the world.
The United Nations passed a resolution in 1981 declaring an International Day of Peace to coincide with opening of its General Assembly each year. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution that declared 21 September of each year as the International Day of Peace (PDF).
The resolution: "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day . . .Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace, including through education and public awareness, and to cooperate with the United Nations in the establishment of the global ceasefire.

http://www.wikipedia.org/

What this piece means to me

As this piece was created as a representation for the what the day is supposed to mean Peace. In my opinion the Doves within this image are to show Peace and Purity because that is what Doves represent to the majority of people.

Materials:

Although there is no reference to confirm this I think it was created digitally either using Photoshop or Illustrator. In my opinion the materials used help to convey meaning because you can dramatise like the image on above on the right is a edited version of the image on the left. I think the image on the right communicates piece because rather than using a the world it uses a map like the United Nations which aim is to make Peace.

Overall Judgement:




My Response

Meaning:

I wanted to use various aspects that symbolise peace at the same time I wanted to make it different to the images I found above. As the original images are for the international day of peace I wanted to create a new logo for it using certain aspects that they did.

Materials:
I created this image digitally purely on Photoshop by changing the contrast and saturation of the different aspects of the image. I used black on the background as I wanted everything to stand out although I feel it would have worked just as well on a white background.

Overall Judgement:
As a piece in my opinion i think it works well and the colours used are calm and peaceful which helps to show the meaning of image. In comparision with the logos i found i feel that although the layouts are completly different they do show the same meaning but prehaps in a totally different perspective.

War and Peace

Actual Meaning:

I cannot find a reference to the actual meaning of this piece.

What the piece means to me:
In my opinion this piece is a very surreal and looks like pop art. i like the colours in the background because they are vibrant but at the same time it has an interesting depth of field.

Materials:
This image was created digitally using programs such as photoshop. In my opinion the materials used has given this image a dramatised view on peace because of the colours it has created.

Overall Judgement:
As a piece this image works well to communicate peace altough it is very surreal and contains very vivid and lively colours rather than calm colours that you would normally see with Peace.


My Reponse
Meaning:
The concept of this piece is about war and peace although i feel i could of added more to the image in order to make the concept more visible as i do not feel its shows the correct meaning.

Materials:
I created this image using water coloured pencils and then edited the contrast on the computer. The colours used help to show meaning because the colours contrast eachother almost as if they are fighting eachother.

Overall Judgement:
In my opinion this image could have gone better as i could have made the piece much more effective. In comparison with the other image in my opinion the other image is much more sophisticated compared to this piece which looks more child like in how it has been drawn.

The Sad Truth

Actual meaning

This image depicts suicide and how often someone under the age of 25 commits suicide every day

What the piece means to me

In my opinion I find this piece rather upsetting to think that just over every 2 hours somebody takes their life away.

Materials

This image was created digitally although in the background there is element of traditional work in the form of writing and that is what makes the piece so effective its background. Although the woman in the foreground helps to create the concept of suicide and the pills laid in front of her suggesting she took an overdose.

Overall Judgement

This piece is effective and the reason I chose this image was mainly because of the writing in the background. The truth is suicide is in mordern day society we cannot stop all we can do is try.

truth

Actual meaning:

This image is trying to represent how the truth affects us in two ways as been told the truth can hurt us but not knowing the truth can hurt us as well although we don't alway's see it like that.

What the piece means to me

In my opinion this image wouldn't work if it didn't have the text to support it as i do not see how hands represent truth.

Materials

In my opinion although their is no evidence to support this I think this image was created digitally using programs such as photoshop or illustrator. I think the materials used help to show meaning because of how the text has been positioned and also the font itself works well.

Overall Judgement

In my opinion this piece wouldn't have worked if it didn't contain the text but the text works well to get the overall concept across.

My response

Blinded By Truth

Actual meaning

There is no reference to the actual meaning of this image.

What the piece means to me

In my opinion I think this image is supposed to represent how we are blinded by the truth.

Materials

This image was created using digital photography and this effects the meaning because it allows the artist to make the image more effective by increasing the lighting in the room.

Overall Judgment

In my opinion I think this image is very effective and it gets its concept across very simply although I think this image is very sophisticated

Time Saving Truth from Falsehood and Envy by François Lemoyne

Actual Meaning

This painting was painted by Francois Lemoyne in 1737 the day and was completed the day before the artist commited suicide by stabbing himself seven times at the age of 49. Although there is no reference to the actual meaning In my opinion he created to show the hurt and depression after his wife died which ultimatly led to his death in 1737.

What the piece means to me
I feel this painting is try to communicate to us by making the different aspects in the title as the four people in the painting those being Time, Truth, Falsehood and Envy. I feel this because the man is holding the woman in his arms and is pushing a man away with a stick making the woman represent Truth, the man holding her Time and the other two being Falsehood and Envy. It also helps because of the paintings title which helps to understand the meaning of this painting.

Materials:
This painting was created using oil paints on canvas and its dark colours help to convey meaning because it helps to create depth within the painting. I feel the artist was trying to create a different approach to Truth and Time.

Overall Judgement:
As piece I feel this works well although I didn't understand the meaning at first until I looked at the title but i do feel that this painting may contain different meanings to other people than the I perceived from from this painting.