Photo credit: Freefoto.com
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Stained Glass
Stained glass is a form of art made by adding colored metallic salts to glass well it is in the process being made. Stained glass windows are intricate pieces of work found all over the world in churches, and cathedrals. Stained glass windows were first seen in the early tenth century in churches. The windows displayed pictures stories from religious texts, due to the fact that most church goers in earlier times were unable to read, so therefore could not read the stories in the bible. Some famous cathedrals that are known for the beauty of their stained glass windows include; the Notre Dame Cathedral, in Paris France, as well as the Duomo, Milan Cathedral, in Milan Italy , and locally St. Mary's Cathedral in Calgary. More modernly stained glass is used in churches and cathedrals to reminisce about the art and stained glass used in the Gothic period. This is because most church goers are literate and the need for stained glass as a story telling tool is no longer there.
Photo credit: Freefoto.com
Photo credit: Freefoto.com
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The intuition of an artist
Not everybody has it, its that voice or a distinct feeling
inside someone that makes u hear, visualize, etc what would make a piece of art
look or sound good. It lacks definition and it comes from within, and it is
what separates an artist from everyone else. They have something in them that
can create something beautiful out of nothing. The process of an artist coming
up with an idea and putting it into action is quite fascinating.
1) First, an idea manifests itself in the mind and
an artist dwells upon it
2) The mind thinks of creative ways to portray this
idea to their audience
3) The structure of the end product is thought
about and worked on
4) The end product is a display of the creativity
and intuition of the artist
An underlying factor that contributes to an
artists’ greatness is the passion they have for what they do. Much like how
athletes can will his/her team to victory, an artists’ passion acts in the same
way. Their passion or drive often leads them to accomplishing great things in
life. Some of the most iconic and famous people in human history; ie:
Beethoven, Michael Jackson, Shakespeare, were also some of the most
hard-working.
More importantly though, they all possessed a
unique quality to be able to captivate, and just generally leave people in awe
through their different art forms.
Music in the Future.
Music in the Future
With the rising popularity of electronic music such as dubstep and trance, I wonder what music will sound like in 100 years. Traditionally music was played exclusively with instruments (guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc.), but with improving technology music is being influenced more and more by technology. Example of music in the 1970's. Example of music in 2012.
In 100 years instruments played by humans could become obsolete, replaced by artists who use computer programs to replicate the instruments humans once played. One thing is for certain, creating music with meaning will always require human emotion and creativity how ever it is made.
Dark Side of the Moon
Recently I enjoyed the independent film "Moon"; Key word: enjoyed. "Moon" is a shining example of the ideal science fiction film, It is mysterious, based in the future, and of course, it includes the classic mind-blowing twist at the end. Sam Rockwell makes a stellar performance as the only actor in the film besides Kevin Spacey, who lends his voice to the Robot character "Gurdy". Moon brings thought provoking ideas similar to movies such as inception and shutter island; It makes the viewer contemplate reality and the meaning of life. In the end we as an audience are confronted with "meaning-of -life" questions such as what defines an individual or what is the value of human life. It offers a deep insight on the state of industrial society and the push for money. "Moon" is a must see, a work of art, especially considering is comparatively paltry budget of 5 million. as an indi film, it shines.
here is a link to the trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuScTcDP_Q
here is a link to the trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuScTcDP_Q
Cover Songs.
Cover Songs
A cover song is a song that is performed or recorded by a different artist than the one who created it. Some artists replicate the song in a way that doesn't measure up to the original in quality, the best cover songs are the ones that match or surpass the quality of the original song.
Cover songs do not always sound similar to the original, some artists completely re-invent the song. A song that was originally a rap song, could end up as a soft rock song. If done correctly, this transition could actually elevate the song, it all depends on how well the artist adapts the song to their style without completely losing the vision of the original artist.
One of the best examples of a cover is Johnny Cash covering "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails.
The original song is dark and creepy, and has a hard rock sound. Johnny Cash's cover version is extremely powerful and heart wrenching, especially considering the circumstances in his life at the time. Johnny Cash composed a beautiful cover because he elevated the song to another level, while keeping the original artists vision intact.
Here are links to the original version by Nine Inch Nails and the cover version by Johnny Cash
Odd Future
Odd Future is an up and coming, albeit controversial rap
group that is often criticized for their subject matter in their songs. Its
members are all within the ages of 17-24. Their subject matter often revolves around
raping and killing women, killing themselves, degrading women in general, and admittance
to being part of a devilish group. That combined with the vulgarity used in
their songs. Although I don’t believe their vulgar language is what turns
people off about them, it certainly adds to the negative nature of their music.
They have been met with criticisms from both ordinary people and the media
alike. While most of the hip hop industry, and the music industry for that
matter are making much more ‘brighter’ music, they have stayed insistent on
sticking to their own style of music.
That being said their rebellious nature is what attracts me
to their music. The attitude they bring when recording and performing songs is
unlike any other in the music industry. I must clear something up though; I do
not condone the negative messages they send in their music. There is a
difference between liking an artist and their music, rather than the messages
they are sending. Their argument is that novels and movies have dark messages,
so why can’t they? Because of that amongst other things, they have chosen to
continue to stand for what they want and make their own music. I respect them
for staying loyal to a movement that lacks followers and believe they are
justified in releasing such content in their music. All art forms should be
free to express what they feel without criticisms because that is what art is;
an expression of ourselves. If we can sit through movies that contain men or
women killing each other, or demons terrorizing people, why can’t a music group
talk about the same topics? For that reason I don’t believe peoples criticisms
are justified at all. I believe critics are critical of them because it is
something that is uncommon in music.
What do you think about this topic? Do you think they are
offensive for rapping about this subject matter? If so, why?
The New Bond
James Bond is a character that has been played by many actors over the years but none as dynamic and charismatic as Daniel Craig. Craig also brings something to the table none of the other bonds have and that's the fact that he is actually British. No Bond before Craig had ever actually been British, the closest the franchise had come before was an Irishman named Pierce Brosnan. Daniel Craig brings the franchise back to it's roots and back to the roots of the books, which the movies are based off of, and makes the Bond character gritty and more realistic than in previous years. It is argued that Craig's first Bond flick (Casino Royal) was the best in the franchise's history. Daniel in my opinion is the best bond and when he is done making them it will be tough to fallow up. With the newest movie coming out (Skyfall) on November ninth there is a lot of light shown on the series and there are many television stations playing nonstop James Bond movie marathons as well as documentaries on them.
from what I've seen Skyfall will be on par or even better than Casino Royal and the talk from many blogs and tweets are echoing my thoughts. To demonstrate my thoughts the Trailers are showing a very intense installment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw . I will be going to the midnight release of Skyfall and I hope everyone at least sees this once.
A Killer of a Comedy
Seven Psychopaths is a dark comedy that will keep yo laughing the whole way through. Seven Psychopaths concentrates on an alcoholic screenplay writer who, low and behold, is writing a movie called Seven Psychopaths and his troubles writing it. This Struggling screen writer unwittingly becomes part of the criminal underworld when his oddball friends, who are dog kidnappers by profession, kidnap the biggest gangster in Los Angeles' beloved Shih Tzu. The screenwriter and his friends end up on the run from the gangster and in the proccess the writer ends up writing his screenplay.
Collin Farrel, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwel, and Woody Harrelson all star in this off beat comedy. They all preform beautifully and their on screen chemistry is just perfect for this type of movie. in the sea of constant up beat buddy comedies and alcohol induced amnesia comedies Seven Psychopaths is a breath of fresh air. If you do not laugh at least once in this movie you must be made of stone because there comedy for every one with in it.
Cinema on a Dime
for those of us who love watching movies but hate paying the expensive prices that movie theaters charge or paying for expensive DVD's there are not a lot of options but there are a few you can choose from. One of the more popular choices, for people who have little to spend, is going to a Cineplex movie theater on Tuesday nights. Cineplex on Tuesday nights charges around seven dollars and fifty cents instead of around ten dollars.This price becomes even better if you are a scene member (Cineplex's version of a discount club) the already discounted price is again discounted by ten percent, which comes out to about six dollars and twenty five cents.
Watching movies this way is probably the best way to go because it is much cheaper than going on a regular day and you get to see the most recent movies out.
photo by DawnVGilmorePhotography on Flickr
Another way to watch movies without absorbing large monetary loses is to get Netflix online. Netflix is a great website that allows you to watch unlimited movies and even telvision shows streamed to your computer at the low cost of eight dollars a month. Although Netflix is a great website there are a couple draw backs to it: you must have a computer that has the latest version of Flashplayer and is connected to the Internet also Netflix charges the eight dollars to your credit card each month and it is hard to keep track of. Having said that the pros far out way the cons because you are able to watch as many movies as you want there is not limit and there is always new movies being added to keep you interested.
The final way to watch movies with out emptying your pockets is to just watch the movies played on your local television station. Although this is the cheapest option it is probably the least desirable one because there not always movies playing on TV and they are not always movies you would like to see.
The best option for those watching cinema on a dime is probably Netflix because you are able to watch anything you want (if they have it) and as much as you want. Of course there are draw backs but they are not major when compared to what you are getting.
Are we losing our musicality?
Although this phrase has become a little bit cliché, I
believe that music is going downhill. Before there used to be a focus on the
different instruments used in a song and how they can be put together
effectively to create a masterpiece for its audience. People used to be such
great storytellers, and just better musicians in general. Today’s music can be
summed up in one word; repetition. To make it onto the radio most artists will
gladly sacrifice time spent on adding in content into the lyrics of the song in
order to make the chorus as repetitive and catchy as possible. This is why we
here the same beats on almost every top 40 song.
Seeing as it the quintessential way to make the most money
in today’s music industry, it is a trend that is bound to continue. And that is
where I believe the problem lies. It is in our mindset as a society. We live in
a consumerist country that does everything in its power to get your dollar. Not
only that, but for the most part this is what we want to hear. If we aren’t listening
or buying it, artists will not produce it. This mindset is quickly consuming,
if not already consumed all who are brought up on this side of the planet. And
it is quickly spreading to other parts of the world.
I for one am a person that appreciates musicianship and
seeing the effort being put into a song in an attempt to make it a masterpiece.
There is something about it that speaks to its genuineness.
So what do you think? Are we losing our musicianship? If so,
why?
Spoken Word
I believe that poetry is one of the more underrated and
difficult things to do when it comes to music and art. Specifically spoken word.
It involves the combination of a creative mind, a great performer, and passion
for whatever topic he/she is discussing. And often times a deep vocabulary. Great
spoken word artists usually leaves its audience in absolute awe and will have
them dwelling on the subject matter hours, even days after a performance. That
is why I respect this so much. Much like hip hop it is a form of poetry, but
without a beat. It focuses on sending a message to an audience about a
particular topic and it has an authenticity to it.
The underrated and often overlooked part of delivering
spoken word is just that. The deliverance. Conveying the emotion of a message
is vital. It requires sound stage presence, and authenticity. Personally there
is nothing better than a performer delivering a message so profoundly that it
makes you convey an emotion as well; laughter, crying, awe, etc. Often times
the deep vocabulary of a spoken word artist is what transcends a performance.
There is a great appreciation for finding a “ deeper meaning” in a message and
there is something about it that can touch people. This comes through
subliminals, puns, and wordplay, most of which is difficult to execute. It is
hard to fully explain just how gifted one has to be to pull off a great
performance, so I will show you an example.
I listened to a spoken word group a few years ago called The
Recipe. Take a listen. Be amazed!
Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum is
one of the largest museums's in Western Canada. Established in 1966, it has
over 20 galleries with all sorts of different art pieces from all over the
world. The Glenbow also has a library that contains over 100,00 reading sources
like books, newspapers, and maps.
There are quite a few interesting exhibits currently at the
museum. Since many exhibits travel throughout many different museum's, you have
to take the opportunity to view these pieces before they leave. Some
of the few exhibits currently at the Glenbow are:
-Fairy Tales and Monsters and the Genetic Imagination:
"Inspired by literature, science fiction and scientific genetic
experimentation, leading international artists have conceived fantastical
humanlike, animal or hybrid creatures to symbolize life's mysteries, desires
and fears."
-Florilegeium: Works by Calgary Artist Jennifer Wanner. These mainly include pieces made by all sorts of plants.
There are constant new pieces showing up at the Glenbow Museum, so keep checking back to their website and find out what new and interesting pieces will be coming that year.
Free Photo Editing Programs for Macs
When it comes to photo editing programs, the prices can be
pretty high depending on the program. Adobe Photo shop is probably the most
popular one that most people have heard of, however, the price is over $750!
That is insane. For those of us who want to use a program that is not so
complicated and expensive, here are a few free ones.
The GIMP for
Mac OS X- GIMP is one of the more popular free programs
available for Mac. It closely resembles Photoshop, with many features that are
found in photoshop. There have been some issues that some people report about
GIMP, such as the high amount of updates it frequently asks, a little
complicated to download, and it may be hard to learn for the inexperienced
user, but overall, I personally enjoy this program.
Seashore- Seashore
was created to resemble GIMP. Users find that Seashore is much easier to work
with compared to GIMP, and it is also easier to download. The only problem with
Seashore is that it has not have had updates in a while (2008), so it could be
a little behind when it comes to features. However, for the average user, this
program still works great to add beauty to their pictures.
Pinta- Pinta
is a very basic graphics editor that allows users to simply edit their images
using basic drawing tools and image adjusting tools. It is very clear and
straightforward.
These there appear to be the more popular ones of all the
photo editing programs available online for free. So far I have only tried
GIMP, but I'll be sure to try out the other two to see if I prefer them.
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