Chinese Ceramics

Hi again,

In the museum, ancient Chinese ceramic ware were also displayed. Chinese ceramic ware shows a continuous development since the per-dynastic periods, and is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art.

Out of the Chinese ware which were there in the museum, most of them belonged to "Blue and White wares." These designate white pottery and porcelain decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment, generally cobalt oxide. The decoration is commonly applied by hand, by stenciling or by transfer-printing. Usually these were pots or plates of great value.

The following are two photographs taken by me, of The Chinese Ware which were displayed in the museum

              
The drawings in these were exceptionally beautiful with the perfect match of blue textures in white back ground. The curves and other shapes used, added more beauty and value to them. These are believed to be gifts to the ancient Kings who ruled Sri Lanka by the rulers in China, in order to strengthen the political affairs between the two nations.

                                         My sketch of the drawings

Sigiriya Frescoes

Hi everyone,

Weekly study tours to various important places were one of the most awaited and fun filled times for us who study at AOD. We were required to take down information as much as we want and in the end of the semester, we were required to submit a journal out of all the visits we have gone. It was quite challenging in the beginning, because the requirement was 10 pages per study tour.

However, I soon realized that it was not as much difficult as it seemed to be. We were allowed to include whatever influence we got and make our own new designs and arts.

On our first ever study tour, we went to the National Museum in Colombo.

                                    My Sketch of the National Museum

The replicas of Sigiriya frescoes were able to steal our attention. The Sigiriya frescoes are one of the most important creations of the Sri Lankan art history. Apart from the fact that they are drawn on a rock surface, the fact of using natural colors should also be taken into consideration.

                                    My Sketch of Sigiriya frescoes

In the past when coloring drawings, artists used natural colors which were abstracted from various flowers, leaves, soil, etc, After applying such colors, they had to use some kind of wax which would leave the drawings preserved for a long period of time.

The following colors were abstracted from natural elements.

                              The Journal Page relating to natural colors

What is important is that, in order to make something creative you do not need the best materials. As long as you can think creative, you can always produce an exceptional invention with simple and cheap things which you can find easily.

Drawing of Barack Obama

HI,

So, after having a wonderful time with KAL, next challenge was to draw a political cartoon with him. All of us thought it would be very difficult. But with a great instructor like KAL, it was so easy. He showed us step by step how to draw the cartoon. To my surprise, mine came out really well.

                                          KAL drawing the cartoon                            
           

                                           My drawing of Obama

An Opporutnity of a life time...

Hi again,

At AOD we are always learning something new and fresh. Everyday is a new experience for all of us. Along with all these experiences, we got the life time opportunity to meet Kevin Kallaugher on 18th October 2012. Shortly known as KAL, is a world famous political cartoonist for The Economist and the former cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun. 

He was in Sri Lanka for one of his tours. Thanks to our administration panel, we were able to meet him personally and learn about his work. He is very talented and had a wonderful personality. He gave us a lecture on how he has worked hardly to achieve this position in his life. We also got the chance to see the latest cartoon he had drawn for The Economist, that too the original. How fantastic is that, right??

                                          The Legend himself

                                          KAL while giving the lecture

For more pictures you can refer to the official Facebook page of AOD.
                               Kevin Kallaugher's Workshop at AOD

My replica of a rice plate...

Hi there,

Finally, after learning about food replicas, an assignment was given in our Art History class to prepare a replica of a rice plate. I made mine using paper pulp, rigifoam balls, wood pieces, fabric, nylon and sponge.It was very interesting to see how my fellow classmates had each thought of something creative and prepared their plates as well.

The following are the pictures taken by me of the plates of rice we made.

What are Food Replicas?

Hi everyone,

Food replicas are replicas of food which are not made with edible stuff but using other materials such as wood, plastic, wax, and etc. These are used as props for backgrounds in movies, television shows, commercials, and also used to display lifelike replicas of real foods for restaurants, grocery shops and in other places where real foods can not be displayed.

                                 A display of food replicas in a store
Source : http://www.charliestudio.com/charliegrosso/www/blog/2008/12/plastic-food-models-and-fake-foods.html

This is a video of how replica of lettuce can be made using wax

As long as you can think creative and know what you are doing, you can make really cool stuff using what you can find around you. There are many artists in the world who can make exceptional food replicas. For more information you can visit the link below. I found them to be very interesting and influential.

Fascinating Food Artists and Sculptors

Claes Oldenburg: The Pop Art Sculptor

Hi there,

Claes Oldenburg is the most famous sculptor who contributed heavily to develop Pop Art Sculptures. His work includes making very large replicas of everyday objects. He not only made everyday objects but also broadened his work by making food replicas. His most famous sculptures include Lipstick, Spoonbridge and Cherry, Typewriter eraser and Dropped Cone.

 

                               Lipstick , In Morse College Courtyard
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claes_Oldenburg

       Spoonbridge and Cherry, In National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.
Source : http://ihatetoalarmyou.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-is-real-is-authentic.html
 

In 1961 Oldenburg opened 'The Store' where he sold plaster replicas of fast foodstuff. He used the front shop of 'The Store' as a gallery while he replenished his stock from his studio in the back shop. After the death of his second wife, Coosje Van Bruggen in 2009, Oldenburg now lives and works in New York.

Pop Art Movement... On the way to Food Replicas

Hi everyone,

If you are wondering about my topic in this post, then let me clarify it first.The Pop Art Movement was given major importance in our history class. After learning about this, we went deeper into sculptures, which ultimately ended up in discussing about food replicas. Now to understand about food replicas, first you must be familiarised with what is Pop Art Movement.

It began in Britain in the mid 50's. Pop art appreciates popular culture, which is simply known as "material culture". The first application of the term "Pop Art" was made by the group of artists named Independent Group.

The movement was different from others simply because it included imagery from movies, television, newspapers and magazines. Basically, it was founded through the means of mass communication and thus became very famous among the young artists who was born after the world War II.

Both British and American artists practiced Pop Art. Some of the British artists are, Richard Hamilton, Peter Blake, John McHale, Lawrence Alloway, and Patrick Canfield. American artists include Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Billy Al Bengston, and John Wesley.

What Are the Key Characteristics of Pop Art?

• Recognizable imagery, drawn from popular media and products.
• Usually very bright colors.
• Flat imagery influenced by comic books and newspaper photographs.
• Images of celebrities or fictional characters in comic books, advertisements and fan magazines.
• In sculpture, an innovative use of media.

 Source : http://arthistory.about.com/od/modernarthistory/a/Pop-Art-Art-History-101-Basics.htm

The following are some examples of Pop Art.

                                          Marilyn by Andy Warhol

                 Source : http://simplyjanestudio.com/paintthegreats

                                      Shuttlecock by Claes Oldenburg
Source : http://trueartsysisters.blogspot.com/2012/08/fashion-inspired-by-art-for-love-of-pop.html

               Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich by Claes Oldenburg
Source : http://www.askyfilledwithshootingstars.com/wordpress/?p=836

                         Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg
Source : http://ihatetoalarmyou.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-is-real-is-authentic.html

Model Making (Part 2)

Hi again,

In my last post, you saw how I came to my modeling sketches. Now I will show you how my final model was made. We were taught to take the photos of the pictures while focusing on the shadow too. So these were what I came up with.

This is how my model looks like in the end. It was made using wood, boards and paper.

Model Making (Part I)

Hi everyone,

After completing the photography session, next was model making, which I find very interesting and complicated at the same time. Before making our model, we were asked to choose one of the 12 photographs we submitted and sketch it in a simple way just using lines.

This is the picture I chose to complete my model. It was taken by me in the Borella Cemetery, Sri Lanka.

Next was sketching... After the simple line drawings we should divide it into simple shapes.

These are the first sketches of the simplified version of the picture I selected.

Once we were done with sketching, it was coloring.

So, my model is going to look like the final sketch drawn. But for that, you have to see my next post.

Photography Series: Cultural Evoltion

Hi there,

We were also asked to present 12 photographs which would depict the concept we have chosen. Out of my 12 pictures, 6 are given below. I decided to show a comparison of pictures which would ultimately depict how things were in the past and how things have changed since then. All the pictures were taken by me in various locations. Hope you will like it!!!

The simple wooden house surrounded by the paddy field has turned into...

Architectural buildings with beautifully planned gardens...

The Kitchen made of wood... pots made of clay...

Barbequing outdoor... 

 Adopting nature just the way it is...

Limiting and changing nature as per wishes.. ...




 

Color Drawings: Cultural Evolution

Hi again,

The tonal drawings are followed by the color drawings. These are the drawings that earned me my Distinction.

If you are surprised to see McDonald's food tray in my blog, then  it is because the fast food service plays a huge part in the day to day lives of the present society. That is why I choose this. This shows to what extent culture has evolved.

 This painting took almost 2 days to complete because we were asked to focus on shadows. This is my favorite of what I did in my foundation. Though it took time, I feel that this was a complete success. The wooden partition in the middle of a modern contemporary living room shows that no matter how developed and sophisticated we would be, there will be a touch of culture to make things complete.

Tonal Drawings: Cultural Evolution

Hi,

This is about how I was influenced by the concept of Cultural Evolution for the final portfolio submission at AOD. We were asked to make our portfolio relating to the concept of our personal preference for which mine was, cultural evolution.

Cultural Evolution, the way I see, is how culture has evolved throughout... The simple life styles of people have become complicated with the development of technology. Scientists have invented new equipment which make life a lot more easier as well as time saving. Therefore everything has changed for the better and for the worst.

Source : http://lifethroughartamm.blogspot.com/2012/04/final-project-role-of-women.html


The tonal drawings that were drawn by me are followed.

                                   My tonal drawing of Hotel Mt. Lavinia

                                   My tonal drawing of a bedroom

Me and My No.5

Hi everyone,

Having told about the life and work of Jackson Pollock, now I'm going to show you how I was influenced by his work. For the final Art History presentation at AOD, I choose to work on Pollock's famous painting No.5.

The Original painting was done in 1948, on an 8' x 4' sheet of fiberboard, using thick amounts of brown and yellow paint drizzled on top of it, forming a nest-like appearance. Because Pollock used house paint, he created his large compositions horizontally to prevent paint from running. His gestural lines created a nest like appearance. The original No.5 was owned by Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr. and was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art. Later it was sold to David Geffen who then sold it to David Martinez for a price of $140 million, in 2006 though some sources provide that this supposed sale of the painting has being opposed by the attorneys of Martinez. However, if the sale has truly taken place, then it would be the second most expensive painting in the world after The Card Players by Paul Cezanne worth $259 + million.

                                        The Original Painting No.5
                  Source :  http://www.artfortune.com/art-masterpieces/

I totally enjoyed dripping paint on to my canvas. I tried my best to make sure that it looks like the original, but it should be taken to notice that while Pollock did it on a huge fiberboard, mine was just a canvas.

                                        My replica of No.5

Jackson Pollock: My Favourite Abstract Expressionist

Hi there,

At AOD when we were taught about the different artists in the world who have contributed to the development of Art and Design, I found this artist named "Jackson Pollock" to be very interesting. Just like his fans all around the world, I too became fascinated by what he has done.

He is recognised to be one of the major figures in Abstract expressionism which is an post World War II art movement developed in New York. Pollock was known for his unique painting style named "drip painting". Drip painting is where the paint is dripped or poured into onto the canvas. Instead of oil paints and art brushes, he used house paint, sticks and hardened brushes to create large abstract works.

This is a video about how Pollock does his paintings.

Though he enjoyed considerable fame, Pollock never had a luxurious life as he deserved to have, being the creator of the most expensive paintings in the World to the present, which includes Blue, Autumn Rhythm, No.1, No.3, No.5 and many more.

                                                       Blue 

Source : http://www.leslieparke.com/2010/12/jackson-pollocks-blue-poles/

                                               Autumn Rhythm
Source : http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/57.92


He was born in 1912 as the youngest son of Stella May and LeRoy Pollock. He was once expelled from Manual Art's High School in Los Angele's. Later in 1930, he studied under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League.In 1945, Pollock married the American painter Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy. Throughout his life, Pollock struggled with alcoholism. In 1956, at the age of 44, Pollock died in an alcohol related car accident, while he was driving. His Life story was inspired by Ed Harris who made the film Pollock in 2000 which won several Academy Awards.

"When I'm in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."
                    -Jackson Pollock, My Painting, 1956 

                                 Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock


         Jackson Pollock while doing his painting

Source : http://yalebooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/the-discovery-of-an-american-icon-extract-from-jackson-pollock-by-evelyn-toynton/

The choice I made!!!

"It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

                            - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

And Yes, I made a choice...

The Workshop, Bentota, Sri Lanka...

That is where I'm going to work one day. I made the choice that as soon as graduate as an Interior Designer, I will join my family business.
Trust me when I say this, I had no ability that was required by an Interior Designer when I started. I had never drawn a picture since Grade 9. But then, I knew that I have chosen the correct path for me when I got a Distinction for Drawing in my Foundation period at AOD!
I actually do not know whether having a furniture manufacturing business influences my life to become an Interior Designer. But I know one thing that it certainly made me the person who I am today. I wanted to get into this field, because I could not let my father's years of hard work to blow away just like that. But now I know that I have made the right decision.
So, be it an influence or not, The Workshop is THE REASON why I choose to study Interior Design. Even though once upon a time, I absolutely had no ability to become an Interior Designer, the choice I made, helped me to discover my self...

Would you like to see how The Workshop looks like?? Well, here you go.....

                                                     The Entrance

                                                     Working Area