COP Summary Using Quotes

Ways of Seeing by John Berger is an extremely sexist text. Woman are highlighted as being vain compulsive, and are objectified throughout. This is evidenced in the quote “Men Look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.” Personally, I feel that this statement could mean woman are a constant focus for men, and women themselves. Berger goes on to say “…she turns herself into an object…an object of vision: a Sight.” This exemplifies the idea that it is a woman’s fault for being considered an object of vision. This also groups women together as a whole. It could be said that some women are vain, and consider themselves objects. This can be highlighted within paintings during the renaissance era. Women were painted holding mirrors, looking at themselves. It could be said that Berger’s views were heavily influenced by that era.  

Berger references this era in his statement about “Painting women were the principle, ever-recurring subject” Here he is referencing how society had started to sexualise, and idolise the womanly form. This initial practice has developed, and is still present in the modern day. When referencing paintings that depicted the story of Adam and Eve, he highlights the shame that is portrayed. Over time, this shame has been exploited, and sexualised. “Later the shame becomes a kind of display”.

Berger touches on the idea that the human form is natural. However this is juxtaposed against modern societies views. “To be naked is to be oneself.” This statement is irrelevant within society in the modern day. Women are shamed for exposing themselves and are sexualised. This theory could be applied to men as well. Certain muscular and powerful undertones are heavily present in society’s day-to-day lives. Advertisements, Media and cultures are heavily centred around what society views as being perfect.

COP1 Lecture 3 Typography

Typography influences everything we do. Type can have general rules to follow, however these rules can be challenged through modern day advertising, graphic design and animation. Typography has gone through years of trying to be perfected by hundreds of people. Their aim to create a broad spectrum of easy to read and aesthetically pleasing typography.

Originally, the alphabet started out as symbols that depicted certain objects. These symbols eventually developed into the alphabet that we know now. This process went from pictures to diagrams to symbols. The further development of the alphabet is through type. Typography is a visual form of language, it is the main aspect of communication.

The classification of type is usually split into categories, most importantly, humanist, decorative and script. The various styles of typography can clearly depict as well as add to the messages trying to be conveyed.

I can apply the form of type in my future animations by taking into account what I want to achieve, and how people before me have achieved a similar goal. Typography is important within animation, from the credits to text within the animation. The typography has to fit the style of the animation while also keeping close to the initial brief.

What is the role of handmade / traditional Animation in the digital age? - 250 word Summary

Original paintings are seen as unique through the perspective of people that look on them in real life. However, through the digital age, this experience has been warped through the thousands of copies made from iconic, classic paintings. In the modern day, images and paintings that are perceived as astounding are reproduced and meanings are lost.

Paintings are striking and are a whole image, a lot of the time trying to evoke a sense of scenery, action and emotion. Camera's and companies can reproduce these impactful pieces into meaningless sections of the images. Paintings are broken down into key imagery within the whole painting, to create iconic paintings within the paintings. These sections that are usually cut out of the whole painting can completely change the mood of the painting, and change the focus of the whole image.

Another thing that can effect our perception towards pieces of art is the atmosphere and information surrounding pieces of work. We could be told a distinctive, seemingly important fact about a painting, and that can completely warp the meaning of the image. Sound and presentation is also a factor into how we perceive things. Sombre music could be played over a painting and can switch our sense of emotion. Lighting can also change the paintings mood, as well as the back story behind the painting.

History of Image COP Lecture

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It could be said that the Lascaux Caves are where visual communication first started. the images depicted are of animals, human figures and abstract signs. These images could be a representation of tasks carried out through the painters lives. To me, I find the idea of human's treating visual communication pieces interesting, and the juxtaposition of how art was created, and the overall visual aesthetic back then to what people perceive as art now is intriguing.

Richard Long's attempted to describe that there are themes of ancient, primal movement laced within modern contemporary art. He challenges this idea by clearly presenting people with pieces that clearly contain similar colours, shapes and routine as of those created when the world first started, and society back then expressed forms of art.

Display methods in general, within exhibitions, drive to play on emotion. The way pieces of art are institutionalised can effect the pieces that are being displayed, and in turn influence peoples emotions. Society can also be automatically coded to think certain thoughts caused by hype that surrounds certain exhibitions, artists and individual pieces. A certain example of this is the Papel Altar and Frescoes. These paintings that surround onlookers seem to be surrounded by this hype that you can reach higher state of consciousness, by viewing images of dominance. These collections that represent power, tower above as you gaze.

The famous Mona Lisa painting has always, and will be surrounded by this sense of individual, intricate beauty, that no one is really conscious of why it is so famous. To me, it is one of them paintings that people have a desire and drive to see just so they can say they have seen it. hundreds of tourists each day scramble to catch a glimpse of this painting. I went to Paris and walked all the way to The Louvre. The queue filled the museum square. To be honest I did have the intention on seeing the Mona Lisa, hover, I still didn't understand why people would want to see a painting that in comparison looks a lot like paintings of that era.

Banksy and many street artist take the idea of viewing art to be exclusive and particular and turns it on it's head by creating art in places that anyone can see. The images that are created are powerful, and a lot of the time hard-hitting and controversial.

To me, Jackson Pollock is just like anyone else. What he produced wasn't special, and to me anyone could do it. Pollock was glorified, and made into this symbol of western decadence. Pollock did play a large role in how art developed and evolved, however his pieces don't really have any significance to me. His paintings may have started off with a meaning, however they were neutralised by the masses, which seems to be a habit of society.

Roy Liechtenstein demonstrates the ridiculousness of splatting paint by creating an image of cartoon-style paint. He used the modern pop art style, and turned this popular art style into a piece that ridicules Pollocks glorified, simple paintings that only appealed to the masses. Liechtenstein used this popular culture style to attack other cultures.

Shepard Fairey was employed to created presidential posters for Obama. The posters created proved to be an iconic success and have been re-appropriate within popular-culture. However, a few years later, Shepard Fairey fought back against communism and society by turning the original design on it's head. In a way, he contextualised his own creating and used it against America to show corruption.

Nick Ut's photographs communicate human tragedy in a way that shocks delicate, blind and ignorant members of society. He creates powerful messages using photography, that make people really think about how the other half lives. For me, it is difficult to look at these images of people the second before they are murdered.

The Guerrilla girls fought against misogamy, sexism and racism within modern art in the 80's. Their poster's on billboards demonstrated the importance of size, and public viewing of their strong messages and statistics. The statistics they use really make you think, and personally because I am doing animation, I do see how the art world is very male driven. I haven't come across a lot of sexism just yet because we are all young, but from what I've heard, the institutions are extremely male driven as well. Even from reading animation books, you can clearly see how the male mind perceive themselves as being superior.

England is considered to be an interesting, photogenic and symbolic piece of commissioned art. Constables "The Haywain" clearly depicts symbolism and society of that age. The scenic landscape, the classic english architect and slaves working peacefully in the distance. When fully analysing this piece, you can clearly see the power behind each detail. England will always be a place of class wars, and it is demonstrated perfectly within this piece.

The juxtaposition between what was considered success years ago, and success and happiness now is drastic. demonstrated in the painting "Mr and Mrs Andrews" the idea of happiness and completeness is visualised by presenting us with a couple, a large beautiful landscape, expensive extravagant clothes and a gun. Even in the cardboard body language you can see how much poet Mr Andrews has. However, nowadays within advertisement, happiness and success is depicted through images of large families showing expressions of joy and wealth. This has caused society to feel incomplete without the fantasy of a happy family, and feel that they are obsolete without the company.

Oliviero Toscani's most famous photograph is of David Kirby dying of aids, surrounded by his family. This image to me is extremely hard hitting and powerful. Some may say the image relates to christ, an image that transcends suffering and existential torture.

Another interesting form of visual communication is Victorian Post Mortem Photography. It seems like a bizarre idea, to dress the deceased in formal clothes, and take pictures of them to try and create life within an image. These images have an extremely eerie feeling once you find out that the subject is dead. Some may say that these are images of playing god or cheating death through attempting to create life through something lifeless.

Overall, I found this lecture extremely interesting. I enjoy exploring various styles and images of visual communication, and creating an understanding of different opinions, and how society perceive what they see as works of art.

COP Lecture 2 Visual Literacy

From this lecture I learned that the reason why I took this course was to communicate, solve problems and present ideas that can be successfully translated to different audiences. This can be applied within my studies mainly if I ever have to create an advert, and sometimes within simple cartoons that involve an underlying message.

Visual Literacy is also the ability to construct meaning from visual images and type. This is relevant in animation through the way that I can create an animation that involves imagery that has a meaning and a strong message. I can do this by manipulating certain aspects of an animation such as, colour, shapes, actions and sound.

One of the things that I thought to be helpful was the idea that being visually literate requires an awareness of the relationship between visual syntax and visual semiotics.

Overall I found this seminar helpful in understanding how visual literacy can be used to inform, negotiate and create an understanding for audiences.

Context of Practice Study task 1 - Animation Analysis

I decided to analyse "A Short Vision" Directed by Pete folds, and "Duck Amuck" Directed by Chuck Jones. I enjoyed both of these cartoons for different reason. Fold's animation offered sinister, jarring imagery whilst Duck Amuck offered classic funny Looney Tunes with a cynical under layer of distaste from creators.

Watching A short vision was a jarring experience. The animation alone, stood out because of the characters odd appearance and smooth movements. The suspense created by the mystery object flying over the city made you question which direction the short was heading in, Whereas in the typically funny Duck Amuck, you instantly get the jist of what's going to be the subject of the episode.

After re-watching Duck Amuck, I got more of an aggressive vibe overall. I know that Daffy Duck is meant to be aggressive, but within this short, there just seems to be frustration and anger. To me I feel like this episode really depicts the frustration that that most animators experience, because they feel like their constantly having to cater to the masses by performing through their cartoons.

When comparing the two, they're both similar in the sense that they both carry strong messages through warped visual communication to shadow the true meaning behind them.