wassily kandinsky, "modello di figura per la scena xvi"
Throughout this quarter, you will be making minimalist geometric compositions, like those on the Geometry Daily tumblr. You will be creating these on the computer program Geogebra. You should already have it installed on your computer, but if not, please download it. Throughout this quarter (and indeed, the year), you will be putting together an artistic portfolio of your own. If you're thinking "OMGosh! I'm not artistic!" -- relax. This has nothing to do with hand-eye coordination and shading. This has to do with what you find visually pleasing.
TASK #01Soon you're going to be creating your own geometric art. To do this you'll be using the program Geogebra. This activity will get you familiar with how to use Geogebra.
Before getting started, check out GeoGebraTube and look at two of the "Featured Materials" that seem interesting. I want you to see how powerful Geogebra is, and how much you can do with it! Open Geogebra. Figure stuff out. I suggest you don't use tutorials unless you are desperate. Just click around, see what's out there. Some things to learn how to do: A sheet with hints on how to do these tasks is here. 1. Drop a point. Draw a circle. Create a line segment. Draw a line. 2. Make the size of the point bigger. Change the color of the line segment. Make the line dashed. 3. Figure out how to make it so the "name" of the points aren't shown (so it doesn't show "A", "B", "C", etc.). Now create a circle and without deleting it, toggle the circle so it appears and disappears. 4. Turn the grid on and off. Turn the axes on and off. Change the background color to be pink. Learn how to zoom in and zoom out. 5. Create a quadrilateral using the polygon tool. Color the inside of the polygon green. Make it so the polygon's inside is not see through (put opacity at 100%) 6. Use the reflection tool to reflect a circle across a line. Make the circle bigger and smaller (and see what happens). Move the line (and see what happens). 7. Draw a 68 degree angle. 8. Draw a triangle with the polygon tool. Calculate the size of the three angles in the triangle. Find the area of the triangle.Find the distance of each of the sides of the triangle. Save your geogebra file with the title "Knowles_Beyonce_Task01.ggb" (but with your name, obviously). Throw it in our dropbox. |
Task #02Take some time exploring the Geometry Daily archives. Read about the artist. Find three pieces in the archive that you like more than the others. Download this word document.
Copy those images into the appropriate places in the word document, and try to articulate why those images speak to you, in words. This is a challenging thing to do, because often times, images just speak to us viscerally, and it's hard to break down what it is about them that strikes us. Do your best. In order to help you, once you are done, you may want to ask yourself the question "why" after each sentence you've written -- to help you think deeply. You might want to also think about the "balance" of the piece (does it feel heavier in some spots than others, or does it feel balanced), where your eyes are drawn when you look at the piece, what the piece reminds you of (if anything), what you wonder about when looking at it... Dropbox your page with the title "Knowles_Beyonce_Task02.docx" (but with your name, obviously). Please be sure to title the document properly! |
Task #03Create a piece of geometric art using Geogebra that you're proud of. It doesn't necessarily have to be complex, nor does it have to be simple. The only requirement is that you absolutely love it.
(You'll be making a bunch more of these throughout the quarter. Your own mini-Geometry Daily!) At some point, you likely will want to turn off the grid and axes, remove the names of the points ("A", "B", "C", etc.), and think about the colors/line thicknesses/etc. When it is done, save your geogebra file with the title "Knowles_Beyonce_Task03Geogebra.ggb" (but with your name, obviously). Throw that file in the dropbox. Now download this word file, and copy your artwork into it. (To "copy" the image, go to "Edit -> Graphics View to Clipboard." Now you can Paste your image into a word file.) Write down a title for the piece, and write a description of how the piece came about (what you were intending to create, how did you create it, what tools were most helpful for you) and why you like it. Title the file "Knowles_Beyonce_Task03Word.docx" (but with your name). Throw that file into the dropbox also. |
Task #04
Our very own Shen Gallery is hosting a show by sculptor John Clement.
Read this conversation with John Clement from April 2014. Then do some of your famous internet sleuthing and find out more about him and his work. Throw what you find out in the google doc for your class: Shah D band google doc . Kinnell D band google doc Kinnell F band google doc Kinnell H band google doc (My interesting fact is that John Clement is a protoge of famous artist Mark di Suvero, whose daughter went to Packer. Small world!) |
Task #o5Create a piece of art on Geogebra using only line segments.
Save your geogebra file with the title "Knowles_Beyonce_Task05Geogebra.ggb." Throw your work into this word file. Title the file "Knowles_Beyonce_Task05Word.docx" (but with your name). Throw that file into the dropbox also. |
Task #06Create a piece of art on Geogebra using translations by a vector, reflection over a line, and rotations by an angle. Your piece should include use one of each of the geogebra functions above (but may include many more). Because of rotations, circles might be an interesting shape to use for some of your work.
Please utilize color well, and work on creating a complex/interesting piece of art. I do not want it to look "so minimalist" that I think you threw it together ten minutes before class. Okay? Okay. Save your geogebra file with the title "Knowles_Beyonce_Task06Geogebra.ggb." Throw your work into this word file. Title the file "Knowles_Beyonce_Task06Word.docx" (but with your name). Throw that file into the dropbox also. |
