learningIT

Check out Rankin (photographer, publisher and film director who launched Dazed & Confused magazine) and the Destroy Rankin Project. It’s…

I have seen variations of this Australian aboriginal art activity in the past, but what I like about my co-workers’ delivery is the crumpled paper effect. Sonya and Gillian did this as an after school activity with grade 1-4 students. They write:

“Students were inspired by an aboriginal painting to create their own ‘rock drawings’ in the style of the Australian aboriginal people. After drawing their animal in permanent marker, they used watercolour dyes in earth tones to colour the paper. When it was dry, the paper was scrunched into a ball to create the rock texture. Further detail was added with cotton buds and paint – the dot painting being very prominent in aboriginal art. A border was created for the work and students helped prepare their work for display.”

(video link here)

I enjoy film. I appreciate special effects. I enjoy compiled stuff like this.

It made me think. CG looks great and realistic, but the mystery of “How did they do that?” is kind of gone. Remember the first time you saw this or this? You craved to know how it was done. It was clever when George Lucas had to adapt his special effects around his budgets. Now all you get is the simple answer, “It’s CG.” The new Star Wars kind of sucked for that reason.

Perhaps I am being too nostalgic?

Anyway, it’s also worth checking out the ‘related to’ videos from the above as well if you teach film.

In addition to this, Students Recall More Hollywood than History:

If you thought Tom Cruise’s character in “The Last Samurai” represented a real figure from history, you were wrong. But don’t feel ashamed. A new study shows that even students, with facts staring them in the face, tend to substitute Hollywood fiction for historical fact in their minds.

(via LiveScience)

Thanks to Shane M. for the tip.

I have tried to use hugin, for stitching photos together to make panoramic ones, but found it a little frustrating. ArcSoft’s Panorama Maker 5 Pro is fantastic. The downside is that it is 79.99 USD. However, if you are cheap like me, you may have several of your photos already taken. Download the trial version and start stitching the photos together. It is very simple to use. For the image above, I used five photos.

You simply upload the photos and click next.

The photos are then processed…

…and then previewed to you.

All you have to do now is simply click ‘Save As.’

I must admit, I am now considering to purchase it. There is also DoubleTake for Mac (€17.95). Has anyone tried this one or know of others?

New Scientist Magazine offered 10 mysteries of the human species in their August 8 edition (…I know, I had the time to read it one month later). Art clocked in at number seven. Why do humans create art? A display of evolutionary fitness? Sexual display? Intellectual play? Social adaptation? Aesthetics? Read the short article here.

The 10 Mysteries were:

1. Blushing
2. Laughter
3. Pubic hair
4. Teenagers
5. Dreams
6. Altruism
7. Art
8. Superstition
9. Kissing
10. Nose-picking

Full read here.

If you are a musician (or wish to be one) who learns by playing along with a CD or mp3,  Capo may be for you. It lets you slow down your favorite songs, so you can hear the notes and learn how they are played (49USD).

The same company also has TapeDeck, which “…is a powerful and fun new audio recorder for Mac OS X Leopard. It’s just like your old analog tape recorder, only better. A lot better.” (25USD)

Next, you have searched for your Creative Commons photos on Flickr for your presentation or video. Why not go all the way and use creative commons music for the soundtrack? “ccMixter is a community music site featuring remixes licensed under Creative Commons where you can listen to, sample, mash-up, or interact with music in whatever way you want.” You may view a list of other ccMusic sites here.

School Drama Production? 55 Great Websites To Download Free Sound Effects (via Hongkiat)

Create some music on the go: The best music-making apps on the iPhone (via Music Radar)

Numerology is a modular sequencing environment designed for performing musicians. It works by giving the user an organized workspace within which they can quickly create and connect together a variety of highly functional sequencing and MIDI event generating modules. As a fully modular environment, the user can construct sequencing instruments that fit their own unique and twisted requirements. Download a 14 day trial (119USD to buy).

Finally, have a look at this article to get inspired for all the above: 7 Places to Find Inspiration for Songs (via AudioTuts)

UPDATE: also check out 25 Free Digital Audio Editors You Should Know

It’s quite amazing what apps are available for the iPhone now. Check this out from Cinemek and view some of their other tutorial videos for it via their Vimeo link below:

“Hitchcock is the first of our suite of iphone apps. It is currently available in the iTunes app store (itunes.com/apps/hitchcock). In case you are curious, this is how it works.”

Hitchcock Mobile Storyboard Composer from cinemek / Hitchcock on Vimeo.

Thanks to The Teaching Palette for reminding me of this site. Vi.sualize.us allows you to freely bookmark the pictures you love. I used to always drag photos I liked onto my desktop. Needless to say, they have all accumulated space. With vi.sualize.us they can now all be stored online with the tags I create. Excellent (especially for us art teachers) and just what I needed!

You may also be interested in TiltViewer which I wrote about before here.

I have just returned from holidays and had to sort two months worth of mail. I received my copy of Professionally Speaking magazine and saw they offered a few art sites. You may view the article here, but I have also included most of them below.

Arts Edge: Created by the Kennedy Center, you may find lesson plans by grade, which are also cross-referenced with other subject areas and include resource links.

Incredible@rt Department: offers art resources and lessons that are submitted by teachers.

Larry’s Toon Institute & Cartoonster: For students who like comics and wish to create their own. Lessons also describe how animation works. More suitable for grades 4-7.

Art Attack: Taken from the popular TV show, create art projects from everyday items. Suitable for elementary students.

The new video for Coldplay’s Strawberry Swing (dir. Shynola) is a nice piece of animation. Eat your heart out Peter Gabriel!