learningIT

Trailer for Lord Puttnam’s new film about education.

video link here

(found via Sir Ken Robinson on Twitter)

Here’s another short (photo) time lapse of a painting I did. I’ve been sick with a sore throat for about 4 days now. Not much of a holiday. Apologies to readers waiting patiently for IT related info. Something soon, I promise. (You must be tired of all this art stuff. Video link here.)

I was inspired by this video to try something new with my artwork (thanks Craig R for sharing it). Though it is good to develop personal style, I find myself doing the same thing over and over. With time on my hands I gave the technique a go a few days ago.

The premise is to be influenced through music to explore creativity. I chose “In Sickness and in Health” by The Legendary Pink Dots from their The Whispering Wall album. I had no plan in mind and simply went with it, playing the song over and over for about an hour until the work was complete. It’s harder than it sounds and I doubted myself throughout the whole experience.

My goal was to simply break out of my comfort zone and explore new possibilities and various techniques that I usually don’t use. I used graphite, pastel, ink, coffee, charcoal, gouache, watercolour and collage.

The final piece itself is not a work of art, but a document of an exploration process, something newer art students may struggle with. I recorded the process in the video below and sped it up reducing it from fifty minutes to approximately three (you may also click the photo to take you to the Flickr page).

Thanks to Justin Medved for posting this video on his TYS Tech Sessions blog (@The York School). A good watch indeed and about 10 minutes long.

We’re on holiday for our mid-semester break and I decided to stay put to get some art done. Well the break is halfway over and I finally managed to squeeze some time in. I thought I’d do a self-portrait with acrylic gouache as I teach this next semester and I am a little rusty. Four and a half hours later I managed to pump this out in A3 size. I also photographed the process to create the video below. Not my best work but it feels good to do some artwork again! (That’s the problem when you teach art, you don’t have time to do your own.)

(YouTube video link here)

We are about 2 months into school now. I don’t know about you, but I am BUSY. Swamped actually. Every year seems to grow and get busier and busier. More stuff gets added but it feels like not much is taken out. With this, I ponder if I continue to challenge my students out of their comfort zone in Art. Are they challenging themselves or simply giving me what I want for assessment purposes? Do I encourage them to experiment enough or do I rush them?

I was flipping through some bookmarked videos and stumbled across this one again (video below). Not fully related to what I am writing but it made me wonder if I am understanding my students. I can’t remember who passed it on to me, so apologies. It’s in Japanese with Korean and English subtitles. Some food for thought.

Wow, two Star Wars related posts in a week. My friends and I are seriously considering doing this. This is real, fun collaboration. Why didn’t I think of it? But hurry, clips are going fast.

Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

If you subscribe to other art blogs, you have probably seen this already. Blu’s other video MUTO certainly made it’s rounds. I’m sure this one will too.

(video link here)

You have probably seen his work on album covers, t-shirts and various other paraphernalia. Yoshitomo Nara (or, Nara Yoshitomo to you western folk) is rather popular here in Japan.

Viz Pictures has “An intriguing collection of six documentaries introducing modern Japanese pop artists who posses unique views and inspirations to create captivating works of art.” The first installment, Yoshitomo Nara’s DVD was released on September 15th. Others to follow will include Yayoi Kusama (a very, very interesting lady).

From New People Artist Series:

Traveling with Yoshitomo Nara is a record of the journey that the world-renowned Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara took along with Hideki Toyoshima and graf AtoZ team, and the many others who contributed to the creation of his handmade exhibit AtoZ. As their journey began and the project progressed, more and more people contributed to the project and touched the heart of the team. The people, the experience, and the works all came together and settled at the AtoZ exhibit in his hometown of Hirosaki. With Nara as their leader, this large creation began taking form and lead to a surprising outcome for both Nara’s artwork and himself.

Trailers below. I’m looking forward to them!

(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.